Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of vitamin A supplementation on the growth of preschool children in the Sudan.

OBJECTIVES This study assessed the effect of vitamin A supplementation at 6-month intervals on child growth. METHODS Sudanese children (n = 28,740) 6 to 72 months of age were weighed and measured at baseline and at each of three follow-up visits. RESULTS Periodic vitamin A supplementation had no effect on the rate of weight or height gain in the total population or on the incidence of wasting, stunting, or wasting and stunting among children who were normally nourished at baseline. CONCLUSIONS Reducing poverty and improving access to adequate diets should remain the goals of programs designed to improve the nutritional status of malnourished populations.
Evidence for the presence of two novel pestivirus species.

The genus Pestivirus of the family Flaviviridae comprises four species, namely Bovine viral diarrhea virus-1 (BVDV-1), BVDV-2, Border disease virus (BDV), and Classical swine fever virus (CSFV). Comparative analyses of partial sequences have suggested that pestivirus isolates from giraffe (Giraffe-1) and reindeer (Reindeer-1) are distinct from the established species (Becher et al., Virology 262, 64--71, 1999). In this study, we report the complete genomic sequences of pestivirus strains Giraffe-1 and Reindeer-1. Comparative sequence analyses revealed considerable differences among Giraffe-1, Reindeer-1, and the currently recognized pestivirus species. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete coding sequences of these two strains, along with 13 other sequences representing the four established species, indicated that CSFV, BDV, and Reindeer-1 have bifurcated from one common branch and BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 from another. In the former branch BDV and the pestivirus from reindeer are more similar to each other than to CSFV. The giraffe pestivirus is equally distinct from both major branches. In addition, the antigenic relatedness of pestivirus isolates covering the observed major genetic groups was studied by cross-neutralization assays. A clustering procedure on the basis of antigenic differences indicated the presence of six major groups corresponding to the genetically defined groups. Taken together, the results of our analyses addressing both nucleotide sequence relatedness and serological relatedness argue for the inclusion of Giraffe-1 and Reindeer-1 as the first members of two separate novel species within the genus Pestivirus.
Expression of Arnt and Arnt2 mRNA in Developing Murine Tissues

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH-PAS) proteins aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (Arnt) and Arnt2 are transcriptional regulators that function as dimerizing partners for several bHLH-PAS proteins and also some nonrelated partners. They are involved in various biological functions, including regulation of developmental genes. In earlier studies, the developmental expression of Arnt was reported to be almost ubiquitous, whereas Arnt2 expression has been shown to be more limited, comprising neuronal tissues as the main site of expression. Here we provide a detailed description of the expression of Arnt and Arnt2 mRNA in mouse tissues during embryonic and early postnatal development. Arnt and also Arnt2 transcripts, in contrast to earlier reports, are shown to be expressed more widely during development yet show a temporally and spatially specific pattern.
Emotion work in midwifery: a review of current knowledge.

AIM OF THE PAPER To review the literature relating to emotional labour in the workplace and identify potential sources of emotion within midwifery work. RATIONALE There is substantial evidence to indicate that the quality of the relationship between midwife and woman is significant in determining the quality of the childbirth experience for women. Despite this, there is a notable lack of research regarding midwives' experiences of participating in this relationship, and even less regarding the emotional issues involved. METHOD Literature review of relevant midwifery, nursing and sociological literature. Discussion of the theoretical perspectives provided by sociological and nursing research relating to the management of emotion at work and critical consideration of their application to an analysis of midwifery work. FINDINGS Although these theoretical perspectives may offer significant insights of relevance to midwifery, there is much more that needs to be uncovered. Midwifery work has the potential for creating high levels of emotion work and current changes in the organization of United Kingdom (UK) maternity care may further increase this. CONCLUSION It is essential that midwives develop their understanding of emotion at work in order to improve their own working lives, and to meet the needs of childbearing women and their families. More research is needed in this field to develop a body of knowledge to inform midwifery education and practice.
Position Effect on the Directionality of Silencer Function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, silencers flanking the HML and HMR loci initiate the establishment of transcriptional silencing. We demonstrate that the activity of a silencer pertaining to its potency and directionality is dependent on its genomic position. The context of the HML-E silencer is more permissive to silencer function than that of HML-I or HMR-E, despite that HML-E and HML-I are only 3.3 kb apart. The apparent strength and directionality of a silencer in a particular location is affected by other silencing elements (silencers and protosilencers) present in its context. We show that at the HML locus, at least four silencing elements engage in multiple functional interactions that contribute to the activities of the silencers. Notably, these dispersed silencing elements can synergize to silence genes located not only inside, but also outside the HML sequence that harbors them. Moreover, the relative positions and orientations of these elements are important for silencing, indicating that they belong to an intricate silencing network.
Thoracic hyperkyphosis: a survey of Australian physiotherapists.

BACKGROUND Age-related thoracic hyperkyphosis can lead to poor health outcomes including pain and dysfunction. Physiotherapists are fundamentally involved in the assessment and treatment of this problem but there is no published data that details assessment and treatment strategies or the attitudes of practitioners with respect to hyperkyphosis. PURPOSE The purpose of the study is to ascertain current physiotherapy practice for, and attitudes to, the assessment and treatment of thoracic hyperkyphosis in Australia. METHOD A stratified random sample (N = 468) of Australian physiotherapists in all states and territories working in hospitals, outpatient clinics and community clinics were sent an anonymous cross-sectional postal survey. The survey had six sections identifying clinical profile, prevalence, measurement strategy, treatment frequency, treatment strategy and evidence source. RESULTS A response rate of 47% with anonymity preserved was achieved. The majority of respondents had a musculoskeletal practice profile (75%). Seventy-eight per cent encountered hyperkyphosis at least weekly, and three treatment sessions were most commonly given (35%). Visual inspection was almost universally used to assess the degree of hyperkyphosis (98%), and for 64% it was their only measurement tool. Postural re-education was the most common treatment strategy (90%) but the range of treatments reported was diverse. The primary source of evidence used by the majority of respondents was their undergraduate education, and there was concern expressed that physiotherapists lack good evidence upon which to make therapeutic decisions about hyperkyphosis. CONCLUSIONS Thoracic hyperkyphosis is commonly encountered by physiotherapists. Measurement of treatment efficacy is highly subjective, and the treatment modalities employed are diverse. Many physiotherapists based their management of hyperkyphosis on their undergraduate education alone.
A ciphertext‐policy attribute‐based proxy re‐encryption scheme for data sharing in public clouds

Ciphertext‐policy attribute‐based proxy re‐encryption (CP‐ABPRE) extends the traditional Proxy Re‐Encryption (PRE) by allowing a semi‐trusted proxy to transform a ciphertext under an access policy to another ciphertext with the same plaintext under a new access policy (i.e., attribute‐based re‐encryption). The proxy, however, learns nothing about the underlying plaintext. CP‐ABPRE has many real world applications, such as fine‐grained access control in cloud storage systems and medical records sharing among different hospitals. All the existing CP‐ABPRE schemes are leaving chosen‐ciphertext attack (CCA) security as an interesting open problem. This paper, for the first time, proposes a new CP‐ABPRE scheme to tackle the problem. The new scheme supports attribute‐based re‐encryption with any monotonic access structures. Despite being constructed in the random oracle model, our scheme can be proven CCA secure under the decisional q‐parallel bilinear Diffie–Hellman exponent assumption. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Short-term and working memory in specific language impairment.

BACKGROUND Investigations of the cognitive processes underlying specific language impairment (SLI) have implicated deficits in the storage and processing of phonological information, but to date these abilities have not been studied in the same group of children with SLI. AIMS To examine the extent to which deficits in immediate verbal short-term and working memory may co-occur in a group of children with SLI. METHODS & PROCEDURES Twenty children aged 7-11 years with SLI completed a comprehensive battery of short-term and working memory, as well as two phonological awareness tasks. OUTCOMES & RESULTS The majority of the group had deficits in both verbal short-term and working memory, which persisted after the general language abilities of the children were taken into account. A substantial minority showed deficits on visuospatial short-term memory, while impairments of phonological awareness were less marked. CONCLUSIONS The data indicate dual deficits in verbal short-term and working memory that exceed criterial language abilities characteristic of SLI and may plausibly underpin some of the language learning difficulties experienced by these children.
On experimenting 5G: Testbed set-up for SDN orchestration across network cloud and IoT domains

In this paper, we present an experimental set-up reproducing a convergent 5G service scenario spanning over SDN-based Edge network, Cloud and IoT domains. To address reliability and robustness requirements of future 5G networks, the set-up also includes an SDN orchestrator able to adaptively provision data delivery paths connecting service components running in those different domains. In particular, we demonstrate SDN orchestration capabilities in adapting data paths across IoT, Cloud and network domains based on the real-time load state of switches thereby recovering from congestions and assuring reliable data delivery services.
In vitro expression of a 22-kilodalton Yersinia pestis polypeptide immunologically related to the 25-kilodalton plasmid-encoded protein of the three pathogenic Yersinia species

Antibodies raised against the 25-kilodalton (p25) plasmid-encoded polypeptide of Yersinia enterocolitica recognized the homologous protein in the three Yersinia species grown in vitro. This polypeptide was recovered from whole cells as well as from the fluid supernatant of bacteria grown at 37 degrees C in a Ca2+-deficient medium. Furthermore, a 22-kilodalton (p22) plasmid-encoded polypeptide immunologically related to p25 was found only in Y. pestis during early growth. After 30 h of culture, the Y. pestis p25 and p22 were completely degraded, whereas the intensity of the Y. enterocolitica p25 was decreased, but the protein was still detectable in the fluid supernatant. This proteolytic activity was independent of the presence of the virulence plasmid. Some disulfide bonds are probably involved in the quaternary structure of the p25 of the three pathogenic species and of the Y. pestis p22.
BK Knockout by TALEN-Mediated Gene Targeting in Osteoblasts: KCNMA1 Determines the Proliferation and Differentiation of Osteoblasts

Large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels participate in many important physiological functions in excitable tissues such as neurons, cardiac and smooth muscles, whereas the knowledge of BK channels in bone tissues and osteoblasts remains elusive. To investigate the role of BK channels in osteoblasts, we used transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) to establish a BK knockout cell line on rat ROS17/2.8 osteoblast, and detected the proliferation and mineralization of the BK-knockout cells. Our study found that the BK-knockout cells significantly decreased the ability of proliferation and mineralization as osteoblasts, compared to the wild type cells. The overall expression of osteoblast differentiation marker genes in the BK-knockout cells was significantly lower than that in wild type osteoblast cells. The BK-knockout osteoblast cell line in our study displays a phenotype decrease in osteoblast function which can mimic the pathological state of osteoblast and thus provide a working cell line as a tool for study of osteoblast function and bone related diseases.
Sparking potentials for CCl2F2-CO2 and CCl2F2-N2 gas mixtures

A method to calculate the uniform field breakdown gradients for CCl<inf>2</inf>F<inf>2</inf>-N<inf>2</inf> and CCl<inf>2</inf>F<inf>2</inf>-CO<inf>2</inf> mixtures is discussed. Calculated values of the breakdown gradients in these mixtures are compared with experimentally measured values using plane-plane electrode configuration and direct applied voltages. The results show a reasonable degree of agreement between the calculated and the measured values.
An American prototopia: or Peachtree City as an inadvertent, sustainable solution to urban sprawl

Peachtree City is a city with a secondary transportation network, known as the path system. This paperseeks to determine why the path system is so successful and whether there are fundamental spatial,configurational properties which underpin its achievement. This paper examines the axial-line network ofpaths as a distinct network then as part of the larger, combined system of both paths and roads.The finding of this paper is that the cart path system, although unintelligible in its own right, serves thepurpose of reducing the overall number of cul-de-sacs in the city whilst increasing its axial ringiness. Anew measure for calculating the spatial signature of sprawl is suggested - the proportion and distribution ofcircuit lengths in the axial map. The paper continues by discussing the social, economic and environmentalbenefits of the path system, with the proviso that these benefits arise only from a successful system and thata partial factor contributing to this must be the spatial regularities revealed in the axial analyses. It concludsby suggesting that without the cart path system, Peachtree City would consist of nothing more thanaggregations of typical suburban developments with one or two primary road-entrances accessed fromarterial-roads and containing a high ratio of cul-de-sacs.This paper concludes by suggesting how Peachtree City could be held to be the blue-print of a ? protopia? ,presenting a principle by which American suburbia could be transformed into sustainable communities andyet do so in a manner which would be distinctly American in character and hence palatable to its residentsunlike many current, public-transport focused proposals.
Quality and performance measures in bone densitometry: part 1: errors and diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION Bone densitometry is one of the main pillars in the assessment of osteoporosis. The most important modalities are dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and quantitative ultrasound (QUS). MATERIALS AND METHODS For each modality a variety of technical solutions and numerous commercial devices are available and widely used for patient measurements. While the field of bone densitometry may be considered mature, new modalities and devices are being introduced. Consequently, there is a constant need to assess and compare the quality of bone densitometry approaches and devices in a rigorous way. RESULTS The International Commission on Radiation Units has commissioned a report on bone densitometry to address some of these issues, in particular to provide clear definitions of quantities and units used and to describe parameters and methods that can be used to compare and standardize densitometric equipment and measurements. One of the core chapters of the report summarizes quality and performance measures in bone densitometry. It is divided into four sections: physical performance measures, diagnosis, fracture risk, and monitoring. Here we publish part 1 of this chapter containing the first two sections: physical performance measures and issues in diagnosing osteoporosis. CONCLUSION Following the international standard (ISO 5725-1), trueness, bias, repeatability, and reproducibility are defined along with terms common to osteoporosis research, such as accuracy and precision. Building on the conceptual definition of osteoporosis, diagnostic criteria are defined and discussed including criteria for reference data. Based on this, clinical performance measures commonly used for the diagnosis of osteoporosis are reviewed and discussed.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM IN DIABETES MELLITUS: LOWERED FREQUENCY OF CERTAIN INTRACRANIAL NEOPLASMS.

RETROSPECTIVE studies which had been designed to yield data about the frequency and topography of nervous system vascular lesions in diabetic patients coincidentally revealed a striking paucity of intracranial neoplasms in the same group. 1 The present communication represents a summary of these unanticipated findings and is based upon observations taken from 9,223 autopsies. Materials and Methods The autopsies which form the basis of this study were performed at Kings County Hospital Center during the period from 1953 to 1963 and represent all autopsy examinations, during this interval, in which the central nervous system was studied. Excluded, however, are those patients who died, either in transit to the hospital or in the admitting room, before any historical information or pertinent laboratory tests could establish or exclude the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. There were very few patients in this category. The general autopsies were undertaken by the resident physicians in pathology
A clean self reduces bribery intent

The present research aimed at investigating the effect of physical cleanliness on bribery intent and the moderating role of personal need for structure (PNS) on this relationship. In Study 1, we used questionnaires to establish the correlation between bodily cleanliness and bribery intent. In Study 2, we examined the effect by priming sense of self-cleanliness. Study 3 was conducted outside a public bath to test our finding that physical purity decreases bribery intent again; we further found that individuals with high PNS showed no reduction in bribery intent even after cleaning themselves. We thus connected physical cleanliness with the corruption field and improved our understanding of its underlying moderating mechanism.
Involvement of the TPJ Area in Processing of Novel Global Forms

The neuropsychological syndrome “simultanagnosia” is characterized by the inability to integrate local elements into a global entity. This deficit in Gestalt perception is mainly apparent for novel global structures administered in clinical tests or unfamiliar visual scenes. Recognition of familiar complex objects or well-known visual scenes is often unaffected. Recent neuroimaging studies and reports from simultanagnosia patients suggest a crucial involvement of temporoparietal brain areas in processing of hierarchically organized visual material. In this study, we investigated the specific role of the TPJ in Gestalt perception. On the basis of perceptual characteristics known from simultanagnosia, we hypothesized that TPJ is dominantly involved in processing of novel object arrangements. To answer this question, we performed a learning study with hierarchical stimuli and tested behavioral and neuronal characteristics of Gestalt perception pre- and posttraining. The study included 16 psychophysical training sessions and two neuroimaging sessions. Participants improved their behavioral performance for trained global stimuli and showed limited transfer to untrained global material. We found significant training dependent neuronal signal modulations in anterior right hemispheric TPJ regions. These activation changes were specific to trained global stimuli, whereas no systematic neuronal response changes were observed for recognition of untrained global stimuli, local elements and regular objects that served as control stimuli. In line with perceptual characteristics in simultanagnosia, the results argue for an involvement of TPJ in processing of novel global structures. We discuss the signal modulations in the context of a more efficient or different neuronal strategy to process familiar global stimuli.
Improving Proteinuria, Endothelial Functions and Asymmetric Dimethylarginine Levels in Chronic Kidney Disease: Ramipril versus Valsartan

Background: The aim of this study was to find out whether the beneficial effects of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAS) blockage in chronic kidney disease (CKD) has any relation with the alteration of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels. Methods: Sixty-six nondiabetic patients with CKD and proteinuria and 36 healthy subjects were enrolled. Patients were treated with either ramipril 5 mg daily or valsartan 160 mg daily for 3 months. Proteinuria, ADMA, symmetric dimethyl arginine (SDMA), flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and HOMA index measurements were performed both before and after the treatment. Results: ADMA, SDMA, hsCRP levels, HOMA index and proteinuria of patients were significantly higher (p < 0.001 for all) and FMD, L-arginine and L-arginine/ADMA ratio in CKD were significantly lower than controls. According to the multiple regression analysis, proteinuria levels were independently related to ADMA and SDMA levels. Conclusion: Both drugs were equally effective in reducing elevated ADMA levels and improving endothelial dysfunction in CKD patients.
Monitoring cytotoxic tumour treatment response by diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and proton spectroscopy

Exposure of tumours to anti‐cancer drugs, gene or radiation therapy consistently leads to an increase in water diffusion in the cases expressing favourable treatment response. The diffusion change coincides cytotoxic cell eradication and precedes volume reduction in drug or gene therapy‐treated experimental tumours. Interestingly, the recent studies from human brain tumour patients undergoing chemotherapy show similar behaviour of diffusion, suggesting important application for MRI in patient management. In this review observations from diffusion MRI and MRS in the tumours during cytotoxic treatment are summarized and the cellular mechanisms affecting molecular mobility are discussed in the light of tissue microenvironmental and microdynamic changes. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.