Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Helminthiasis in selected children seen at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES Illiteracy, poverty with associated poor environmental sanitation practices have been implicated in the heavy burden of helminthiasis among children. The objective of this cross-sectional survey is to determine the impact of parents' level of education on the intestinal helminthic status of children. PATIENTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS All patients, 0-15 years totaling 1030 who visited the communicable disease clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, from October, 2001 to March 2002 were included in this study. However, only 207 of the enlisted patients submitted faecal samples for examination and constituted the study population. Tool for data collection was structured questionnaire that was researcher administered to mother/caregivers after informed consent was obtained. Information sought in the questionnaire included sex and age of the subjects and level of education of their parents. Formol ether concentration method was used for stool examination while intensity was estimated using McMaster counting chamber technique. RESULTS Of the 207 faecal samples examined 46(22.2% ) had ova of helminths while 161(77.85% ) had none. More school children, 40(19.3% ), than pre-school children, 6(2.9% ) had helminth ova in their faecal samples and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). More females, 28(13.5% ) than males, 18(8.7% ) were infected but the difference was however not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Intestinal helminth ova seen in order of prevalence include A. lumbricoides, 23(11.1% ); hookworm, 12(5.8% ); T. trichiuria, 8(3.8% ); Schistosoma mansoni, 2(1.0% ); Strongyloides stercoralis, 1(0.5% ) while multiple infection was recorded in 11(5.3% ) patients. Intensity of infection was low. The difference between the means for A. lumbricoides, T. trichiuria and multiple infection by age were found to be statistically significant P < 0.001; P < 0.05; P < 0.001, respectively. Mother's level of education more than father's level of education seemed to influence the pattern of intestinal helminthiasis among the children but the association was not found to be statistically significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Prevalence and intensity of infection was low probably due to periodic antihelminthic treatment offered by the health authorities. Improvement in mother's level of education brought about decrease in prevalence of intestinal helminthiasis among the children. Therefore, improvement in female education should be encouraged to reduce the incidence of communicable disease in the family.
Multicriteria adaptive differential evolution for global numerical optimization

Differential evolution DE has become a prevalent tool for global optimization problems since it was proposed in 1995. As usual, when applying DE to a specific problem, determining the most proper strategy and its associated parameter values is time-consuming. Moreover, to achieve good performance, DE often requires different strategies combined with different parameter values at different evolution stages. Thus integrating several strategies in one algorithm and determining the application rate of each strategy as well as its associated parameter values online become an ad-hoc research topic. This paper proposes a novel DE algorithm, called multicriteria adaptive DE MADE, for global numerical optimization. In MADE, a multicriteria adaptation scheme is introduced to determine the trial vector generation strategies and the control parameters of each strategy are separately adjusted according to their most recently successful values. In the multicriteria adaptation scheme, the impacts of an operator application are measured in terms of exploitation and exploration capabilities and correspondingly a multi-objective decision procedure is introduced to aggregate the impacts. Thirty-eight scale numerical optimization problems with various characteristics and two real-world problems are applied to test the proposed idea. Results show that MADE is superior or competitive to six well-known DE variants in terms of solution quality and convergence performance.
The Ghost of Genetic Diversity Past: Historical DNA Analysis of the Greater Prairie Chicken

Most, if not all, of the “classic,” often‐cited examples illustrating the genetic effects of a population bottleneck are open to alternative explanations due to the lack of adequate control populations, that is, low levels of genetic variability are often assumed to be the result of a past population bottleneck without having any prebottleneck measures. Here we provide the first clear case history where both prebottleneck and postbottleneck measures of genetic variability have been collected from a natural system. Analysis of DNA from museum specimens of the greater prairie chicken Tympanuchus cupido from central Illinois revealed the loss of specific alleles (known to have been present earlier in this century) following a demographic contraction. Lost alleles included common ones present in all other populations sampled and others unique to the Illinois population.
Synthesis of Liver Glycogen in Starved Alloxan Diabetic Rats

Alloxan diabetic rats are considered unable to synthesize liver glycogen because of a low activity of glycogen synthetase. The present report shows, however, that livers of alloxan diabetic rats have activities of the I-form of glycogen synthetase intermediate between those of starved normal or adrenalectomized rats, and can synthesize substantial amounts of liver glycogenafter refeeding of a chow diet or administration of hydrocortisone. Neither glycogenic procedure, increased the activity of glycogen synthetase in livers of starved alloxan diabetic rats. In contrast, both normal and adrenalectomized rats had increased activities of the I-form of glycogen synthetase three hours after refeeding. After twenty-four hours of access to food, normal and adrenalectomized rats had liver glycogen contents similar to those found in nonstarved rats, and a markedly decreased activity of synthetase I. Alloxan diabetic rats refed for twenty-four hours also had lowered activity of synthetase I, but the concentration of glycogen was not higher than that found after three hours of refeeding. These results show that livers of alloxan diabetic rats have sufficient glycogen synthetase activity to synthesize glycogen rapidly, but the ability to accumulate larger amounts of glycogen is limited by an alteration in the control of glycogen synthetase activity by the content of liver glycogen. Also, the effect of hydrocortisone on the activity of glycogen synthetase in normal or adrenalectomized rats is the result of insulin release; however, not all the changes in glycogen metabolism produced by adrenalectomy can be explained by insulin deficiency.
Lysophosphatidic Acid Antagonizes the Morphoregulatory Effects of the Luteinizing Hormone on Luteal Cells: Possible Role of Small Rho-G-Proteins1

Abstract Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a biologically active phospholipid recently introduced as a new marker for ovarian cancer. Because high concentrations of LPA have also been found in the follicular fluid from healthy subjects, one can presume that this biological mediator may have relevance for normal ovarian physiology as well. We have reported earlier that luteal cells possess specific binding sites for LPA. Using these cells as a model, we show now that LPA is able to modulate the morphological cell shape changes induced by LH in that it inhibits the formation of stellate processes induced by LH. This morphoregulatory effect of LPA is mimicked by cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1, a bacterial toxin known to activate small G-proteins from the Rho family. On the other hand, C3-exotransferase that acts mainly through the inhibition of Rho A mimics the effects of LH. Furthermore, we report here that the morphoregulatory effects of LPA are accompanied by the translocation of Rho proteins from the cytosol to cell membrane, an effect generally considered to be an indicator for the activation of Rho-GTPases. During the development and rescue of the corpus luteum, major morphoregulatory effects are exerted by LH that appear to be modulated by LPA via an activation of Rho proteins.
The Inference of Perceived Usability From Beauty

A review of 15 papers reporting 25 independent correlations of perceived beauty with perceived usability showed a remarkably high variability in the reported coefficients. This may be due to methodological inconsistencies. For example, products are often not selected systematically, and statistical tests are rarely performed to test the generality of findings across products. In addition, studies often restrict themselves to simply reporting correlations without further specification of underlying judgmental processes. The present study's main objective is to re-examine the relation between beauty and usability, that is, the implication that “what is beautiful is usable. ” To rectify previous methodological shortcomings, both products and participants were sampled in the same way and the data aggregated both by averaging over participants to assess the covariance across ratings of products and by averaging over products to assess the covariance across participants. In addition, we adopted an inference perspective to qualify underlying processes to examine the possibility that, under the circumstances pertaining in most studies of this kind where participants have limited experience of using a website or product, the relationship between beauty and usability is mediated by goodness. A mediator analysis of the relationship between beauty, the overall evaluation (i.e., “goodness”) and pragmatic quality (as operationalization of usability) suggests that the relationship between beauty and usability has been overplayed as the correlation between pragmatic quality and beauty is wholly mediated by goodness. This pattern of relationships was consistent across four different data sets and different ways of data aggregation. Finally, suggestions are made regarding methodologies that could be used in future studies that build on these results.
Evaluation of polymorphisms in the sulfonamide detoxification genes CYB5A and CYB5R3 in dogs with sulfonamide hypersensitivity.

BACKGROUND Delayed hypersensitivity (HS) reactions to potentiated sulfonamide antimicrobials occur in both dogs and humans, and involve an intermediate hydroxylamine metabolite that is detoxified by cytochrome b(5) and NADH cytochrome b(5) reductase. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES We hypothesized that polymorphisms in the genes (CYB5A and CYB5R3) encoding these 2 enzymes would be associated with risk of sulfonamide HS in dogs. ANIMALS A total of 18 dogs with delayed HS to potentiated sulfonamide antimicrobials and 16 dogs that tolerated (TOL) a therapeutic course of these drugs without adverse effect. METHODS CYB5A and CYB5R3 were sequenced from canine liver, and the promoter, exons, and 3' untranslated regions of both genes were resequenced from genomic DNA obtained from all dogs. RESULTS Multiple polymorphisms were found in both genes. When controlled for multiple comparisons, the 729GG variant in CYB5R3 was significantly overrepresented in dogs with sulfonamide HS (78% of dogs), compared to TOL dogs (31%; P = .003). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE The CYB5R3 729GG variant may contribute to the risk of sulfonamide HS in dogs. Functional characterization of this polymorphism, as well as genotyping in a larger number of HS and TOL dogs, is warranted.
ETA CARINAE’S THERMAL X-RAY TAIL MEASURED WITH XMM-NEWTON AND NuSTAR

The evolved, massive highly eccentric binary system, η Car, underwent a periastron passage in the summer of 2014. We obtained two coordinated X-ray observations with XMM-Newton and NuSTAR during the elevated X-ray flux state and just before the X-ray minimum flux state around this passage. These NuSTAR observations clearly detected X-ray emission associated with η Car extending up to ∼50 keV for the first time. The NuSTAR spectrum above 10 keV can be fit with the bremsstrahlung tail from a kT ∼ 6 keV plasma. This temperature is ΔkT ∼ 2 keV higher than those measured from the iron K emission line complex, if the shocked gas is in collisional ionization equilibrium. This result may suggest that the companion star's pre-shock wind velocity is underestimated. The NuSTAR observation near the X-ray minimum state showed a gradual decline in the X-ray emission by 40% at energies above 5 keV in a day, the largest rate of change of the X-ray flux yet observed in individual η Car observations. The column density to the hardest emission component, NH ∼ 1024 H cm−2, marked one of the highest values ever observed for η Car, strongly suggesting increased obscuration of the wind–wind colliding X-ray emission by the thick primary stellar wind prior to superior conjunction. Neither observation detected the power-law component in the extremely hard band that INTEGRAL and Suzaku observed prior to 2011. If the non-detection by NuSTAR is caused by absorption, the power-law source must be small and located very near the wind–wind collision apex. Alternatively, it may be that the power-law source is not related to either η Car or the GeV γ-ray source.
Soft tissue sarcomas of the adult thoracic wall

Forty‐nine adult patients with soft tissue sarcomas of the thoracic wall have been treated by the Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Illinois. Fibrosarcoma was the most common histologic type (20%). Patients with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans had the longest mean overall survival time (150.8 months). The mean overall survival time for all patients was 98.2 months, and the disease‐free 2‐, 5‐, and 10‐year survival rates were 68%, 51%, and 34%, respectively. Wide excision was the treatment of choice; selected patients also received adjuvant radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both. In all 10‐year survivors, the sarcomas were low grade and well differentiated, or were ≤5.0 cm in diameter. Aggressive treatment afforded these patients good long‐term results. Cancer 59:370–373, 1987.
Coblation versus Unipolar Electrocautery Tonsillectomy: A Prospective, Randomized, Single‐Blind Study in Adult Patients

Objectives: To determine if the coblation tonsillectomy (subcapsular dissection) results in less postoperative pain, equivalent intraoperative blood loss, equivalent postoperative hemorrhage rates, and faster healing compared with tonsillectomy was performed using unipolar electrocautery in adult patients.
A multipoint method for meta‐analysis of genetic association studies

Meta‐analyses of genetic association studies are usually performed using a single polymorphism at a time, even though in many cases the individual studies report results from partially overlapping sets of polymorphisms. We present here a multipoint (or multilocus) method for multivariate meta‐analysis of published population‐based case‐control association studies. The method is derived by extending the general method for multivariate meta‐analysis and allows for multivariate modelling of log(odds ratios (OR)) derived from several polymorphisms that are in linkage disequilibrium (LD). The method is presented in a genetic model‐free approach, although it can also be used by assuming a genetic model of inheritance beforehand. Furthermore, the method is presented in a unified framework and is easily applied to both discrete outcomes (using the OR), as well as to meta‐analyses of a continuous outcome (using the mean difference). The main innovation of the method is the analytical calculation of the within‐studies covariances between estimates derived from linked polymorphisms. The only requirement is that of an external estimate for the degree of pairwise LD between the polymorphisms under study, which can be obtained from the same published studies, from the literature or from HapMap. Thus, the method is quite simple and fast, it can be extended to an arbitrary set of polymorphisms and can be fitted in nearly all statistical packages (Stata, R/Splus and SAS). Applications in two already published meta‐analyses provide encouraging results concerning the robustness and the usefulness of the method and we expect that it would be widely used in the future. Genet. Epidemiol. 34: 702‐715, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
On Asymmetric Interference Channels with Cooperating Receivers

This paper studies a model for communications in wireless networks supported by designated cooperation links. In particular, a 2-user Gaussian one-sided interference channel with two rate-limited and orthogonal communication links between the receivers is considered. A communication protocol for the channel is proposed, which combines rate-splitting and superposition encoding techniques with the conventional decode-forward and compress-forward strategies. It is shown that a careful design of codebooks and coding scheme, which is obtained from intuition based on superposition coding, can greatly reduce the complexity of the strategy. Analytical and numerical results show that the proposed scheme, although not universally optimal, can achieve the capacity region or sum capacity exactly or asymptotically in certain scenarios. Various limits of sum capacity gain due to cooperation are also discussed.
The effect of fatigue damage on the force required to remove a restoration in a cement-retained implant system.

PURPOSE To evaluate the luting agents and retentive forces before and after mechanical stressing. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sample size N was 12 for each group, and 12 Cera-One closed-end gold cylinders were cemented with three types of luting cements (ImProv, UltraTemp, and TempBond). The force required to remove the gold cylinders from the abutments was determined with an MTS testing machine. After cleaning and recementing the cylinders, the samples were placed in the housings of an Alabama-type three-body wear machine and load of 110 N was applied to the gold cylinders at a frequency of 80 cycles/min for 50,000 cycles. Then each cylinder was pulled from its abutment and the force at which the failure occurred was recorded. The procedure was repeated with 300,000 cycles. RESULTS Statistical analysis arising from two-way ANOVA found that the forces required to remove the abutments were significantly different. The most retentive cement was ImProv. Before cyclic loading, on average, ImProv produced a retentive value 85% higher than that yielded by TempBond, and 25% higher than that of UltraTemp. The three cements were significantly different at each of the three cycle levels. CONCLUSIONS These results might suggest TempBond luting agent as the material of choice for provisional cementation because it allows easier removal of the prosthesis and maintains enough retention to prevent loosening of the restoration. The clinical implication is that the effect of cyclic load on the strength of the cements is different, an important factor in selection of a cement. ImProv had the highest retentive value before and after the two cycles, and TempBond had the lowest. UltraTemp had the highest percentage of retentive value lost. TempBond had no significant loss under loading even though initially it was the weakest.
Anti-cancer Effects of Polyphenolic Compounds in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-resistant Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Background: Polyphenolic phytochemicals are natural compounds, easily found in fruits and vegetables. Importantly, polyphenols have been intensively studied as excellent antioxidant activity which contributes to anticancer function of the natural compounds. Lung cancer has been reported to mainly account for cancer-related deaths in the world. Moreover, epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistance is one of the biggest issues in cancer treatment, especially in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Even though several studies both in preclinical and clinical trials have showed promising therapeutic effects of polyphenolic compounds in anticancer therapy, the function of the natural compounds in TKI-resistant (TKIR) lung cancer remains poorly studied. Objective: The aim of this study is to screen polyphenolic compounds as potential anticancer adjuvants which suppress TKIR lung cancer. Materials and Methods: Colony formation and thiazolyl blue tetrazolium blue assay were performed in the pair-matched TKI-sensitive (TKIS) versus TKIR tumor cell lines to investigate the therapeutic effect of polyphenolic compounds in TKIR NSCLC. Results: Our data show that equol, kaempferol, resveratrol, and ellagic acid exhibit strong anticancer effect in HCC827 panel. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of most of tested polyphenolic compounds was highly selective for TKIR lung cancer cell line H1993 while sparing the TKIS one H2073. Conclusion: This study provides an important screening of potential polyphenolic compounds for drug development to overcome TKI resistance in advanced lung cancer. Abbreviations used: EGFR: Epidermal growth factor receptor, EMT: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, GTP: Green tea polyphenols, IGF1R: Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, MET: Met proto-oncogene, MTT: Thiazolyl blue tetrazolium blue, NSCLC: Non-small cell lung cancer, ROS: Reactive oxygen species, RTK: Receptor tyrosine kinase, STAT3: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, TKIR: TKI-resistant, TKIs: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, TKIS: TKI-sensitive.
Facultative adjustment of pre-fledging mass loss by nestling swifts preparing for flight

Nestling birds often maintain nutritional reserves to ensure continual growth during interruptions in parental provisioning. However, mass-dependent flight costs require the loss of excess mass before fledging. Here we test whether individual variable mass loss prior to fledging is controlled through facultative adjustments by nestlings, or whether it reflects physiologically inflexible developmental schedules. We show that in the face of natural and experimental variation in nestling body mass and wing length, swifts always achieve very similar wing loadings (body mass per wing area) prior to fledging, presumably because this represents the optimum for flight. Experimental weights (approx. 5% body mass) temporarily attached to nestlings caused additional reductions in mass, such that final wing loadings still matched those of control siblings. Experimental reductions in nestling wing length (approx. 5% trimmed from feather tips) resulted in similar additional mass reductions, allowing wing loadings at fledging to approach control levels. We suggest that nestlings may assess their body mass relative to wing area via wing flapping and special ‘push-ups’ (on the tips of extended wings) performed in the nest. Thus, by facultatively adjusting body mass, but not wing growth, nestling swifts are always able to fledge with aerodynamically appropriate wing loadings.