Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Knowledge and use of dietary supplements by students of College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria

Rationale: Nutritional supplements are preparations intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients. They include vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet. Many health professionals including dietitians, physicians and pharmacists are supplement users. Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to determine knowledge and use of dietary supplements among students of College of Medicine, University of Lagos who are potential health professionals. Methodology: A self-administered questionnaire with a mix of open and close ended questions was employed to collect data in this study. It was distributed to 300 students that were in their final year in various departments of the college. Findings: Response rate was 89%. About 86% of the students have used dietary supplement before while half of them (50%) have used it in the past 12 months. The common types of dietary supplements used in the past 12 months are the vitamins. The reasons for use by the students were good health, poor diet, to boost immunity, weight gain and doctor's prescription. Most of the students were occasional and once in a while users. Conclusions: Majority of the students were aware of dietary supplement use and most of them were occasional users.
IgE sensitization to Aspergillus fumigatus is not a bystander phenomenon in cystic fibrosis lung disease.

cantly impaired lung function parameters in Af-sensitized compared with Af-nonsensitized patients, with an average diff erence in FEV 1 of 19 4% predicted. In a multivariate analysis with age, sex, BMI, Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization, pancreatic insuffi ciency, and gastroesophageal refl ux disease as covariates, a signifi cantly lower FEV 1 and vital capacity ( P , .001) was associated with Af sensitization, as well as an increased airway resistance ( P , .05) and hyperinfl ation (higher residual volume, P , .001) (e-Table 1). Interestingly, no signifi cant diff erences in lung function parameters were found between patients with serologic criteria for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) (n 5 17) and patients with sensitization to Af without ABPA. Similar to the data presented by Baxter et al 1 and others, 3 we observed, in a 3-year period, more exacer
Effects of modulators of the renin—angiotensin—aldosterone system on cough

Objective To compare the incidence of cough in patients with a history of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor-related cough who received losartan [a type 1 angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor antagonist], lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor) or hydrochlorothiazide (a diuretic). Design An international, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group controlled trial. Setting Outpatient clinics at 20 tertiary care medical centres in 11 countries. Patients One hundred and thirty-five patients with uncomplicated primary hypertension with a history of ACE inhibitor-related cough were randomly assigned to the double-blind treatment phase and completed the study. Intervention After confirming that the cough was ACE inhibitor-related by a single-blind rechallenge, followed by a placebo washout period, patients were randomly assigned to receive 50 mg losartan, 20mg lisinopril or 25 mg hydrochlorothiazide once a day for 8 weeks. Main outcome measures Cough incidence, severity and frequency were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire and a visual analogue scale. Results The percentage of patients who complained of cough was significantly higher with lisinopril than with losartan or hydrochlorothiazide. The mean visual analogue scale scores for patients treated with lisinopril demonstrated that these patients coughed more frequently than those who received losartan or hydrochlorothiazide. Conclusion The incidence of cough related to the type 1 Ang II receptor antagonist losartan is significantly lower than that observed with lisinopril, and similar to that observed with hydrochlorothiazide in patients with a rechallenged ACE inhibitor cough. Type 1 Ang II receptor antagonists represent a potential new treatment for hypertensive patients in whom ACE inhibitors are indicated, but who develop a cough with these agents.
Benchmark kernels as a tool for performance evaluation of MPPs

The performance achieved by a parallel architecture over a complete application is determined by the combination of the hardware and software modules. When we talk about hardware we mean node processing power and network parameters, while software entails all from the optimization capabilities of the compiler to the high level programming model. They interact in a non-simple way delivering variable results for different problem sizes and making the task of predicting performance a very difficult one. Performance is predictable once, given an algorithm, you can parameterize it in terms of floating-point operations needed, bandwidth and latency requirements, granularity of the problem itself and few parameters, obviously machine dependent. We attack the issue of predicting performance for a large class of regular synchronous problems on rectangular grids (only 2D in this paper). The aim of the paper is to determine, by means of dedicated small benchmarking kernels, all the machine dependent parameters. These will be used to predict and compare, over a very wide range of data set sizes, the performances of the Connection Machine CM-5, the Cray T3D and the IBM SP2 for a simple but complete application like the Conjugate Gradient solution for the Poisson equation. We show that the parameterization can be done quite accurately for all of the studied platforms, thus predicting, from measurements performed on extremely simple kernels and some algorithmic understanding, the behavior of an MPP over a very wide range of parameters. We argue in favor of adopting this methodology to produce meaningful benchmarks of MPP platforms. 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pre‐eclampsia: fitting together the placental, immune and cardiovascular pieces

The success of pregnancy is a result of countless ongoing interactions between the placenta and the maternal immune and cardiovascular systems. Pre‐eclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication that arises from multiple potential aberrations in these systems. The pathophysiology of pre‐eclampsia is established in the first trimester of pregnancy, when a range of deficiencies in placentation affect the key process of spiral artery remodelling. As pregnancy progresses to the third trimester, inadequate spiral artery remodelling along with multiple haemodynamic, placental and maternal factors converge to activate the maternal immune and cardiovascular systems, events which may in part result from increased shedding of placental debris. As we understand more about the pathophysiology of pre‐eclampsia, it is becoming clear that the development of early‐ and late‐onset pre‐eclampsia, as well as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), does not necessarily arise from the same underlying pathology. Copyright © 2010 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors Influencing Pre-Service Science Teachers' Perception of Computer Self-Efficacy

This study examined the factors influencing pre-service teachers’ perceptions of computers’ self- efficacy. Participants in the study were 305 pre-service science teachers at a four-year public university in Turkey. Two instruments were used for this study: the Turkish version of the Microcomputer Utilization in Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument in a Science Setting (MUTEBI) and a questionnaire for collecting demographic information. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the degree of association between the outcome variables (perception of personal self-efficacy in teaching with computers; perceptions of outcome expectancy) and the 1 This paper was presented at the 12 th Symposium of the International Organization for Science and Technology
The Clostridium difficile spo0A Gene Is a Persistence and Transmission Factor

ABSTRACT Clostridium difficile is a major cause of chronic antibiotic-associated diarrhea and a significant health care-associated pathogen that forms highly resistant and infectious spores. Spo0A is a highly conserved transcriptional regulator that plays a key role in initiating sporulation in Bacillus and Clostridium species. Here, we use a murine model to study the role of the C. difficile spo0A gene during infection and transmission. We demonstrate that C. difficile spo0A mutant derivatives can cause intestinal disease but are unable to persist within and effectively transmit between mice. Thus, the C. difficile Spo0A protein plays a key role in persistent infection, including recurrence and host-to-host transmission in mice.
Comparison of interface pressures of three compression bandaging systems used on healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE To compare changes in interface pressures of three compression systems (four layer, two layer and short stretch) recorded over seven days in healthy volunteers in different positions: supine, sitting, active standing and working pressure during exercise. METHOD Twenty-four volunteers were bandaged with one of the three compression systems on both legs. Interface pressures were measured at inclusion (day 0) and on days 1, 3 and 7 using an air sensor system, with the sensor placed in the medial B1 position above the inner ankle. In addition, the volume of the lower legs were also measured on days 0 and 7 using a three-dimensional imaging system. Comfort and tolerability were also assessed. RESULTS The performance, based on the loss of interface pressure compared with baseline, of the two-layer system was partially better than that of the short-stretch system for maximal working pressure and loss of volume. The two-layer system and short-stretch system had similar results for the supine, sitting and active standing positions. No difference was observed between the two-layer system and the four-layer system for the maximal working pressure. However, the two-layer system compared better than the two other systems for comfort and tolerability: 25% of the patients treated with the four-layer system discontinued the treatment after three days because of pain. CONCLUSION The two-layer bandage system maintained, over one week, a similar level of sub-bandage pressure similar to a four-layer system and was partially better than short-stretch bandaging. However, the volunteers found the two-layer system more comfortable and tolerable than the other two systems. DECLARATION OF INTEREST The investigators received an education grant from Urgo for the study. However, Urgo had no influence on the data analysis or interpretation.
Wave energy resource of Brazil: An analysis from 35 years of ERA-Interim reanalysis data

This paper presents a characterization of the wave power resource and an analysis of the wave power output for three (AquaBuoy, Pelamis and Wave Dragon) different wave energy converters (WEC) over the Brazilian offshore. To do so it used a 35 years reanalysis database from the ERA-Interim project. Annual and seasonal statistical analyzes of significant height and energy period were performed, and the directional variability of the incident waves were evaluated. The wave power resource was characterized in terms of the statistical parameters of mean, maximum, 95th percentile and standard deviation, and in terms of the temporal variability coefficients COV, SV e MV. From these analyses, the total annual wave power resource available over the Brazilian offshore was estimated in 89.97 GW, with largest mean wave power of 20.63 kW/m in the southernmost part of the study area. The analysis of the three WEC was based in the annual wave energy output and in the capacity factor. The higher capacity factor was 21.85% for Pelamis device at the southern region of the study area.
Thermal growth potential of Atlantic cod by the end of the 21st century

Ocean warming may lead to smaller body sizes of marine ectotherms, because metabolic rates increase exponentially with temperature while the capacity of the cardiorespiratory system to match enhanced oxygen demands is limited. Here, we explore the impact of rising sea water temperatures on Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), an economically important fish species. We focus on changes in the temperature‐dependent growth potential by a transfer function model combining growth observations with climate model ensemble temperatures. Growth potential is expressed in terms of asymptotic body weight and depends on water temperature. We consider changes between the periods 1985–2004 and 2081–2100, assuming that future sea water temperatures will evolve according to climate projections for IPCC AR5 scenario RCP8.5. Our model projects a response of Atlantic cod to future warming, differentiated according to ocean regions, leading to increases of asymptotic weight in the Barents Sea, while weights are projected to decline at the southern margin of the biogeographic range. Southern spawning areas will disappear due to thermal limitation of spawning stages. These projections match the currently observed biogeographic shifts and the temperature‐ and oxygen‐dependent decline in routine aerobic scope at southern distribution limits.
Higher expression of several interferon-stimulated genes in HIV-1-infected females after adjusting for the level of viral replication.

BACKGROUND Clinical studies have shown faster disease progression and stronger immune activation in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected females when compared with males for the same level of HIV-1 replication. Here we determine whether the elevated levels of HIV-1-induced interferon-alpha (IFN-α) production observed in females are associated with higher interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression levels in T cells, hence suggesting type-I IFN as a mechanism for the higher HIV-1-associated immune activation observed. METHODS T-cell and dendritic cell populations were isolated from treatment-naive chronically HIV-1-infected individuals enrolled in the Adult Clinical Trials Group 384 by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The expression of 98 genes involved in Toll-like receptor and type I IFN signaling pathways were quantified using Nanostring technology. RESULTS Several ISGs were significantly correlated with HIV-1 viral load and/or CD4(+) T-cell count. Higher expression levels of a subset of these ISGs were observed in cells derived from females as compared to males after adjusting for viral load and were correlated to higher levels of T-cell activation. CONCLUSION These data show that higher IFN-α production is associated with higher ex vivo expression of several ISGs in females. This might contribute to higher levels of immune activation and the observed faster HIV-1 disease progression in females for a given level of viral replication.
Improvement of EDHF by Chronic ACE Inhibition Declines Rapidly After Withdrawal in Rats With Myocardial Infarction

Heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with endothelial dysfunction. There is conflicting evidence on the exact nature of this endothelial dysfunction and how endothelium-dependent vasodilation is affected by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) therapy. Furthermore, consequences of acute ACE-I withdrawal are largely unknown. Therefore, we studied the contribution of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) to the effects of ACE-I therapy and its withdrawal on endothelial function in MI rats. Rats were subjected to coronary ligation to induce MI and were assigned to quinapril or vehicle from 2 weeks to 8 months post-MI. In parallel, MI rats treated for 14 months with quinapril were subjected to treatment withdrawal for 0, 4, and 6 weeks. Acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation and underlying endothelium-derived mediators were studied in isolated aortic rings. Long-term quinapril (8 months) resulted in markedly improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation in rats with myocardial infarction, which could be attributed to marked improvement in non-NO/prostanoid-mediated relaxation (ie, EDHF). After 14 months of follow-up, maximum vasodilation was still preserved by quinapril. Withdrawal after 14 months of treatment caused significantly impaired ACh-induced EDHF-mediated relaxation within 4 weeks. A marked reduction in EDHF-mediated relaxation caused this impairment. NO-mediated relaxation was unaffected. These findings highlight the importance of EDHF impairment in development of endothelial dysfunction after myocardial infarction and the possibility of improving EDHF-mediated vasodilation with chronic ACE inhibitor therapy. In addition, withdrawal of chronic ACE inhibition after MI should be considered carefully, as profound endothelial dysfunction may develop rapidly.
Skeletal muscle mass and composition during mammalian hibernation

ABSTRACT Hibernation is characterized by prolonged periods of inactivity with concomitantly low nutrient intake, conditions that would typically result in muscle atrophy combined with a loss of oxidative fibers. Yet, hibernators consistently emerge from winter with very little atrophy, frequently accompanied by a slight shift in fiber ratios to more oxidative fiber types. Preservation of muscle morphology is combined with down-regulation of glycolytic pathways and increased reliance on lipid metabolism instead. Furthermore, while rates of protein synthesis are reduced during hibernation, balance is maintained by correspondingly low rates of protein degradation. Proposed mechanisms include a number of signaling pathways and transcription factors that lead to increased oxidative fiber expression, enhanced protein synthesis and reduced protein degradation, ultimately resulting in minimal loss of skeletal muscle protein and oxidative capacity. The functional significance of these outcomes is maintenance of skeletal muscle strength and fatigue resistance, which enables hibernating animals to resume active behaviors such as predator avoidance, foraging and mating immediately following terminal arousal in the spring. Summary: Despite massive reductions in activity and nutrient intake during winter, hibernators largely preserve skeletal muscle. My review summarizes these data and explores potential mechanisms explaining this remarkable outcome.
Electronic Cigarette Expectancies in Smokers with Psychological Distress.

OBJECTIVES Very few studies have evaluated perceptions of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among smokers with mental illness. This study assessed expectancies about the effects of smoking combustible cigarettes or using ENDS among current smokers with and without severe psychological distress (SPD). METHODS We used a crowdsourcing system to survey 268 smokers on their expectancies for the effects of combustible cigarettes and ENDS. Positive expectancies assessed included negative affect reduction, stimulation, positive social effects and weight control, and negative expectancies included negative physical effects, negative psychosocial effects and future health concerns. RESULTS Smokers with SPD had higher positive expectancies for weight control and social effects of both products compared to those without such distress, and higher expectancies for stimulation from combustible cigarettes compared to ENDS. All participants had significantly lower negative expectancies for ENDS compared to combustible cigarettes, with no significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS Smokers with SPD may be more vulnerable toward ENDS use, as they are for combustible cigarette use, due to greater positive expectancies of the products. Challenging positive expectancies may increase the efficacy of tobacco control efforts in this vulnerable population.
Postoperative Residual Neuromuscular Blockade Is Associated with Impaired Clinical Recovery

BACKGROUND:In this investigation, we sought to determine the association between objective evidence of residual neuromuscular blockade (train-of-four [TOF] ratio <0.9) and the type, incidence, and severity of subjective symptoms of muscle weakness in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). METHODS:TOF ratios of 149 patients were quantified with acceleromyography on arrival to the PACU. Patients were stratified into 2 cohorts: a TOF <0.9 group (n = 48) or a TOF ≥0.9 (control) group (n = 101). A standardized examination determined the presence or absence of 16 symptoms and 11 signs of muscle weakness on arrival to the PACU and 20, 40, and 60 minutes after admission. RESULTS:The incidence of symptoms of muscle weakness was significantly higher in the TOF <0.9 group at all times (P < 0.001), as was the median (range) number of symptoms from PACU arrival (7 [3–6] TOF <0.9 group vs 2 [0–11] control group; difference 5, 99% confidence interval of the difference 4–6) until 60 minutes after admission (2 [0–12] TOF <0.9 group vs 0 [0–11] control group; difference 2, 99% confidence interval of the difference 1–2) (all P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION:The incidence and severity of symptoms of muscle weakness were increased in the PACU in patients with a TOF <0.9.
Muscle Tension Analysis Based Facial Motion Capture

The paper presents description of muscle model for animation used to do motion capture worked out as a master thesis project. The model allows one to animate virtual character by small number of parameters, and capture procedure makes possible animation based on performance. Thesis starts with brief introduction, followed by historical overview and background information. The theoretical description of model and performance tracking procedure comprise core of the paper, consequently supported by implementation details and experiments. The paper ends with conclusion highlighting possible future direction of improvements for the model.
MicroRNA‐486‐5p, which is downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma, suppresses tumor growth by targeting PIK3R1

Deregulated microRNAs and their roles in carcinogenesis and cancer progression have attracted much attention. In previous studies conducted in our laboratory, the Illumina Solexa massively parallel signature sequencing of miRNomes in nontumor and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues revealed that miR‐486‐5p was significantly downregulated in HCC, but its role in HCC development remains unknown. In this study, miR‐486‐5p levels in HCC tissues and matched control tissues, and in seven HCC cell lines (QGY‐7701, QGY‐7703, QGY‐7404, SMMC‐7721, Huh7, HepG2, and PCL/PRF/5) and human normal liver cells (HL‐7702), were tested by real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR. We found that the level of miR‐486‐5p was significantly decreased in HCC tissue and in all seven HCC cell lines. Overexpression of miR‐486‐5p markedly suppressed HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, and inhibited HCC growth in vivo. Mechanistically, miR‐486‐5p was confirmed to directly target PIK3R1 expression, thereby suppressing phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase–AKT pathway activation, by dual luciferase reporter assay and real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR and western blot analysis. In addition, PIK3R1 knockdown mimicked the effects of miR‐486‐5p overexpression by inhibiting HCC growth, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, correlation analysis, Kaplan–Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazard models showed an inverse correlation between miR‐486‐5p and PIK3R1, as well as a shorter time to recurrence after HCC resection, in patients with lower miR‐486‐5p expression. Hence, we conclude that miR‐486‐5p, which is frequently downregulated in HCC, inhibits HCC progression by targeting PIK3R1 and phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase–AKT activation.