Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Pressure Ulcers

BACKGROUND: Pressure ulcers (PrUs) remain a common problem in all healthcare settings. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of risk factors in patients with PrUs. METHODS: The study included 32 immobilized inpatients with PrUs and 30 immobilized inpatients without PrUs as a control group, who were being followed up at the Ankara Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Patients were given physical examinations and assessed for medical history, as well as for associated diseases, the duration of PrUs, the presence of stool and urinary incontinence, the use of pressure-reducing bed surface, and change of position. Routine biochemical and hematologic blood examinations were performed in all of the patients involved in the study. RESULTS: When risk factors for PrUs were assessed, 81.2% of the patients with PrUs had stool and urine incontinence, 46.8% had been smoking, 46.8% had hypoalbuminemia, 15.6% had been drinking alcohol, and 9.3% had diabetes; 18.7% had been using a pressure-reducing bed surface before the ulcer appeared, and 40.6% started to use a pressure-reducing bed surface after the ulceration occurred; and 59.3% were repositioned periodically. PrUs were found to develop earlier in patients who were smoking and who had anemia. A significant relation also was found between the grade of the ulcer and the frequency of change of position in bed. Smoking and urinary/stool incontinence were found to be significantly present more frequently in the patient group than the control group. Stool incontinence and the absence of the use of a pressure-reducing bed were also found to be risk factors in the patient group when compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The authors believe that stool and urinary incontinence, smoking, anemia, not using a pressure-reducing bed surface, and infrequent change of position in bed are considerable risk factors for the development of PrUs. Immobilized patients should be assessed for these risk factors, and measures should be taken to prevent PrU development.
Perinatal mortality in developing countries.

Each year, 10.7 million children under the age of five years die — 4 million during the first four weeks of life. Another 3.3 million are stillborn. Dr. Jelka Zupan discusses perinatal mortality in the less developed countries, which account for 98 percent of reported neonatal deaths and 97 percent of reported stillbirths.
Effects of alternating magnetic field on the metabolism of the healthy and diabetic organisms

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of alternating magnetic field on the metabolism of the healthy and diabetic rats. The rats were divided into two experimental groups. Magnetic fields of 5 and 8mT intensity was applied to the first group of rats for 3 weeks (C5mT, CMF5mT, C8mT and CMF8mT). The second group was identified as diabetics group and 5mT was applied (D5mT and DMF5mT). The control groups (C5mT, C8mT, D5mT) of applied magnetic fields were placed in the same cage of the rats in experimental groups that have the same conditions but no pass current. The weights of rats exposed to magnetic fields in experimental groups were increased to initial weight; the plasma glucose levels were decreased in the blood parameters of the healthy and diabetic rats that they were exposed to 5mT and 8mT intensity magnetic fields. The decrease of the level of the total cholesterol and triglyceride in the blood plasma of the rats, showed that magnetic fields affected the hormonal systems, directly or indirectly, and slowed down the metabolism or hidratation.
A new system for driver drowsiness and distraction detection

Drowsiness especially in long distance journeys is a key factor in traffic accidents. In this paper a new module for automatic driver drowsiness detection based on visual information and Artificial Intelligence is presented. The aim of this system is to locate, track and analyze both the driver's face and eyes to compute a drowsiness index to prevent accidents. Both face and eye detection is performed by Haar-like features and AdaBoost classifiers. In order to achieve better accuracy in face tracking, we propose a new method which is combination of detection and object tracking. Proposed face tracking method, also has capability to self correction. After eye region is found, Local Binary Pattern (LBP) is employed to extract eye characteristics. Using these features, an SVM classifier was trained to perform eye state analysis. To evaluate the effectiveness of proposed method, a drowsy person was pictured, while his EEG signals were taken. In this video we were able to track face by an accuracy of 100% and detecting eye blink by accuracy of 98.4%. Also we can calculate face orientation and tilt using eye position which is valuable knowledge about driver concentration. Finally, we can make a decision about drowsiness and distraction of the driver. Experimental results show high accuracy in each section which makes this system reliable for driver drowsiness detection.
A compact ROSA module for serial 40-Gb/s optical transceiver

We have implemented and successfully demonstrated a serial 40-Gb/s receiver optical sub-assembly (ROSA) module by employing a popularly used TO-CAN package and a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). We propose the orthogonally connected scheme between the TO-CAN package and the FPCB for a serial 40-Gb/s data transmission. The proposed scheme has adopted the structure on the FPCB to guarantee a return-current path for signal and optimize a gap between signal and ground pads for signal integrity. For 40 Gb/s, the receiver sensitivity o f t he RO SA module was measured as below -10 dBm at extinction ratio of 7 dB and bit error rate of 10-12.
Lymphoid-Tissue Stromal Cells Coordinate Innate Defense to Cytomegalovirus

ABSTRACT During mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection, the first wave of type I interferon (IFN-I) production peaks at ∼8 h. This IFN-I emanates from splenic stromal cells located in the marginal zone (MZ) and requires B cells that express lymphotoxin. The amount of IFN-I produced at these initial times is at least equivalent in magnitude to that produced later by dendritic cells (∼36 to 48 h), but the relative roles of these two IFN-I sources in regulating MCMV defense remain unclear. Here we show that IFN-I produced by MZ stromal cells dramatically restricts the first measurable burst of viral production, which occurs at ∼32 h. This primary innate control by IFN-I is partially mediated through the activation of natural killer (NK) cells, which produce gamma interferon in an IFN-I-dependent fashion, and is independent of Ly49H. Strikingly, MCMV production in the spleens of immunocompetent mice never increases at times after 32 h. These results highlight the critical importance of lymphoid-tissue stromal cells in orchestrating the earliest phase of innate defense to MCMV infection, capping replication levels, and blocking spread until infection is ultimately controlled.
Irradiation of platelet components: inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation assessed by limiting‐dilution analysis

BACKGROUND: Using a limiting‐dilution analysis (LDA) assay that measures clonigenic T cells, it has been demonstrated that, with 2500 cGy, there is no T‐cell growth in red cell components irradiated in blood bags. In the current study, the LDA assay was used to investigate the effect of gamma radiation on the proliferative capacity of T cells in plateletpheresis components.
Involvement of apoptosis‐inducing factor in neuronal death after hypoxia‐ischemia in the neonatal rat brain

Apoptosis‐inducing factor (AIF) triggers apoptosis in a caspase‐independent manner. Here we report for the first time involvement of AIF in neuronal death induced by cerebral ischemia. Unilateral cerebral hypoxia‐ischemia (HI) was induced in 7‐day‐old rats by ligation of the left carotid artery and hypoxia (7.7% O2) for 55 min. AIF release from mitochondria and AIF translocation to nuclei was detected immediately after HI, and only in damaged areas, as judged by the concurrent loss of MAP‐2. AIF release was detected earlier than that of cytochrome c. Cells with AIF‐positive nuclei displayed nuclear condensation and signs of DNA damage. The number of AIF‐positive nuclei showed a positive correlation with the infarct volume 72 h post‐HI, and this was not changed by treating the animals with boc‐Asp‐fmk (BAF), a multicaspase inhibitor. BAF treatment reduced the activity of caspase‐3, ‐2 and ‐9 (78, 73 and 33%, respectively), and prevented caspase‐dependent fodrin cleavage in vivo, but did not affect AIF release from mitochondria or the frequency of positive nuclear AIF or DNA damage 72 h post‐HI, indicating that these processes occurred in a caspase‐independent fashion. In summary, AIF‐mediated cell death may be an important mechanism of HI‐induced neuronal loss in the immature brain.
Parent and Child Report of Family Functioning in a Clinical Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders Sample

Objective: To investigate parent and self-report of family dysfunction in children and adolescents with eating disorders. Further, to investigate family functioning differences across the eating disorders diagnostic groups; anorexia nervosa, eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) and bulimia nervosa, and between the restricting and binge-purge eating disorders behavioural subtypes. Methods: The Family Adjustment Device General Functioning Scale (FAD-GFS) was administered to 100 children and their parents who presented consecutively at an eating disorders assessment clinic. DSM-IV eating disorders diagnoses in this group included 42 children diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, 26 with EDNOS, 12 with bulimia nervosa and 20 diagnosed as having no eating disorder. Results: Both the parent and child FAD-GFS report demonstrated high internal consistency supporting the suitability of this instrument for research with this sample. Parent and child reports were moderately positively correlated. Total scores for all eating disorders diagnostic categories were significantly higher than community norms. Anorexia nervosa, EDNOS and bulimia nervosa groups did not significantly differ on parent or child reports. FAD-GFS profiles for restricters and binge-purgers suggest higher levels of family dysfunction in the families of binge purgers. Conclusions: The FAD-GFS has suitable psychometric properties for use as a summary instrument with young people diagnosed with an eating disorder. However, more informative instruments assaying a greater range of constructs, especially in the impulsive, dyscontrol domain, are required to investigate differences among eating disorders diagnostic groups and behavioural subtypes.
Comparison of GC-Lect and modified Thayer-Martin media for isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

A new selective medium, GC-Lect, was compared with modified Thayer-Martin medium (MTM) for isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Cultures from 620 sexually transmitted disease clinic patients were directly inoculated onto both media, placed in candle extinction jars, and incubated. N. gonorrhoeae was isolated from 175 (29%) of 607 genital cultures, 3 (3%) of 88 pharyngeal cultures, and 6 (29%) of 21 rectal cultures. Ten cultures were positive only on GC-Lect, and 3 were positive only on MTM. In 3 of the 10 cultures positive only on GC-Lect, overgrowth of a Capnocytophaga sp. may have obscured growth on MTM. In this study, vancomycin-susceptible (MIC, less than 4.0 micrograms/ml) N. gonorrhoeae was isolated on both media, and none of the isolates missed by either medium were susceptible to vancomycin. No differences were noted between the two media in time required for isolation of N. gonorrhoeae. While isolation rates of N. gonorrhoeae were similar, suppression of nongonococcal bacterial species by GC-Lect was superior to that by MTM. GC-Lect is equal to MTM for detection of N. gonorrhoeae and is superior for suppression of normal flora.
Microalbumin Status in Relation to Glycated Haemoglobin and Duration of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common endocrine disorders, characterized by hyperglycemia. Diabetic nephropathy is a consequence of long- standing diabetes and urinary microalbumin (Uma) status predicts progression to diabetic nephropathy. This study was conducted to know the status of Uma in relation to duration of diabetes and HbA1c level in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from July 1, 2014 to January 15, 2015 at TUTH, Kathmandu. Ninety-six known T2DM patients with age 35– 83 years were included in the study. EDTA venous blood and spot urine sample were collected for analysis of HbA1c and Uma respectively. Only those patients having HbA1c concentration ≥ 6.3% and duration of diabetes ≥ 6 months were included under the study. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of microalbuminuria (MAU) was 39.6 %. MAU had a highly significant correlation with duration of diabetes (r =0.471, p 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged exposure to hyperglycemia-induced advanced glycosylation end products accumulations contributes for the development of MAU. So, duration of diabetes mellitus is main contributing factor for the development of MAU rather than HbA1c level alone. Screening for MAU to prevent renal impairment and measuring HbA1c level on a regular basis for good glycemic control are important in diabetic patients. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3126/acclm.v1i1. 12310 Ann. Clin. Chem. & Lab. Med. 1(1) 2015: 21-24
Cell Function RI Signaling and Mast e Adapter Protein in Fc Adhesion- and Degranulation-Promoting Leukocyte Phosphoprotein of 76 kDa and Proteins Src Homology 2 Domain-Containing Differential Requirement for Adapter

The adapter molecule Src homology 2 (SH2) domain-containing leukocyte phosphoprotein of 76 kDa (SLP-76) is essential for Fc (cid:1) RI-mediated signaling, degranulation and IL-6 production in mast cells. To test the structural requirements of SLP-76 in mast cell signaling and function, we have studied the functional responses of murine bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) expressing mutant forms of SLP-76. We found that the N-terminal tyrosines as well as the central proline-rich region of SLP-76 are required for participation of SLP-76 in Fc (cid:1) RI-mediated signaling and function. The C-terminal SH2 domain of SLP-76 also contributes to optimal function of SLP-76 in mast cells. Another adapter molecule, adhesion- and degranulation-promoting adapter protein (ADAP), is known to bind the SH2 domain of SLP-76, and cell line studies have implicated ADAP in mast cell adhesion and Fc (cid:1) RI-induced degranulation. Surprisingly, we found that mast cells lacking ADAP expression demonstrate no defects in Fc (cid:1) RI-induced adhesion, granule release, or IL-6 production, and that ADAP-deﬁcient mice produce a normal passive systemic anaphylactic response. Thus, failure to bind ADAP does not underlie the functional defects exhibited by SLP-76 SH2 domain mutant-expressing mast cells. The Journal of Immunology, 2004, 172: 6768–6774. response is intact in ADAP-deﬁcient mice
The Child Obesity Epidemic in Saudi Arabia: A Review of the Literature

Purpose: To examine prevalence, nutrition and activity, and overweight and obesity prevention and management in Saudi Arabia. Design: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis criteria, PubMed, Web of Science, PyschINFO, Global Health, Family Studies Worldwide, Middle Eastern Studies, and Sociological Abstracts was searched from January 1, 2003 to January 31, 2016. Inclusion criteria included peer-reviewed articles published in Arabic and English that focused on prevalence, overweight or obesity in children 2 to 20 years of age, body mass index percentile, and interventions. Findings: Three themes were identified: epidemiological features, where the eastern region had the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity, risk factors, which included higher parental education, and lifestyle factors, which included increased consumption of calorie-dense food and a sedentary lifestyle. Conclusion: Childhood obesity is increasing in Saudi Arabia at an alarming rate. Implications for Practice: Practitioners need to consider the cultural influences of the increasing obesity epidemic in Saudi Arabia.
Ischemic stroke management in West Scotland: a chart review

Background Little information is available about the long-term management of ischemic stroke (IS) in West Scotland. In this study we aim to describe the management of IS at onset, admission, and during follow-up among patients who survived an IS event. Methods General practitioners (GPs) (n=20) were randomly selected to recruit IS patients and extract data about patient characteristics, hospitalizations, discharge, and ambulatory care from GP databases, hospital letters, and direct contact with patients and their relatives. Descriptive analyses were conducted. Results One hundred and one patients were included, with a mean age of 65.6±13.4. About half of the patients contacted their GPs at the time of onset (45.4%). Cardiovascular history was prevalent in 29.7% of cases, and 14% of all cases were recurrences. Of the patients, 89 (88%) were hospitalized with mean length of stay (LOS) 11.8 days. Treatment was administered on average within 12.9 hours of admission and 23.6% of the admitted patients received thrombolytic treatment. During the 1-year follow-up period, 33.6% of patients were rehospitalized and the mean LOS was 15.1±29.5 days. Further, patients on average sought nursing care (10.9%), physical therapy (45.5%), occupational therapy (27.7%), speech therapy (12.9%), and professional caregivers (12%). Conclusion The health-care resource utilization of IS patients is a major driver of economic burden.
Effect of growth factors and steroids on transglutaminase activity and expression in primary astroglial cell cultures

Type‐2 transglutaminase (TG‐2) is a multifunctional enzyme involved in the regulation of cell differentiation and survival that recently has been shown to play an emerging role in astrocytes, where it is involved in both proliferation and differentiation processes. Growth factors (GFs) such as EGF, basic fibroblast growth factor, insulin‐like growth factor–I (IGF‐I), and insulin (INS) are trophic and mitogenic peptides that participate in neuron–glia interactions and stimulate neuronal and astroglial proliferation and differentiation. Steroid hormones such as glucocorticoids and estrogens also play a pivotal role in neuronal and astroglial proliferation and differentiation and are key hormones in neurodegenerative and neuroprotective processes. We investigated the effects of the interaction of GFs with dexamethasone (DEX) or 17β‐estradiol (E2) on TG‐2 activity and their expression in cultured astrocytes. We observed a significant increase in TG‐2 activity and expression in astroglial cells treated for 24 hr with IGF‐I, EGF, or INS. Priming of the cells with DEX or E2, for 48 hr also led to an increase in TG‐2 levels. When growth factors were present in the last 24 hr of the steroid treatment, a reduction in TG‐2 expression and activity and a different subcellular TG‐2 distribution were found. Our data indicate that steroid hormone–GF interaction may play an important role in astroglial function. The effect on TG‐2 could be part of the regulation of intracellular pathways associated with the astrocyte response observed in physiological conditions and, possibly, also in neuropathological diseases. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Disparities in vision impairment among adults in the United States.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of vision impairment by race in the United States by analyzing the population-based prevalence of corrected distance visual acuities in non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics, and African Americans. METHODS This is a nationally representative, population-based, cross-sectional study. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2002 were analyzed to investigate the epidemiologic features of corrected distance visual acuities among non-Hispanic Whites (n = 3034), Hispanic Americans (n = 1532), and African Americans (n = 1183) aged 18-85 years. RESULTS Prevalence rates of overall impairment were 5.0%, 2.1%, and 1.6% for non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanic Americans, and African Americans, respectively (P = .1015). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of vision impairment based on corrected distance visual acuity is higher in non-Hispanic Whites than in Hispanic and African Americans. The magnitude of this racial difference is not statistically significant and is less than that of previous studies that were based on comparisons of uncorrected visual acuities.
Characteristic classes of Hilbert schemes of points via symmetric products

We obtain a formula for the generating series of (the push-forward under the Hilbert-Chow morphism of) the Hirzebruch homology characteristic classes of the Hilbert schemes of points for a smooth quasi-projective variety of arbitrary pure dimension. This result is based on a geometric construction of a motivic exponentiation generalizing the notion of motivic power structure, as well as on a formula for the generating series of the Hirzebruch homology characteristic classes of symmetric products. We apply the same methods for the calculation of generating series formulae for the Hirzebruch classes of the push-forwards of "virtual motives" of Hilbert schemes of a threefold. As corollaries, we obtain counterparts for the MacPherson (and Aluffi) Chern classes of Hilbert schemes of a smooth quasi-projective variety (resp. for threefolds). For a projective Calabi-Yau threefold, the latter yields a Chern class version of the dimension zero MNOP conjecture.
Human Cytomegalovirus Induces Monocyte Differentiation and Migration as a Strategy for Dissemination and Persistence

ABSTRACT Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) pathogenesis is characterized by multiple organ system involvement due to viral spread to host organs after a cell-associated viremia. The cell type responsible for HCMV dissemination is unknown. Monocytes are the most likely candidate since they are the predominant cell type infected in the blood. However, monocytes are not productive for viral replication and are abortively infected. The results presented here provide a potential answer to this conundrum. We report that primary HCMV infection of monocytes induces transendothelial migration and monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and that these HCMV-differentiated macrophages are productive for viral replication. Together, our data suggest a novel mechanism for HCMV pathogenesis; HCMV induces cellular changes in monocytes to promote viral replication and spread to host organs.