Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are Poor Individuals Mainly Found in Poor Households? Evidence Using Nutrition Data for Africa

Antipoverty policies in developing countries often assume that targeting poor households will be reasonably effective in reaching poor individuals. This paper questions this assumption, using nutritional status as a proxy for individual poverty. The comprehensive assessment for Sub-Saharan Africa reveals that undernourished women and children are spread widely across the distribution of household wealth and consumption. Roughly three-quarters of underweight women and undernourished children are not found in the poorest 20 percent of households, and around half are not found in the poorest 40 percent. The mean joint probability of being an underweight woman and living in the poorest wealth quintile is only 0.03. Countries with higher overall rates of undernutrition tend to have a higher share of undernourished individuals in nonpoor households. The results are consistent with evidence of substantial intrahousehold inequality.
Role of hypothalamic monoamines in nicotine-induced anorexia in menopausal rats.

BACKGROUND Nicotine reduces body weight by reducing appetite. Estradiol modulates food intake. Menopause or ovariectomy (Ovx) increases food intake and body weight. Nicotine and estradiol individually influence hypothalamic dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT), whose interaction influences food intake and body weight. We investigated whether lower weight gain in menopausal smokers is mediated via changes in hypothalamic DA/5-HT. METHODS Ovx or sham-operated female rats had 2 microdialysis guide cannulas simultaneously implanted in ipsilateral ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus (VMN) and contralateral lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). Rats were divided into 4 groups and received a continuous subcutaneous infusion of nicotine or saline Ovx and sham. DA and 5-HT in LHA and VMN were measured by in vivo microdialysis. RESULTS Nicotine infusion decreased food intake and body weight in Ovx and sham groups. Increase in LHA-DA and VMN-5-HT in sham group occurred with nicotine, whereas an increase in VMN-DA in Ovx groups with and without nicotine and VMN-5-HT in Ovx group with nicotine was observed. CONCLUSIONS In the presence of estradiol (ovary intact sham-operated rats), nicotine lowers food intake and body weight via increased LHA-DA and VMN-5-HT. In menopause (Ovx rats), nicotine lowers food intake and body weight only via increased VMN-DA and 5-HT. Data show that lower weight gain is mediated via changes in hypothalamic monoamines, primarily via ventromedial hypothalamus.
Helicobacter pylori Antigen in Stool Is Associated With SIDS and Sudden Infant Deaths due to Infectious Disease

Infection with Helicobacter pylori has been proposed to be a common cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). We investigated the frequency of H. pylori infection in 160 infant deaths and 156 live controls by means of the Helicobacter pylori stool antigen (HpSA) immunoassay. Histology was performed in 26 randomly selected cases. H. pylori antigen was detected in 8% (12/156) of the live controls compared with 25% (30/122) of SIDS cases (p < 0.001), 53% (9/17) of deaths due to infection (p < 0.001), and 9% (1/11) of accidental/violent deaths (p = 0.60). In the classic age peak for SIDS, 1–5 mo, 31% (21/67) of SIDS cases were HpSA positive compared with 1.5% (1/68) of live controls (p < 0.001). Rod-like immunoperoxidase positive H. pylori organisms were identified in 7/12 HpSA positive gastric antrum sections compared with 2/14 HpSA negative (p = 0.038). Significantly elevated IL-6 levels in cerebrospinal fluid representing signs of central immune stimulation were demonstrated in HpSA positive SIDS victims compared with HpSA negative victims (p = 0.045). Detection of H. pylori antigen in stool is associated with SIDS and deaths due to infections. We hypothesize that H. pylori infection in infancy may be involved as the triggering pathogen for sudden death during the first 5 month after birth.
Limited antioxidant effect after consumption of a single dose of tomato sauce by young males, despite a rise in plasma lycopene

This study investigated the effect of a single dose of tomato sauce on healthy male volunteers in a randomized crossover study. Healthy male subjects (n = 10) were enrolled. Placebo (rice and olive oil) or tomato (tomato sauce, rice and olive oil) meals were provided to the volunteers. Blood and urine samples were taken before consumption of meal (0 h) and 2, 4, 6, 24 and 48 h after meal. Consumption of tomato sauce increased plasma lycopene level by 5–22%, with a maximum level at 24 h (p<0.01) after the meal. Levels of plasma F2-isoprostanes, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid products, allantoin and urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine did not change after either meal, but urinary F2-isoprostanes (p<0.05) significantly decreased at 48 h compared to 0 h after the tomato sauce meal. This study showed that a single dose of tomato sauce meal had only a limited antioxidant effect in vivo.
RULES VERSUS DISCRETION IN LOAN RATE SETTING GERALDO CERQUEIRO HANS DEGRYSE

We propose a heteroscedastic regression model to identify the determinants of the dispersion in interest rates on loans granted to small and medium sized enterprises. We interpret unexplained deviations as evidence of the banks’ discretionary use of market power in the loan rate setting process. “Discretion” in the loan-pricing process is most important, we find, if: (i) loans are small and uncollateralized; (ii) firms are small, risky and difficult to monitor; (iii) firms’ owners are older, and, (iv) the banking market where the firm operates is large and highly concentrated. We also find that the weight of “discretion” in loan rates of small credits to opaque firms has decreased somewhat over the last fifteen years, consistent with the proliferation of information-technologies in the banking industry. Overall, our results reflect the relevance in the credit market of the costs firms face in searching information and switching lenders. JEL Code: G21, L11.
Loneliness and social isolation: risk factors long overdue for surveillance.

Definition of Loneliness Some of the early definitions of loneliness characterized it as a lack of social intimacy or as a deficiency in social relationships. Loneliness is often described as a subjective feeling of isolation, not belonging, or lacking companionship. Steptoe et al contend that loneliness is frequently considered as “the psychological embodiment of social isolation. ” Other experts in this area define loneliness more explicitly as a distressing feeling associated with discrepancies between one’s desired and actual social relationships. The latter may help to explain how a person can feel lonely despite living with a spouse or other family members, or living with many other people in a community or institutional setting.
Intake of heterocyclic aromatic amines from meat in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Heidelberg cohort

It was the aim of the present study to estimate the intake of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCA) from meat, which have been associated with cancer risk in several epidemiological studies, of 21 462 subjects who participated in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) in Heidelberg. This was accomplished by using a detailed dietary questionnaire that assessed meat consumption, cooking methods, and degree of browning of the respective food items. Median total HCA intake from meat was 31 ng/d (mean 69 ng/d), which was lower than results observed in previous studies. 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5b]pyridine was the most common HCA in this cohort (median 17; mean 48 ng/d). The present study offers the opportunity of a detailed examination of the associations between meat cooking as well as HCA intake from meat and cancer risk in a prospective way.
Socio-economic factors that predict psychiatric admissions at a local level

Background. The aim of the study was to confirm the predictive relationship between socio-economic factors and psychiatric admissions at a fine grain geographical level. The strength of association was compared with those of other studies that have looked at separate diagnostic groups. Method. Psychiatric admissions were from electoral wards of the County of South Glamorgan, which encompasses the capital city of Wales, Cardiff. Standardized psychiatric admission ratios (SAR) for different diagnostic groups were calculated for a 5-year period. The ecological association with deprivation indices and with single variables at the level of electoral ward was examined. Of a total of 15266 psychiatric admissions, 11296 were analysed. Results. Psychiatric morbidity, reflected in SAR was inversely related to socio-economic deprivation for both sexes. This applied to all diagnostic groups except organic disorders. The relationship was most marked for schizophrenia, delusional disorders and substance abuse, closely followed by personality disorders, and less for affective and neurotic disorders. Little difference existed between three composite indices of deprivation (Carstairs, Jarman, Townsend), but the marginally best predictor was that designed by Jarman. However, low rates of car ownership and high unemployment were as good at predicting SAR as any of the compound indices. Conclusion. Socio-economic factors account for almost 50% of the variance in psychiatric admission rates between electoral wards. The degree of association between psychiatric morbidity and deprivation varies between diagnostic groups, arguing against a common factor linking deprivation and psychiatric admissions generally. Frequently updated unemployment figures provide nearly as useful and more immediate information than 10-yearly Census data used to calculate the deprivation indices. These figures may be used for needs assessment and targeting resources at a local level.
A comparison of goodness of fit tests for age‐related reference ranges

Age‐related reference ranges based on cubic spline or kernel‐based smoothing methods lack a parametric framework with which to assess goodness of fit, as the distribution of the log‐likelihood ratio comparing models with different degrees of smoothing is not known in general. Several methods have been proposed to assess goodness of fit in this case: Healy's grid test, Royston's Q tests and van Buuren's worm plot. Here we compare the performance of the various methods, including an extension of the Q tests, and show how they can be used, with other information including the appearance of the fitted curves, to inform the choice of model for age‐related reference ranges of height and weight in a large Dutch data set. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clay transformations following a leaching experiment on an acid brown soil

Abstract The chemical and mineralogical properties of the A1 and B horizons of an acid brown soil (typic Dystrochrept) were compared before and after a 20 month column leaching experiment. At the end of the leaching period, the organic carbon content of the Al horizon had decreased by ~20% compared with the original horizon. In the leached Al horizon, the vermiculite layers of both the vermiculite and interstratified minerals were transformed into high-charge expanding layers, with the charge mainly located in the octahedral sheet. The inhibition of expansion properties by pretreatment with dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate (DCB) was explained by an increase in total layer charge induced by Fe reduction. In the B horizon, leaching resulted in a loss of sesquioxide materials, especially in the interlayers of vermiculites. In both horizons, the amounts of Al extracted by Na citrate and the amounts of Fe extracted by DCB decreased. Analysis of solution composition showed that Al mobilization was closely associated with NO-3 leaching.
Managing framing effects in persuasive design for sustainability

For decades, the framing effect has been a popular research topic in social psychology. A persuasive system could act in shaping the user behaviour towards sustainability, and thereby play a key role in social change. In this respect, understanding different framing effects in persuasive design is crucial, since individual framing and cognition on sustainability plays a major role in the success of persuasion. For dealing with a complex issue, such as achieving sustainability through behavioural change, persuasive design needs to reflect on the potentials of framing effects. In this paper, we have proposed a model of framing effects from which the principles of managing different framing effects of persuasive sustainability design were formulated. The principles were then shown in relations with different dimensions of sustainability and were also used to generate a design space for persuasive sustainability. The proposed model and principles are significant for realizing the effectiveness of different framing effects for the success of a persuasive sustainability.
β‐galactoside α2,6 sialyltransferase in human colon cancer: contribution of multiple transcripts to regulation of enzyme activity and reactivity with sambucus nigra agglutinin

Colon cancer tissues display an increased activity of β‐galactoside α2,6 sialyltransferase (ST6Gal.I) and an increased reactivity with the lectin from Sambucus nigra (SNA), specific for α2,6‐sialyl‐linkages. Experimental and clinical studies indicate a contribution of these alterations to tumor progression, but their molecular bases are largely unknown. In many tissues, ST6Gal.I is transcriptionally regulated through the usage of different promoters that originate mRNAs diverging in the 5`‐untranslated regions. RT‐PCR analysis of 14 carcinoma samples, all expressing an increased ST6Gal.I enzyme activity, and of the corresponding normal mucosa revealed the presence of at least 2 transcripts. One, containing the 5`‐untranslated exons, Y+Z, is thought to represent the “housekeeping” expression, and another previously described in hepatic tissues. Both the Y+Z and the hepatic transcripts were detectable in normal and cancer tissues but that latter form had a marked tendency to accumulate in cancer. The extent of α2,6‐sialylation of glycoconjugates, as determined by SNA‐dot blot analysis, was markedly enhanced in all cancer specimens, but the level of reactivity only partially correlated with the level of enzyme expression. Western blot analysis revealed a strikingly heterogeneous pattern of SNA reactivity among cancer tissues. These data indicate that: i) during neoplastic transformation of colonic cells, ST6Gal.I expression may be modulated through a differential promoter usage; ii) the extent of α2,6‐sialylation of cancer cell membranes is not a direct function of the ST6Gal.I activity, strongly suggesting the existence of other, more complex mechanisms of regulation. Int. J. Cancer 88:58–65, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Intermuscular coherence in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A preliminary assessment

Introduction: Simple laboratory tests of upper motor neuron involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are not available. Intermuscular coherence has been shown to distinguish patients with primary lateral sclerosis, a pure upper motor neuron disorder, from normal subjects, suggesting it could be useful for assessing ALS. We aimed to determine whether intermuscular coherence can distinguish ALS patients from normal subjects. Methods: We measured biceps brachii and brachioradialis activity using surface electromyography while subjects held the elbow at flexion and the forearm in semipronation. Intermuscular coherence was calculated at between 20 and 40 Hz in 15 ALS patients and 15 normal subjects. Results: On average, intermuscular coherence was 3.8‐fold greater in normal subjects than in ALS patients (P < 0.01), and it distinguished ALS patients from normal subjects with a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 87%. Conclusion: Intermuscular coherence measurement is a rapid, painless method that may detect upper motor neuron dysfunction in ALS. Muscle Nerve 55: 862–868, 2017
Late recurrence of childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia frequently represents a second leukemia rather than a relapse: first evidence for genetic predisposition.

PURPOSE Relapse of childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) often occurs during treatment, but in some cases, leukemia re-emerges off therapy. On the basis of previous analyses of T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement patterns, we hypothesized that some late recurrences of T-ALL might in fact represent second leukemias. PATIENTS AND METHODS In 22 patients with T-ALL who had late relapses (at least 2.5 years from diagnosis), we studied TCR gene rearrangement status at first and second presentation, NOTCH1 gene mutations, and the presence of the SIL-TAL1 gene fusion. We performed genome-wide copy number and homozygosity analysis by using oligonucleotide- and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) -based arrays. RESULTS We found evidence of a common clonal origin between diagnosis and relapse in 14 patients (64%). This was based on concordant TCR gene rearrangements (12 patients) or concordant genetic aberrations, as revealed by genome-wide copy number analysis (two patients). In the remaining eight patients (36%), TCR gene rearrangement sequences had completely changed between diagnosis and relapse, and gene copy number analysis showed markedly different patterns of genomic aberrations, suggesting a second T-ALL rather than a resurgence of the original clone. Moreover, NOTCH1 mutation patterns were different at diagnosis and relapse in five of these eight patients. In one patient with a second T-ALL, SNP analysis revealed a germline del(11)(p12;p13), a known recurrent aberration in T-ALL. CONCLUSION More than one third of late T-ALL recurrences are, in fact, second leukemias. Germline genetic abnormalities might contribute to the susceptibility of some patients to develop T-ALL.
Moringa oleifera extract enhances sexual performance in stressed rats

Aphrodisiacs are required to improve male sexual function under stressful conditions. Due to the effects of oxidative stress and dopamine on male sexual function, we hypothesized that Moringa oleifera leaves might improve male sexual dysfunction induced by stress. Therefore, the effects on various factors playing important roles in male sexual behavior, such as antioxidant effects, the suppression of monoamine and phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) activities, serum testosterone and corticosterone levels, and histomorphological changes in the testes, of a hydroethanolic extract of M. oleifera leaves were investigated. Various doses of extract including 10, 50, and 250 mg/kg body weight (BW) were given orally to male Wistar rats before exposure to 12 h-immobilization stress for 7 d. The results demonstrated that the extract showed both antioxidant and monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) suppression activities. At 7 d of treatment, the low dose of extract improved sexual performance in stress-exposed rats by decreasing intromission latency and increasing intromission frequency. It also suppressed PDE-5 activity, decreased serum corticosterone level, but increased serum testosterone, numbers of interstitial cells of Leydig and spermatozoa. The increased numbers of interstitial cells of Leydig and spermatozoa might have been due to the antioxidant effect of the extract. The increased sexual performance during the intromission phase might have been due to the suppression of MAO-B and PDE-5 activities and increased testosterone. Therefore, M. oleifera is a potential aphrodisiac, but further research concerning the precise underlying mechanisms is still needed. 摘要目的探讨辣木叶提取物对改善应激条件下雄性性功能障碍的作用。 创新点根据氧化应激和多巴胺对雄性性功能的影响, 推测具有抗氧化和单胺调节功能的辣木叶能改善应激条件下的雄性性功能障碍。 方法本文以雄性Wistar大鼠作为实验对象, 通过对影响雄性性功能的各种因素进行测量及统计学分析, 包括抗氧化性、 B型单胺氧化酶(MAO-B)和5型磷酸二酯酶(PDE-5)活性、 血清睾酮和皮质甾酮水平、 睾丸内组织形态学变化。 结论研究结果表明, 辣木叶提取物作为一种抗氧化剂具有抑制MAO-B和PDE-5活性的作用, 同时能降低血清皮质酮水平, 提高血清睾酮水平, 增加睾丸间质细胞和精子的数量。 睾丸间质细胞和精子的数量的增加可能是由于辣木叶提取物的抗氧化作用, 插入阶段性功能增强可能是由于MAO-B和PDE-5活性的抑制和睾酮水平的增加。 因此, 辣木可以作为一种潜在的壮阳药。
Diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/contrast-enhanced CT versus contrast-enhanced CT alone for post-treatment detection of ovarian malignancy

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of combined fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET/contrast-enhanced computed tomography (Ce-CT) in comparison with Ce-CT alone for the detection of residual/recurrent tumor after initial treatment of malignant ovarian tumors. Patients and methodsThe study prospectively recruited 111 patients with a clinical suspicion of ovarian tumor recurrence. Each patient underwent 18F-FDG PET/computed tomography (CT) with low-dose CT, followed immediately by Ce-CT. Study-based analyses for a total of 136 scans were carried out. For each study, 11 subsites were assessed on a four-point score (score 0=definitely benign, score 1=probably benign, score 2=probably malignant, and score 3=definitely malignant). The subsites were collectively categorized into four groups: local tumor site, peritoneum, pelvi-abdominal lymph nodes, and other sites (e.g. liver, lung, bone, brain, etc). The final diagnosis of disease status was made on subsequent follow-up by conventional imaging (CT/MRI), 18F-FDG PET/CT, or histopathology whenever possible. ResultsOf the 136 studies evaluated, 97 (71%) studies had recurrent/residual disease and 39 (29%) studies were disease free on the basis of the final diagnosis. 18F-FDG PET/Ce-CT and Ce-CT had a sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and accuracy of 96 versus 84%, 92 versus 59%, 90 versus 59%, 97 versus 84%, and 95 versus 76%, respectively. 18F-FDG PET/Ce-CT was significantly more sensitive, specific, and accurate compared with Ce-CT, with P-values of 0.002, 0.001, and less than 0.0001, respectively. Site-based analyses also showed significant differences. ConclusionCombined18F-FDG PET/Ce-CT significantly outperforms Ce-CT alone in the post-treatment detection of malignant ovarian tumors.
Constraints on nonlinear extensions of the Lorentz group.

We investigate a priori possible extensions of the Lorentz group to nonlinear coordinate transformations between equivalent frames. We consider nonlinear transformations preserving uniform rectilinear motion, or mapping the world lines of points at rest to uniform rectilinear motion with a fixed velocity. In each case, we implement the requirement that coordinate transformations between equivalent frames must form a group. We obtain strong constraints on nonlinear extensions of the Lorentz group which generalize earlier results on linear extensions.
Case–control study of ovarian cancer in Japan

A case–control study of 80 women with ovarian epithelial carcinoma and 160 individually age‐matched controls were conducted to assess various factors associated with the incidence of ovarian cancer in Hokkaido, Japan. Among the characteristics studied, the following factors were significantly greater in the cases than in the controls: (1) blood group A; (2) never married or married late in life; (3) more frequent surgery for retroflexion of the uterus; (4) less use of contraceptive appliances; and (5) less daily use of cosmetics. It was inferred from these observations that ovarian cancer patients had a genetic predisposition and dysfunctional ovaries. Gonadal dysfunction among ovarian cancer patients presumably explained not only altered personality and behavior patterns, but also facilitated the pituitary gonadotropin activity which has been suggested as increasing the incidence of the disease experimentally.