Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Profile and career preferences of pharmacy students at the University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, South Africa.

CONTEXT There is a maldistribution of pharmacists in the South African health system, with only 15.6% of pharmacists working in the public sector, while the public sector serves more than 80% of the population. SETTING University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, Pharmacy Programme. OBJECTIVE To establish the profile and career preferences of University of Limpopo pharmacy students and investigate factors likely to influence their choices. DESIGN Cross-sectional descriptive study of Bachelor of Pharmacy students, using a semi-structured questionnaire. FINDINGS The response rate was 93% (157/169), with 44% female and 69% between the ages of 21 to 25 years. Nearly 80% of respondents were of rural origin; 77% attended rural government schools, 18% urban government schools, and 4% attended private schools. Only 39% of students indicated pharmacy as their first choice and 47% as second choice. Forty-six percent of the responding students preferred to work in a government hospital, 36% in industry, and 7%, 6% and 3% in private hospitals, the retail sector and academia, respectively. About 40% indicated a preference to work in rural areas. Most of the students stated service to community and paying back their sponsor as their main reasons for government hospital preference. Money, in combination with other reasons (e.g., working conditions), influenced work sector preference for less than 15% of responding students - with non-monetary incentives apparently more influential in student public sector preferences. CONCLUSIONS Most University of Limpopo pharmacy students intend to work in rural areas and the public sector, and are mainly motivated by the need to serve the community.
Electrophysiologic Studies during Scanning and Passive Eye Movements in Humans

It has been demonstrated in man that mechanically induced shifts of the retinal image without change in total luminous flux evoke a parietooccipital electrical response (lambda waves). The technique provides a simple method of quantifying responses in the visual system without complication by voluntary movemnents and their associated readiness potentials. The observation contradicts the view that lambda waves are directly concerned with mechanisms preventing blur duiring eye movement.
Application of Harmony Search to Design Storm Estimation from Probability Distribution Models

The precision of design storm estimation depends on the selection of an appropriate probability distribution model (PDM) and parameter estimation techniques. Generally, estimated parameters for PDMs are provided based on the method of moments, probability weighted moments, and maximum likelihood (ML). The results using ML are more reliable than the other methods. However, the ML is more laborious than the other methods because an iterative numerical solution must be used. In the meantime, metaheuristic approaches have been developed to solve various engineering problems. A number of studies focus on using metaheuristic approaches for estimation of hydrometeorological variables. Applied metaheuristic approaches offer reliable solutions but use more computation time than derivative-based methods. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to enhance parameter estimation of PDMs for design storms using a recently developed metaheuristic approach known as a harmony search (HS). The HS is compared to the genetic algorithm (GA) and ML via simulation and case study. The results of this study suggested that the performance of the GA and HS was similar and showed more accurate results than that of the ML. Furthermore, the HS required less computation time than the GA.
Compositional changes in RNA, DNA and proteins for bacterial adaptation to higher and lower temperatures.

It is known that in thermophiles the G+C content of ribosomal RNA linearly correlates with growth temperature, while that of genomic DNA does not. Although the G+C contents (singlet) of the genomic DNAs of thermophiles and methophiles do not differ significantly, the dinucleotide (doublet) compositions of the two bacterial groups clearly do. The average amino acid compositions of proteins of the two groups are also distinct. Based on these facts, we here analyzed the DNA and protein compositions of various bacteria in terms of the optimal growth temperature (OGT). Regression analyses of the sequence data for thermophilic, mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria revealed good linear relationships between OGT and the dinucleotide compositions of DNA, and between OGT and the amino acid compositions of proteins. Together with the above-mentioned linear relationship between ribosomal RNA and OGT, the DNA and protein compositions can be regarded as thermostability measures for RNA, DNA and proteins, covering a wide range of temperatures. Both the DNA and proteins of psychrophiles apparently exhibit characteristics diametrically opposite to those of thermophiles. The physicochemical parameters of dinucleotides suggested that supercoiling of DNA is relevant to its thermostability. Protein stability in thermophiles is realized primarily through global changes that increase charged residues (i.e., Glu, Arg, and Lys) on the molecular surface of all proteins. This kind of global change is attainable through a change in the amino acid composition coupled with alterations in the DNA base composition. The general strategies of thermophiles and psychrophiles for adaptation to higher and lower temperatures, respectively, that are suggested by the present study are discussed.
Fractional SR Ca release is regulated by trigger Ca and SR Ca content in cardiac myocytes.

The release of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca in cardiac muscle during excitation-contraction coupling is known to be graded by the amount of activating Ca outside the SR (i.e., Ca-induced Ca release). However, little is known about how intra-SR Ca affects the release process. In this study we assessed how the fractional SR Ca release as described by Bassani et al. [Am. J. Physiol. 265 (Cell Physiol. 34): C533-C540, 1993] is affected by alteration of trigger Ca and of SR Ca content. Experiments were done with isolated ferret ventricular myocytes using indo 1 to measure Ca concentration, perforated patch to measure Ca current (ICa), caffeine application to release SR Ca, and thapsigargin to completely block SR Ca uptake. For what we consider a Normal SR Ca load and trigger Ca [action potential at 0.5 Hz with 2 mM extracellular Ca concentration ([Ca]o)], 35 +/- 3% of the SR Ca content was released at a twitch. Changing trigger Ca by altering [Ca]o (to 0.5 and 8 mM) at a test twitch changed this fractional SR Ca release to 10 +/- 2 and 59 +/- 6%, with the same SR Ca load (and peak ICa changed in a parallel manner in separate voltage-clamp experiments). Three different levels of SR Ca load were studied (Low, Normal, and High; by action potential stimulation at different frequencies from 0.05 to 0.8 Hz) using the same standard test trigger Ca (2 mM). Surprisingly, the High-load condition only increased SR Ca content by approximately 4% but appeared to be very close to the limiting SR Ca capacity. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Endpoint PlanPHP Provisioning Plan Create VM Install Webserver Install PHP Module Deploy PHP Application Read Topology Properties MySQL Provisioning Plan Create VM Install MySQLDBMS Create DB Instance Insert DB Schema Read Topology Properties Invoke SetDB Operation Coordination Plan

The automated provisioning and management of Cloud applications is supported by various general-purpose technologies that provide generic management functionalities such as scaling components or automatically redeploying parts of a Cloud application. However, if complex applications have to be managed, these technologies reach their limits and individual, application-specific processes must be created to automate the execution of holistic management tasks that cannot be implemented in a generic manner. Unfortunately, creating such processes from scratch is time-consuming, error-prone, and knowledge-intensive, thus, leading to inefficient developments of new applications. In this paper, we present an approach that tackles these issues by enabling the usage of choreographies to systematically combine available management workflows of existing application building blocks. Moreover, we show how these choreographies can be merged into single, executable workflows in order to enable their automated execution. To validate the approach, we apply the concept to the choreography language BPEL4CHOR and the Cloud standard TOSCA. In addition, we extend the Cloud application management ecosystem OpenTOSCA to support executing management choreographies.
‘I’m sure we made it a better study…’: Experiences of adults with intellectual disabilities and parent carers of patient and public involvement in a health research study

Patient and public involvement is considered integral to health research in the United Kingdom; however, studies documenting the involvement of adults with intellectual disabilities and parent carers in health research studies are scarce. Through group interviews, this study explored the perspectives and experiences of a group of adults with intellectual disabilities and a group of parent carers about their collaborative/participatory involvement in a 3-year study which explored the effectiveness of annual health checks for adults with intellectual disabilities. Thematic analysis identified five key themes consistent across both groups; authenticity of participation, working together, generating new outcome measures, dissemination of findings and involvement in future research. Although reported anecdotally rather than originating from the analysis, increased self-confidence is also discussed. The groups’ unique perspectives led to insights not previously considered by the research team which led to important recommendations to inform healthcare practice.
Localization of G Protein α-Subunits in the Human Fetal Adrenal Gland.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence and localization of the main G protein α-subunits in the human fetal adrenal gland during the second trimester of gestation. Immunofluorescence studies conducted on sections from frozen glands obtained immediately after therapeutic abortion indicated that the αs subunit of the heterotrimeric Gs protein was detected in all adrenal cell types, except for endothelial cells. The otherα -subunits had a more specific pattern of distribution. Indeed, theα i1–2 protein was restricted to the definitive zone, whereas αi3 labeling was mainly expressed in the fetal zone. The αq protein subunit was localized in vascular endothelial cells at the periphery of the adrenal gland and in fetal cells at the center. Finally, chromaffin cells expressed αs, αq, and αo1, but not αo2 nor αi. Altogether, these results indicate that the human fetal adrenal gland is not only unique in its particular morphology and expression of steroidogenic enzymes, but also by the differ.
Propofol-Induced Alpha Rhythm

The electroencephalographic effects of two intravenous sedative/hypnotic drugs, propofol and thiopental, were studied at three stable blood concentrations in 52 normal healthy volunteers. The higher concentration resulted in unresponsiveness (lack of response to auditory/tactile stimuli) in all subjects. This report describes the strong frontal-central rhythms apparent in this state using a quantitative description of oscillatory systems underlying the rhythm. These rhythms occur when sedative drug concentrations are greater than those producing the well-described increase in broadband β-power associated with many sedative drugs. Propofol induces rhythms in the α-range, while thiopental produces rhythms in the β-range. Quasistationary for a period of about 1 h, these rhythms exceed the baseline α-rhythm in power. By their resonant nature, these propofol-induced rhythms are analogous to ‘the classic α-rhythm’, but quantitative characteristics of the underlying oscillatory systems are different. Baseline properties of the oscillatory system underlying the initial resting α-rhythm recover completely as drug concentration decays to negligible values.
Somatic mutations of BECN1, an autophagy‐related gene, in human cancers

Evasion of programmed cell death (PCD) is one of the hallmarks of human cancers. It is well known that not only apoptosis, but also autophagy, acts as an action mechanism of PCD. BECN1 protein is a key regulator of autophagic PCD. The BECN1 gene that encodes BECN1 protein acts as a haploinsufficient tumor‐suppressor gene. However, to date, data on BECN1 mutation in human cancer tissues are lacking. To explore the possibility that somatic mutation of the BECN1 gene might contribute to the development of human cancers, we analyzed the entire coding region and all splice sites of the human BECN1 gene for detection of somatic mutations in 180 gastric carcinomas, 94 breast carcinomas, 50 acute leukemias, 50 colorectal carcinomas, 50 hepatocellular carcinomas, and 124 non‐small cell lung cancers by single‐strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and DNA sequencing. Overall, we detected 11 somatic mutations of the BECN1 gene, including 3 missense mutations (N8K, P350R and R389C) in coding sequences and 8 mutations in introns. The mutations were observed in five gastric, three colorectal, one lung and one breast carcinoma (s). We expressed the three mutations (N8K, P350R and R389C) in HT1080 cells, and found that two (P350R and R389C) of them showed only slightly decreased cell death activities compared to the wild‐type BECN1. This is the first report on BECN1 gene mutations in human cancer tissues, and the data suggest that point mutations are a rare event in common human cancers and probably do not play a major role in cancer pathogenesis.
Caries Prevalence among 6- to 16-Year-Old Students in Jamaica 12 Years after the Introduction of Salt Fluoridation

The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to evaluate the caries prevalence among 6- to 16-year-old students in a rural community in Jamaica, where salt fluoridation was introduced in 1987. Data were obtained from dental examinations of 1,558 students in 1999. The mean (SD) dmfs/DMFS values were 7.9 (10.7) for the 6-year-old children, 4.1 (4.9) for the 12-year-old students and 8.2 (8.1) for the 15-year-olds; mean (SD) dmft/DMFT scores were 3.2 (3.5), 2.2 (2.1) and 3.8. (3.3), respectively. An Unmet Restorative Index of 88–99.9% was observed. Opacities due to fluorosis were recorded for 48% of the children examined. The results indicate a reduced caries prevalence for all age groups since salt fluoridation began. However, since various forms of fluoride might have contributed to the reduction, conclusions concerning salt fluoridation as the main factor must be drawn with caution. The effectiveness of salt fluoridation in Jamaica should be re-examined more closely.
Culture-Technology Fit: Effects of Cultural Characteristics on the Post-Adoption Beliefs of Mobile Internet Users

Little is known about how culture affects users' perceptions and beliefs after they have adopted an information technology (IT). This study constructed and verified a research model, based on interaction theory and the cultural lens model, that focuses on the relationship between users' cultural profiles and post-adoption beliefs in the context of the mobile Internet. The results of large-scale on-line surveys in Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan indicate that four cultural factors-uncertainty avoidance, individualism, contextuality, and time perception-have a significant influence on users' post-adoption perceptions of mobile Internet services.
Occlusion Induced by a MEK Inhibitor – Impact of Oxidative Stress on the Blood-Retinal Barrier

The retina is a highly specialized sensory organ that transduces light energy into neural signal. It also has high energy requirement and an extensive vascular network. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated via light exposure, normal energy production, phagocytosis of spent photoreceptor membranes by retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, and circulating toxins render retina at an increased risk for oxidative stress (Hardy et al., 2005; Siu et al., 2008). To cope with the high oxidant load, the retina is equipped with various antioxidant defense mechanisms, such as the expression of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, the production of glutathione by Müller cells, high levels of vitamins C and E, and the presence of free radical scavenger melanin in RPE cells (Siu et al., 2008). However, when the redox balance is disrupted, retinal pathologies could result, and one of the consequences is impairment of the blood retinal barrier (BRB). Indeed, several retinal diseases have been shown or postulated to be linked to a state of oxidative stress and resulting BRB dysfunction.
HODGKIN'S DISEASE ACCOMPANIED WITH THYMOMA

An autopsy case of Hodgkin's disease accompanied with thymoma is reported. The patient died of acute interstitial pneumonitis 9 years after the development of lymphadenopathy. On post‐mortem examination thymoma was recognized. We believe that the present case is a very rare Hodgkin's disease complicating thymoma. The occurrence of second neoplasia in Hodgkin's disease is also discussed.
NG2‐expressing cells as oligodendrocyte progenitors in the normal and demyelinated adult central nervous system

The mammalian adult central nervous system (CNS) is known to respond rapidly to demyelinating insults by regenerating oligodendrocytes for remyelination from a dividing precursor population. A widespread population of cells exists within the adult CNS that is thought to belong to the oligodendrocyte lineage, but which do not express proteins characteristic of mature myelinating oligodendrocytes, such as myelin basic protein (MBP) and 2,3‐cyclic nucleotide 3‐phosphodiesterase (CNP). Instead, these cells have phenotypic characteristics of a more immature stage of the oligodendrocyte lineage. They express the NG2 chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan, in addition to O4 and the platelet‐derived growth factor α‐receptor, all widely accepted as markers for oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) throughout development. However, NG2+ cells residing in the adult CNS do not resemble embryonic or neonatal NG2+ cells in terms of their morphology or proliferation characteristics, but instead represent a unique type of glial cell that has the ability to react rapidly to CNS damage. In this review, we present the evidence that adult NG2+ cells are part of the oligodendrocyte lineage and are capable of giving rise to new oligodendrocytes under both normal and demyelinating conditions. We also review the literature that these cells may have multiple functional roles within the adult CNS, notwithstanding their primary role as OPCs.
Spectrum and diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE To study the clinical profile of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and methods used for diagnosis. METHODS Prospective analysis of symptoms, signs, radiology and lung biopsy of patients freshly diagnosed to have IPF over a 16-month period. RESULTS During the study period, 76 patients (35 men) with a mean age of 50.6 +/- 11.9 years were diagnosed to have IPE Breathlessness (98.6%) and dry cough (92.1%) were the most common presenting symptoms. Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) was performed in 38 (50%) patients. Histopathological examination revealed features consistent with IPF in 35 (92.1%) patients; two of the remaining three patients underwent open lung biopsy. Other patients were diagnosed based on clinical features and high resolution chest tomography (HRCT) findings. HRCT was performed in 69 (90.8%) patients; all had features suggestive of diffuse interstitial fibrosis. CONCLUSION IPF is diagnosed more commonly now than in the past. Indian patients may be developing the disease a decade earlier than their counterparts in the West. TBLB and HRCT are useful in establishing diagnosis. IPF should be considered a distinct clinical entity rather than a diagnosis of exclusion.
Crystal Structure of Archaeoglobus fulgidus CTP:Inositol-1-Phosphate Cytidylyltransferase, a Key Enzyme for Di-myo-Inositol-Phosphate Synthesis in (Hyper)Thermophiles

ABSTRACT Many Archaea and Bacteria isolated from hot, marine environments accumulate di-myo-inositol-phosphate (DIP), primarily in response to heat stress. The biosynthesis of this compatible solute involves the activation of inositol to CDP-inositol via the action of a recently discovered CTP:inositol-1-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (IPCT) activity. In most cases, IPCT is part of a bifunctional enzyme comprising two domains: a cytoplasmic domain with IPCT activity and a membrane domain catalyzing the synthesis of di-myo-inositol-1,3′-phosphate-1′-phosphate from CDP-inositol and l-myo-inositol phosphate. Herein, we describe the first X-ray structure of the IPCT domain of the bifunctional enzyme from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus DSMZ 7324. The structure of the enzyme in the apo form was solved to a 1.9-Å resolution. The enzyme exhibited apparent Km values of 0.9 and 0.6 mM for inositol-1-phosphate and CTP, respectively. The optimal temperature for catalysis was in the range 90 to 95°C, and the Vmax determined at 90°C was 62.9 μmol · min−1 · mg of protein−1. The structure of IPCT is composed of a central seven-stranded mixed β-sheet, of which six β-strands are parallel, surrounded by six α-helices, a fold reminiscent of the dinucleotide-binding Rossmann fold. The enzyme shares structural homology with other pyrophosphorylases showing the canonical motif G-X-G-T-(R/S)-X4-P-K. CTP, l-myo-inositol-1-phosphate, and CDP-inositol were docked into the catalytic site, which provided insights into the binding mode and high specificity of the enzyme for CTP. This work is an important step toward the final goal of understanding the full catalytic route for DIP synthesis in the native, bifunctional enzyme.
Risk factors for being the at-fault driver: A case–control study

ABSTRACT Objective: It is estimated that road traffic accidents are globally responsible for approximately 1.2 million deaths and 20 to 50 million injuries. About 70% of traffic incidences (TIs) occur in developing countries and among countries with high TI rates; Iran is the first. The aim of this study was to measure the association between being responsible for a traffic accident and some vehicle, human; and environmental related factors in Yasuj, a city with a high incidence of road traffic injuries and deaths in Iran. Methods: This is a time-, date-, and place-matched case–control study conducted in 2015 using all traffic accidents registered and investigated by police during 2012. In total, 194 drivers were considered the at-fault driver in a traffic accident and the 194 drivers in the same collisions were included in the analysis. Results: Based on the results from multivariate conditional logistic regression, significant associations between vehicle maneuver (ORTurn to right or left/Moving forward = 11.10, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.77–69.58, P = .01) and age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.11, 95% CI, 1.004–1.22, P = .04) and the chance of being an at-fault driver were found. Conclusion: Driver behavior–related interventions including training and law enforcement seem to be more effective in reducing road traffic accidents in Iran.