Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smoking: Health Effects and Control

CIGARETTE smoking has been identified as the single most important source of preventable morbidity and premature mortality in each of the reports of the U.S. Surgeon General produced since 1964. The estimated annual excess mortality from cigarette smoking in the United States exceeds 350,000, more than the total number of American lives lost in World War I, Korea, and Vietnam combined and almost as many as were lost during World War II.1 It is estimated that among the 565,000 annual deaths from coronary heart disease, 30 per cent, or 170,000 deaths, are attributable to smoking.2 Furthermore, 30 per cent of .
Association between dietary vitamin D intake and serum lipid profiles in Asian and Caucasian UK women: preliminary results from the Vitamin D, Food Intake, Nutrition and Exposure to Sunlight in Southern England (D-FINES) Study

Vitamin D is the generic term for two molecules, ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). The former is derived by UV irradiation of the ergosterol, which is widely distributed in plants and fungi, whereas the latter is formed from the action of UV irradiation on the skin. There are few dietary sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with insulin resistance, b-cell dysfunction and reduced insulin secretion. It has also been implicated as a risk factor for metabolic syndrome, hypertension and types 1 and 2 diabetes, all of which may explain its links with increased CVD. These findings are particularly apparent in Asian groups and may underlie the considerable predisposition to CVD in this group. There is evidence to suggest that vitamin D deficiency is associated with raised serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol and inversely related to the serum concentration of cardioprotective HDL, although this relationship needs to be more widely confirmed in well-controlled cohort and intervention studies. The D-FINES Study is currently investigating the effect of diet and sunlight exposure on vitamin D status in women aged 19–70 years. Fasted blood samples were collected every 3 months from summer 2006 to spring 2007 for a total of 227 Caucasian and seventy-two Asian women and dietary intake assessed using 4 d estimated food records. The aim of the present subsidiary study was to determine the association between dietary intake of vitamin D and serum lipid profiles, including TAG, LDLand HDL-cholesterol and LDL:HDL.
Novel Contributions of the Smoothelin‐like 1 Protein in Vascular Smooth Muscle Contraction and its Potential Involvement in Myogenic Tone

Vascular smooth muscle contraction and the myogenic response regulate blood flow in the resistance vascular and contribute to systemic blood pressure. Three pathways are currently known to contribute to the development of the myogenic response: (i) Ca2+‐dependent phosphorylation of LC20; (ii) Ca2+ sensitization through inhibition of myosin phosphatase; and (iii) cortical actin polymerization. A number of regulatory smooth muscle proteins are integrated with these pathways to fine tune the response and facilitate adaptations to vascular (patho)physiologies. Of particular interest is the SMTN family of proteins, consisting of SMTN‐A, SMTN‐B, and the SMTN‐like protein, SMTNL1. The SMTN‐B and SMTNL1 proteins are both implicated in regulating smooth muscle contractility and contributing to vascular adaptations associated with hypertension, pregnancy, and exercise training. In the case of SMTNL1, the protein plays multiple roles in regulating contraction through functional interactions with contractile regulators as well as transcriptional control of the contractile phenotype and Ca2+‐sensitizing capacity. For the first time, preliminary results suggest SMTNL1 is involved in the myogenic response of the cerebral resistance vasculature. In this regard, global SMTNL1 deletion is associated with greater myogenic reactivity of cerebral arterioles, although the precise mechanism accounting for this finding remains to be defined.
Assessment of the efficacy and safety of methylene blue dye for sentinel lymph node mapping in early breast cancer with clinically negative axilla

Background : The benefits of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in breast cancer patients with clinically negative axillary nodes are now well established. SLN biopsy has been performed using different techniques including injection of isosulfan blue dye (IBD), radioactive colloid, and methylene blue. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of methylene blue dye (MBD) as a mapping agent for SLN biopsy in axillary node negative breast carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Between February 2010-2012, a total of 27 female patients of 18 years and above, with established diagnosis of breast carcinoma with clinically negative ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes were studied. After induction of anesthesia, 5 ml of 1% methylene blue was infiltrated into the subareolar tissue on the affected side. The lymph nodes receiving the blue dye were excised as the SLN. Modified radical mastectomy (MRM) was completed and the excised breast with the axillary tissue was sent for histopathological examination to correlate with the findings of the SLN biopsy. Results: The incidence of breast cancer was highest at 41-50 years. Of 27 cases, SLN was identified in 24 cases using MBD. The identification rate was 88.9%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were 81.8, 100, 100, and 86.7%, respectively. Conclusion: This study confirms the safety and efficacy of methylene blue as a mapping agent for SLN biopsy in axillary node negative breast cancer.
Strength testing using hand-held dynamometry

Abstract The reliability of strength measurements obtained during clinical examination has been the subject of many investigations. The need for an accurate, quantitative method to determine strength in multiple settings and environments is important for both examination and treatment. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the existing literature investigating the reliability and concurrent validity of hand-held dynamometry. A thorough review of the literature revealed that held dynamometry is a suitable alternative to traditional manual muscle testing as it exhibits good-to-excellent reliability, provides objective ratio data, and has the portability to be used in multiple environments. Hand-held dynamometry is a reliable method to determine the strength status and change status provided testing protocols are consistent.
Chemiluminescence of Peripheral Blood Neutrophils in Mares with Endometritis

Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the oxygen metabolism of neutrophils in peripheral blood of mares in relation to intensity of endometrium inflammations. The study involved 36 half-breed mares, aged 4-22 years, showing fertility disturbances. In 26 mares neutrophils were found in uteral smears, which indicated endometritis (15 - moderate inflammation and 11 - severe inflammation). In the rest mares, cytological examination excluded inflammation. Blood samples were evaluated in terms of neutrophils chemiluminescence without stimulation (CL-WS) and with stimulation by opsonised zymosan (CL-OZ). The study demonstrated (only in case of CL-WS) an increase in chemiluminescence of cells in mares with a severe inflammation of the endometrium. The increased chemiluminescence activity was accompanied by a decrease in activation index (OZ/WS) of neutrophils, suggesting some imbalance between production and elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The correlation analysis demonstrated a statistically significant relation between the intensity of the uterus inflammation, which was verified by cytological examination and CL-WS of peripheral blood neutrophils, as well as their activation index. The obtained results suggest that activated neutrophils are an important source of ROS which can play a role in the pathogenesis of endometritis in mares.
Factors influencing TT immunization coverage and protection at birth coverage in Tselemti District, Ethiopia

Abstract Background: Tetanus toxoid (TT) immunization coverage is low in Tigray as in many other parts of Ethiopia. Protection at birth (PAB) coverage has never been assessed in Tigray. Objective: To identify factors influencing TT immunization and PAB coverage. Methods: A community based cross-sectional immunization coverage survey was conducted in Tselemti district, Ethiopia in July 2001. Two hundred-twenty households with 0-23 months old children in 7 rural villages and 4 urban centres were selected using a stratified multistage cluster sampling technique. Trained nurses assessed the immunization status of 140 rural and 80 urban mothers by reviewing of vaccination cards and mother’s history. Results: TT3+ coverage (mothers vaccinated with three or more doses of TT) was 75.5% by card plus history, 82.1% for rural and 63.8% for urban areas (p=0.002). Percent of children PAB from tetanus was 61.8% by card plus history, 71.4% for rural and 45.0% for urban areas (p<0.001), 58.6% for illiterate and 79.4% for literate mothers (p=0.022). Multi-variate logistic regression analysis demonstrated maternal immunization awareness score (MIAS), and residence to be predictors of TT3+ immunization status, and MIAS, residence and maternal education to be the predictors of PAB. Conclusion: Community mobilization and raising mothers' awareness along with the expansion of antenatal care services might be important strategies to increase TT immunization coverage and protect newborns in urban as well as in rural areas. [Ethiop.J.Health Dev. 2004;18(3):153-158]
Skeletal Muscle Vascular Function: A Counterbalance of Insulin Action

Insulin is a vasoactive hormone that regulates vascular homeostasis by maintaining balance of endothelial‐derived NO and ET‐1. Although there is general agreement that insulin resistance and the associated hyperinsulinemia disturb this balance, the vascular consequences for hyperinsulinemia in isolation from insulin resistance are still unclear. Presently, there is no simple answer for this question, especially in a background of mixed reports examining the effects of experimental hyperinsulinemia on endothelial‐mediated vasodilation. Understanding the mechanisms by which hyperinsulinemia induces vascular dysfunction is essential in advancing treatment and prevention of insulin resistance‐related vascular complications. Thus, we review literature addressing the effects of hyperinsulinemia on vascular function. Furthermore, we give special attention to the vasoregulatory effects of hyperinsulinemia on skeletal muscle, the largest insulin‐dependent organ in the body. This review also characterizes the differential vascular effects of hyperinsulinemia on large conduit vessels versus small resistance microvessels and the effects of metabolic variables in an effort to unravel potential sources of discrepancies in the literature. At the cellular level, we provide an overview of insulin signaling events governing vascular tone. Finally, we hypothesize a role for hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in the development of CVD.
Metabolic adaptations in single muscle fibers of competitive endurance cyclists

Selected enzymes were studied in single muscle fiber preparations taken from eight competitive cyclists (six male, two female) previous to and after 8 weeks of progressive heavy endurance training (85% maximal oxygen consumption [VO2max], 60 minutes a day, 5 days a week). Mean + SD VO2max was significantly increased (3.71 ± 0.62 to 4.15 ± 0.65 L.min‐1), as was mean, submaximal endurance power output (150 ± 24 to 204.8 ± 36.9 W) on a 60‐minute endurance cycle test after training. In single vastus lateralis fiber preparations obtained from a biopsy sample before and after training, the activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase (mATPase) was determined using quantitative histochemical and image analysis technique. A cluster analysis of data defined three distinct fiber metabolic profiles (that is, different interrelationships among SDH, LDH, mATPase activity) prior to training. Following training, there was a shift in the metabolic profi.
A survey of outcome measures used by Australian speech pathologists

Abstract In a climate of increasing accountability within speech pathology services, the purpose of this study was to document the experiences of Australian speech pathologists' use of outcome measures. The specific aims were to determine how many Australian speech pathologists were using outcome measures, determine which outcome measures were most frequently being used for various client populations, and describe the experiences of respondents in using outcome measures. A seven-page questionnaire was posted to speech pathology facilities throughout Australia. There was a 33% response rate with 249 facilities responding, representing some 619 full-time equivalent speech pathologists. Almost 50% of speech pathology facilities that responded to this questionnaire were using outcome measures. The impetus for implementing outcome measures had mostly come from speech pathologists themselves rather than from external pressure. Outcome data were generally held within the department and data were mostly used to improve services. A diversity of measures was being used although the Therapy Outcome Measures – TOMs (Ender by and John, 1997) and consumer satisfaction measures were the most popular. Facilities that had, adult caseloads were measuring outcomes more often than those that had paediatric caseloads. When asked what difficulties they were having with measuring outcomes, most clinicians reported having difficulty collecting the data owing to time restraints etc. rather than having difficulty with analysing, interpreting and using the data. When asked about any concerns they had about outcome measures, their primary concern was about the sensitivity of the measures. They were not desperate for assistance but, if offered, would have liked it to be from a local interest group. These results are comparable to two other surveys of the use of outcome measures in the United States and the United Kingdom. The written responses to the survey indicated a high degree of professional accountability and a desire to collect outcome data as a form of insurance against future requirements. While cost pressures may be underlying the move towards outcome measurement, external pressure was not the major factor influencing speech pathologists' outcome measurement in Australia.
Cognitive dysfunction in diabetes mellitus in Jos, north-central Nigeria

Background: Cognitive dysfunction is a common source of morbidity and mortality, usually observed in late stages of diabetes complications. Dementia is one of the commonest and most disabling late life mental disorders. The fact that data are scanty in the tropic cannot be overemphasized. There is a need to describe the association of cognitive dysfunction among our diabetics and its attendant risks such as duration of DM, age of patient, presence of hypertension and glycaemic control. Methods: a sample size of 180 patients was obtained with 120 diabetic subjects and 60 non-diabetics as controls. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) was used to grade the severity of cognitive states. Result: twenty-six (21.7%) of the diabetic subjects had cognitive dysfunction with a score of less than twenty-four based on the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) while 6 (10.0%) of the controls had dementia. Conclusion: This study clearly shows that in a clinic setting, diabetes is associated with a greater trend toward impairments of cognitive function than in the non-diabetic population.
Neuromodulation and Other Electrostimulatory Techniques

A great many neurologic disorders can affect the bladder. Although the incidence of lower urinary tract dysfunction is different among the various neurologic entities, an important percentage of patients develop voiding dysfunction (1). Incontinence and poor evacuation of urine with residual urine and recurrent urinary tract infections can cause important morbidity. In patients with spinal cord injury, the lack of ability to control the storing and evacuation function of the bladder is one of the most prominent aspects of their condition. There is also a vast group of patients who suffer from lower urinary tract dysfunction with no evident neurological cause—patients with different forms of “idiopathic” dysfunctional voiding. Therapeutic approaches include pharmacological treatment, eventually in combination with clean intermittent catheterisation. Lifelong continuation of this therapy, however, is problematic because of side effects. Furthermore, in most patients, especially females, incontinence remains a problem even with maximal pharmacological treatment. The failure of pharmacological treatment has led to the development of surgical approaches such as augmentation cystoplasty, sphincteric incisions, and arti cial sphincter implantation. However, a considerable number of patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction continue to have signi cant urological problems despite maximal classical therapy being applied. The use of electrical stimulation to control storage and evacuation of urine has therefore become an important tool in the urological treatment of voiding dysfunction. This approach can be used to treat incontinence caused by a lack of activity in the striated muscles of the urethral closure mechanism, where it works by improving contraction of the sphincter mechanism. It can also be used to overcome incontinence caused by detrusor hyperactivity, by reducing detrusor contractions. Electrical stimulation can also be used to permit evacuation of a paraplegic bladder by provocation of detrusor contractions, or to control micturition in the hyperre ex bladder by a combination of dampening of spontaneous re ex excitability and controlled activation of the detrusor. These aims can be ful lled by stimulation of the efferent nerves to the lower urinary tract or by modulation of re ex activity as a consequence of stimulation of afferent nerves. Different methods for applying electrical current to the lower urinary tract are available. Surface electrodes can be used as non-implantable devices (2). Plugs inserted in the anal canal or the vagina are used to treat incontinence (3–5). Intravesical electrostimulation is used in children with meningo-myelocele (6–8). Implantable prostheses are available to induce bladder contraction in order to evacuate urine in paraplegic bladders or to control detrusor contraction in hyperre exic bladders (9–11). Another type of prosthesis permits the modulation of symptomatic voiding dysfunction such as urge incontinence, urgency/frequency syndrome, and retention (12, 13).
Interleukin-18-mediated enhancement of the protective effect of an infectious laryngotracheitis virus glycoprotein B plasmid DNA vaccine in chickens.

The immunogenicity of an infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) glycoprotein B (gB) plasmid DNA vaccine and the immunoregulatory activity of chicken interleukin-18 (IL-18) were investigated in a challenge model. Two recombinant plasmids, pcDNA3.1/gB (pgB) and pcDNA3.1/IL-18 (pIL-18), containing gB and IL-18 were constructed. Chickens were intramuscularly administered two immunizations 2 weeks apart, and challenged with the virulent CG strain of ILTV 2 weeks later. All animals vaccinated with pgB alone or with a combination of pgB plus pIL-18 developed a specific anti-ILTV ELISA antibody and splenocyte proliferation response. The ratios of CD4(+) to CD8(+) T lymphocytes in chickens immunized with pgB plus pIL-18 were significantly higher than in those immunized with pgB alone. Co-injection of pIL-18 significantly increased the production of gamma interferon and IL-2, indicating that IL-18 enhances the T helper 1-dominant immune response. Challenge experiments showed that the morbidity rate in the pgB group (25 %) was significantly higher than that in the pgB plus pIL-18 group (10 %). The mortality rates in the pgB and pgB plus pIL-18 groups were 10 and 0 %, respectively, and the corresponding protection rates were 60 and 80 %. These results indicate that IL-18 may be an effective adjuvant for an ILTV vaccine.
Hypoxia‐enhanced adhesion of red blood cells in microscale flow

The advancement of microfluidic technology has facilitated the simulation of physiological conditions of the microcirculation, such as oxygen tension, fluid flow, and shear stress in these devices. Here, we present a micro‐gas exchanger integrated with microfluidics to study RBC adhesion under hypoxic flow conditions mimicking postcapillary venules.
Psychiatric Referral in the General Hospital

to the tracheal bifurcation following a natural anatomical angle. Thus the importance of not pushing the tube down too far, which can be avoided by choosing a correct length of tube, can be demonstrated. Two detachable "lungs" provide demonstration facilities for mouth-to-tube resuscitation, selfinflating bag resuscitation, endotracheal suctioning, or visualizing intubation of the right bronchus. A warning buzzer will sound if the laryngoscope is levered against the upper teeth. Pressure on to the larnynx can be simulated, permitting the demonstration of this useful manoeuvre often needed to facilitate a difficult laryngeal view, such as when the larynx is lying in anterior position. A unique feature of the intubation trainer is that it allows the simulation of varying degrees of difficulty for the trainee. Anterior or posterior positional movement of the larynx assembly in relation to the spine is adjustable, thereby permitting repeatable settings of degrees of difficulty from 'very easy" to "difficult. " Supplementing the apparatus is a set ofteaching cards which supply, with teaching notes, the necessary information to perform the manoeuvre in the correct manner.
Cell surface hydrophobicity: a predictor of biofilm production in Candida isolates?

Biofilm-forming ability undoubtedly represents one of the major medical concerns in clinical practice, being a relevant pitfall for an efficient therapeutic intervention (Donlan & Costerton, 2002). In this scenario, invasive fungal infections, especially those involving Candida species, become an important problem in terms of early diagnosis and medical treatment. A large proportion of Candida infections are associated with biofilm formation, mainly on the surface of implanted medical devices (Douglas, 2003). Rapid methods for biofilm-forming ability evaluation in clinical isolates could thus improve the clinical outcome of the fungal infection. Biofilm formation is a step-by-step and finely regulated process in which the adhesion phase is a crucial event (Chandra et al., 2001). Hydrophobic interactions play a role in the adherence of micro-organisms to a wide variety of surfaces.
Road Crack Detection Using Visual Features Extracted by Gabor Filters

Pavement management systems require detailed information of the current state of the roads to take appropriate actions to optimize expenditure on maintenance and rehabilitation. In particular, the presence of cracks is a cardinal aspect to be considered. This article presents a solution based on an instrumented vehicle equipped with an imaging system, two Inertial Profilers, a Differential Global Positioning System, and a webcam. Information about the state of the road is acquired at normal road speed. A method based on the use of Gabor filters is used to detect the longitudinal and transverse cracks. The methodologies used to create Gabor filter banks and the use of the filtered images as descriptors for subsequent classifiers are discussed in detail. Three different methodologies for setting the threshold of the classifiers are also evaluated. Finally, an AdaBoost algorithm is used for selecting and combining the classifiers, thus improving the results provided by a single classifier. A large database has been acquired and used to train and test the proposed system and methods, and suitable results have been obtained in comparison with other reference works.