Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pattern and severity of early childhood caries.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the association between selected social and behavioural variables and the pattern and severity of early childhood caries (ECC) within a community child population. METHODS A cross-sectional sample of 2515 children aged 4-5 years were examined in a preschool setting using decayed, missing, filled teeth/surface (dmft/dmfs) indices and a self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding social, demographic, birth, infant feeding, oral and general health attitudes. Children with caries (847) were divided into anterior or posterior caries pattern groups and severe (dmfs score > or =6) or non-severe (dmfs score <6) caries groups. The data were analysed using a chi-square test and modelled using a logistic regression procedure. RESULTS Significant variables associated with anterior ECC pattern were ethnicity other than Caucasian (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.4-3.1), sipping from the bottle during the day (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.3-2.7), male gender (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.2-2.2) and sleeping with a bottle at night (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-2.2). Significant variables associated with severe ECC form were sipping from the bottle during the day (OR = 2, 95% CI = 1.4-2.8), maternal age at birth < or =24 years (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.3-2.7), ethnicity other than Caucasian (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.5) and sleeping with a bottle at night (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-2.2). CONCLUSIONS Infant bottle-feeding habits (either allowing a child to sip from a bottle during the day or put to sleep at night) and ethnicity other than Caucasian were significant determinants for both anterior caries pattern and severity of ECC in 4-5-year-old Australian children.
It’s Always a Women’s Problem! Micro-Entrepreneurs, Work-Family Balance and Economic Crisis

Gender inequality in the division of family work is vastly corroborated and work–family balance is an important topic in the female entrepreneurship field of research. Even if work–family balance should be a necessity indiscriminately perceived by all women and men who have a paid job, it is a particularly pertinent issue for women, called to find equilibrium between work and family. This study analyses the situation of men and women entrepreneurs in order to investigate how the economic crisis affected the work–family balance. A survey was conducted on a sample of 218 men and women sole-proprietors. Findings show that the work–family balance of women entrepreneurs does not seem to have been particularly affected by the crisis. However, some differences between men and women remain. Concerning balance, as expected, only women stated that they personally take care of the house and family. Different perceptions of the crisis between men and women also emerged, as a consequence of gender stereotypes. Women entrepreneurs have greater difficulty in having an internal psychological balance of the double role than men, who are more involved in the implementation of external balance and focus on corporate and social provisions.
Glucose Transporter of the Blood‐Brain Barrier and Brain in Chronic Hyperglycemia

Abstract: The effect of chronic hyperglycemia on the glucose transporter moiety of the blood‐brain barrier and cerebral cortex was studied in rats 3 weeks after the administration of a single intravenous dose of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg), using specific [3H]cytochalasin B binding methods. Streptozotocin‐treated rats developed hyperglycemia, as well as polydipsia and polyuria, and failed to gain weight. The density of d‐glucose‐displaceable cytochalasin B binding sites in the brain microvessels of streptozotocin‐treated hyperglycemic rats was increased by about 30% compared with those of control rats, without change in the affinity of binding. Chronic hyperglycemia had no effect on the density or affinity of specific binding of cytochalasin B to cerebral cortical membranes. These findings do not support the hypothesis that glucose transporters in brain microvessels comprising the blood‐brain barrier are “down‐regulated” in chronic hyperglycemia.
Effects of Journal Writing on EFL Teacher Trainees’ Reflective Practice

Journal writing is believed to be a significant tool to promote reflection. Some studies have been carried out to test that, most of which have been solely concerned with the participants’ perceptions, leaving the actual application of reflective practice in EFL teaching practice untouched. Hence, to fill this gap in the literature, the researchers initiated this study. The participants were 24 EFL teacher trainees at a teacher training center in Guilan province. A questionnaire, including closed- and open-ended items, and an observation checklist were utilized. The researchers conducted matched t tests to investigate the possible differences between the perceptions and application of reflective practice before and after treatment. The questionnaire and checklist data were analyzed quantitatively and descriptive analyses were run. A qualitative content analysis was also employed for the open-ended item of the questionnaire. The results indicated that journal writing had a significant effect on promoting reflective practice in teacher trainees. There was also a significant difference between participants’ perceptions and application of reflective practice before and after treatment.
A SURVEY FOR CYCLOSPORA SPP. IN KENYAN PRIMATES, WITH SOME NOTES ON ITS BIOLOGY

From March 1999 through August 2000, 511 stool samples collected from 11 different primate species in 10 geographically distinct locations in Kenya, East Africa, were screened for the presence of Cyclospora spp. oocysts. Positive samples (43/102, 42%) were identified in vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) in 4 of 4 locations; 19/206 (9%) in yellow and olive baboons (Papio cynocephalus, P. anubis, respectively) in 5 of 5 locations; and 19/76 (25%) in black and white colobus monkeys (Colobus angolensis, C. guereza, respectively) from 2 of 3 locations. DNA sequences obtained from 18 S rRNA coding regions from respective subsets of these positive samples were typed as Cyclospora cercopitheci (samples from Cercopithecus aethiops), Cyclospora papionis (samples from Papio cynocephalus and P. anubis), and Cyclospora colobi (samples from Colobus angolensis and C. guereza). Cyclospora oocysts were not detected in samples collected from patas, highland sykes, lowland sykes, blue sykes, DeBrazza, or red-tailed monkeys. A coded map showing the geographic location of the collected samples is given. Stool samples from 1 troop of vervet monkeys were collected over a 12-mo period. Positive samples ranged between 21 and 63%. These results suggest that there is no strongly marked seasonality evident in Cyclospora infection in monkeys as has been noted in human infection. This is further confirmed by the recovery of positive samples collected from vervet monkeys, baboons, and colobus monkeys at all times of the year during this survey. This absence of seasonality in infection is especially notable because of the extreme weather patterns typical of Kenya, where marked rainy and dry seasons occur. A second noteworthy observation is that the striking host specificity of the Cyclospora species initially described was confirmed in this survey. Baboons were only infected with C. papionis, vervet monkeys with C. cercopitheci, and colobus monkeys with C. colobi, despite geographic overlaps of both the monkey and parasite species and wide geographic distribution of each parasite and monkey host.
Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Herbaceous Peony in Response to Paclobutrazol Inhibition of Lateral Branching

Herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is an emerging high-grade cut flower worldwide, which is usually used in wedding bouquets and known as the “wedding flower”. However, abundant lateral branches appear frequently in some excellent cultivars, and a lack of a method to remove Paeonia lactiflora lateral branches other than inefficient artificial methods is an obstacle for improving the quality of its cut flowers. In this study, paclobutrazol (PBZ) application was found to inhibit the growth of lateral branches in Paeonia lactiflora for the first time, including 96.82% decreased lateral bud number per branch, 77.79% and 42.31% decreased length and diameter of lateral branches, respectively, declined cell wall materials and changed microstructures. Subsequently, isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technology was used for quantitative proteomics analysis of lateral branches under PBZ application and control. The results indicated that 178 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) successfully obtained, 98 DEPs were up-regulated and 80 DEPs were down-regulated. Thereafter, 34 candidate DEPs associated with the inhibited growth of lateral branches were screened according to their function and classification. These PBZ-stress responsive candidate DEPs were involved in eight biological processes, which played a very important role in the growth and development of lateral branches together with the response to PBZ stress. These results provide a better understanding of the molecular theoretical basis for removing Paeonia lactiflora lateral branches using PBZ application.
Performance of MIMO MRC in correlated Rayleigh fading environments

In this paper, we investigate the statistical properties of the largest and the smallest eigenvalue of Wishart matrices. The results we obtained are very general as they can be used for central and non central uncorrelated and central correlated Wishart. Furthermore, we derive a very concise expression for the probability density function of the largest and the smallest eigenvalue of a Wishart matrix. Numerical results for multi-input-multi-output with maximal ratio combining show that in case of correlated Rayleigh fading, the presence of correlation plays a different role depending on the value of signal-to-noise ratio.
Baseline toxicity of a chlorobenzene mixture and total body residues measured and estimated with solid‐phase microextraction

Body residues of compounds with a narcotic mode of action that exceed critical levels result in baseline toxicity in organisms. Previous studies have shown that internal concentrations in organisms also can be estimated by way of passive sampling. In this experiment, solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) fibers were used as a tool to estimate the body residues, which were then compared to measured levels. Past application of SPME fibers in the assessment of toxicity risk of samples has focused on separate exposure of fibers and organisms, often necessitated by the amount of agitation needed in order to achieve steady state in the fibers within a convenient time period. Uptake kinetic studies have shown that in SPME fibers with thin coatings, equilibrium concentrations can be reached without agitation within the time frame of a toxicity test. In contrast to toxicity experiments to date, the SPME fibers in the current study were exposed concomitantly to the test water with the organisms, ensuring an exposure under the exact same conditions. Fibers and two aquatic invertebrate species were exposed to a mixture of four chlorobenzenes with a narcotic mode of action. The total body residue of these compounds in the organisms was determined, as was the acute toxicity resulting from the accumulation. The total body residues of both species were correlated to the total concentrations in SPME fibers. It was concluded that toxicity could be predicted based on total body residue (TBR) estimates from fiber concentrations.
Cervical Cancer in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions of Ghana

Purpose Cervical cancer is a common cancer among women worldwide. An estimated 528,000 new cases and 266,000 deaths occurred in 2012. More than 85% of invasive cervical cancer cases occur in low- and middle-income countries. Cervical cancer ranks as the most common cancer among women in Ghana. We conducted a retrospective study to assess the descriptive epidemiology of cervical cancer in Ghana. We describe cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates for the regions served by two large hospitals in Ghana. Patients and Methods Information for women diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer between 2010 and 2013 was collected from the Komfo Anokye and Korle Bu Teaching Hospitals through review of medical, computer, and pathology records at the oncology units and the obstetrics and gynecology departments. Telephone interviews were also conducted with patients and relatives. Data were analyzed using summary statistics. Results A total of 1,725 women with cervical cancer were included in the study. Their ages ranged from 11 to 100 years (mean, 56.9 years). The histology of the primary tumor was the basis of diagnosis in 77.5% of women and a clinical diagnosis was made in 22.5% of women. For the 1,336 women for whom tumor grade was available, 34.3% were moderately differentiated tumors. Late stage at presentation was common. The incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer increased with age up until the 75 to 79–year age group and began to decrease at older ages. The Greater Accra region had higher overall incidence and mortality rates than the Ashanti region. Conclusion Our study suggests that improvements in the application of preventive strategies could considerably reduce the burden of cervical cancer in Ghana and other low- and middle-income countries. The study provides important information to inform policy on cancer prevention and control in Ghana.
Effects of Various Sugars Added to Growth and Drying Media upon Thermotolerance and Survival throughout Storage of Freeze‐Dried lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus

The aim of this research effort was to investigate the role of various sugar substrates in the growth medium upon thermotolerance and upon survival during storage after freeze‐drying of Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Addition of the sugars tested to the growth medium, and of these and sorbitol to the drying medium (skim milk) was investigated so as to determine whether a relationship exists between growth and drying media, in terms of protection of freeze‐dried cells throughout storage. The lowest decrease in viability of L. bulgaricuscells after freeze‐drying was obtained when that organism was grown in the presence of mannose. However, L. bulgaricusclearly survived better during storage when cells had been grown in the presence of fructose, lactose or mannose rather than glucose (the standard sugar in the growth medium). A similar effect could not be observed in terms of thermotolerance; in this case, the growth medium supplemented with lactose was found to yield cells bearing the highest heat resistance. Supplementation of the drying medium with glucose, fructose, lactose, mannose or sorbitol led in most cases to enhancement of protection during storage, to a degree that was growth medium‐dependent.
An Original Stepwise Multilevel Logistic Regression Analysis of Discriminatory Accuracy: The Case of Neighbourhoods and Health

Background and Aim Many multilevel logistic regression analyses of “neighbourhood and health” focus on interpreting measures of associations (e.g., odds ratio, OR). In contrast, multilevel analysis of variance is rarely considered. We propose an original stepwise analytical approach that distinguishes between “specific” (measures of association) and “general” (measures of variance) contextual effects. Performing two empirical examples we illustrate the methodology, interpret the results and discuss the implications of this kind of analysis in public health. Methods We analyse 43,291 individuals residing in 218 neighbourhoods in the city of Malmö, Sweden in 2006. We study two individual outcomes (psychotropic drug use and choice of private vs. public general practitioner, GP) for which the relative importance of neighbourhood as a source of individual variation differs substantially. In Step 1 of the analysis, we evaluate the OR and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve for individual-level covariates (i.e., age, sex and individual low income). In Step 2, we assess general contextual effects using the AUC. Finally, in Step 3 the OR for a specific neighbourhood characteristic (i.e., neighbourhood income) is interpreted jointly with the proportional change in variance (i.e., PCV) and the proportion of ORs in the opposite direction (POOR) statistics. Results For both outcomes, information on individual characteristics (Step 1) provide a low discriminatory accuracy (AUC = 0.616 for psychotropic drugs; = 0.600 for choosing a private GP). Accounting for neighbourhood of residence (Step 2) only improved the AUC for choosing a private GP (+0.295 units). High neighbourhood income (Step 3) was strongly associated to choosing a private GP (OR = 3.50) but the PCV was only 11% and the POOR 33%. Conclusion Applying an innovative stepwise multilevel analysis, we observed that, in Malmö, the neighbourhood context per se had a negligible influence on individual use of psychotropic drugs, but appears to strongly condition individual choice of a private GP. However, the latter was only modestly explained by the socioeconomic circumstances of the neighbourhoods. Our analyses are based on real data and provide useful information for understanding neighbourhood level influences in general and on individual use of psychotropic drugs and choice of GP in particular. However, our primary aim is to illustrate how to perform and interpret a multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity in social epidemiology and public health. Our study shows that neighbourhood “effects” are not properly quantified by reporting differences between neighbourhood averages but rather by measuring the share of the individual heterogeneity that exists at the neighbourhood level.
A derived transfer of eliciting emotional functions using differences among electroencephalograms as a dependent measure.

Emotional responses have specific electroencephalographic (EEG) signatures that arise within a few hundred milliseconds post-stimulus onset. In this experiment, EEG measures were employed to assess for transfer of emotional functions across three 3-member equivalence classes in an extension of Dougher, Auguston, Markham, Greenway, & Wulfert's (1994) seminal work on the transfer of arousal functions. Specifically, 12 human participants were trained in the following match-to-sample performances A1 = B1, A2 = B2, A3 = B3 and B1 = C1, B2 = C2, B3 = C3. After successfully testing for the emergence of symmetry relations (B1 = A1, B2 = A2, B3 = A3 and C1 = B1, C2 = B2, C3 = B3), visual images depicting emotionally positive and emotionally negative content were presented with A1 and A3, respectively, using a mixed stimulus pairing-compounding procedure. A2 was paired with emotionally neutral images. Next, EEG data were recorded as participants were exposed to a forced-choice recognition task with stimuli A1, B1, C1, A2, B2, C2, A3, B3, C3 and three novel stimuli A4, B4 and C4. Results yielded differential EEG effects for stimuli paired directly with emotional versus neutral images. Critically, differential EEG effects were also recorded across the C stimuli that were equivalently related to the A stimulus set. The EEG data coincide with previous reports of emotion-specific EEG effects, indicating that the initial emotional impact of a stimulus may emerge based on direct stimulus pairing and derived stimulus relations.
Clotrimazole and enilconazole distribution within the frontal sinuses and nasal cavity of nine dogs with sinonasal aspergillosis.

OBJECTIVES Multiple topical treatments are often required for clinical cure of mycotic rhinosinusitis in dogs. The objective of this study was to describe the distribution and retention of enilconazole and clotrimazole solutions using a temporary trephination protocol. METHODS Nine client-owned dogs diagnosed with mycotic rhinosinusitis between March 2008 and December 2009 were prospectively enrolled and were sequentially allocated to receive treatment with either clotrimazole (1% in polyethylene glycol) or enilconazole (10% solution), after imaging and rhinoscopic assessment. Both frontal sinuses were trephined, debrided and flushed with saline. Infusion was administered via frontal sinuses with dogs in sternal recumbency and computed tomography (CT) performed 5 minutes after completion. Distribution was scored 1 to 4 at the canine tooth, premolar 4, cribriform plate and frontal sinus on both sides, for a maximum score of 32. RESULTS Distribution of antifungal agents to all regions of the nasal cavity and frontal sinuses was achievable, but varied considerably. Retention was poor in 10 of 18 regions assessed. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Distribution of antifungal agents within the frontal sinuses is achievable using temporary trephination; however, distribution is variable and retention is often poor.
External hydrogen peroxide is not indispensable for experimental induction of lipid peroxidation via Fenton reaction in porcine ovary homogenates.

OBJECTIVE Substrates of Fenton reaction (Fe(2+)+H(2)O(2)-->Fe(3+)+*OH+OH-) may be used to experimentally induce oxidative damage to macromolecules. The study aimed at evaluating effects of Fe(2+) and/or H(2)O(2) on lipid peroxidation in porcine ovary homogenates. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ovary homogenates were incubated in the presence of either H2O2 (100, 50, 25, 10, 5.0, 2.5, 1.0, 0.5, 0.25, 0.01, 0.001 mM) or FeSO(4) (Fe2+) (300, 150, 75, 30, 15, 7.5, 3.0, 1.5, 0.75 microM), or of those two factors used together: Fe(2+) (30 microM) plus H(2)O(2) (concentrations as above), or H(2)O(2) (0.5 mM) plus Fe(2+) (concentrations as above). The concentration of malondialdehyde+4-hydroxyalkenals constituted the lipid peroxidation index. RESULTS H(2)O(2) alone did not affect lipid peroxidation in porcine ovary homogenates at all, whereas Fe(2+) (300, 150, 75, 30, and 15 microM) alone increased lipid peroxidation in a concentration dependent manner. When Fe(2+) and H(2)O(2) were applied together, lipid peroxidation increased significantly without any concentration related effect of H(2)O(2), but with a clear concentration dependent effect of Fe(2+); the damaging effect of Fe(2+), used together with H(2)O(2), was the same as the one, obtained after Fe(2+) was applied alone. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, external H(2)O(2) is not indispensable for experimental induction of lipid peroxidation by Fenton reaction in porcine ovary homogenates.