Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SEVERE ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY IN ADULT NIGERIANS

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is rapid deterioration in renal function resulting in accumulation of metabolic waste, sufficient to cause uraemia, following variety of insults to previously normal 1,2 kidneys. Accurate determination of AKI incidence is difficult due to varying definitions of 1 the disease. It is responsible for about 5-8% of medical admissions and accounts for 25-30% of patients admitted into critical care units (CCU), 3 90% of which have multiple organ failure (MOF). It is a common cause of morbidity and mortality 3-6 worldwide .
Effects of solution tonicity on crossbridge properties and myosin lever arm disposition in intact frog muscle fibres

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of solution tonicity on muscle properties, and to verify their consistence with the lever arm theory of force generation. Experiments were made in single muscle fibres and in fibre bundles from the frog, using both fast stretches and time‐resolved X‐ray diffraction, in isotonic Ringer solution (1T), hypertonic (1.4T) and hypotonic (0.8T) solutions. Fast stretches (0.4–0.6 ms duration and 16–25 nm per half‐sarcomere (nm hs−1) amplitude) were applied at various tensions during the force development in isometric tetani. Force increased during the stretch up to a peak (critical tension, Pc) at which it started to fall, in spite of continued stretching. In all solutions, Pc was proportional to the initial isometric tension developed. For a given isometric tension, Pc increased with solution tonicity and occurred at a precise sarcomere elongation (critical length, Lc) which also increased with tonicity. M3 meridional layer line intensity (IM3) was measured during the application of sinusoidal length oscillations (1 kHz frequency, and about 2% fibre length amplitude) at tetanus plateau. IM3 changed during the length oscillations in a sinusoidal manner in phase opposition to length changes, but a double peak distortion occurred at the peak of the release phase. The presence of the distortion, which decreased with tonicity, allowed calculation of the mean position of the myosin head (S1) during the oscillation cycle. In agreement with the lever arm theory, both X‐ray diffraction and mechanical data show that solution tonicity affects S1 mean position and consequently crossbridge individual extension and force, with no effect on crossbridge number. The force needed to break the single crossbridge was insensitive to solution tonicity suggesting a non‐ionic nature of the actomyosin bond.
Multilayer Silicon Nitride-on-Silicon Integrated Photonic Platforms and Devices

We review and present additional results from our work on multilayer silicon nitride (SiN) on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) integrated photonic platforms over the telecommunication wavelength bands near 1550 and 1310 nm. SiN-on-SOI platforms open the possibility for passive optical functionalities implemented in the SiN layer to be combined with active functionalities in the SOI. SiN layers can be integrated onto SOI using a front-end or back-end of line integration process flow. These photonic platforms support low-loss SiN waveguides, low-loss and low-crosstalk waveguide crossings, and low-loss interlayer transitions using adiabatic tapers. Novel ultra-broadband and efficient grating couplers as well as polarization management devices are enabled by the close coupling between the silicon and SiN layers.
Predictors of consistent condom use: a hierarchical analysis of adults from Kenya, Tanzania and Trinidad

The two regions hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic are sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean. It is estimated that more than 28 million persons within these regions are currently living with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, it is imperative that more effective models of protective behaviour change be developed and implemented. Data from 4293 adults from Kenya, Tanzania and Trinidad who agreed to participate in the Voluntary Counseling and Testing Efficacy Study were examined employing hierarchical regression modelling. Only 19% reported consistent condom use with most recent sex partner. Factors associated with consistent condom use were relation to most recent sex partner, gender, study site, perceived difficulty in requesting condom use and actually making requests for condom use. Interventions that are grounded in theory and consider the relationship between the various independent variables along with the dependent variable may be more effective in promoting HIV protective behaviour change, such as consistent condom use, than current prevention efforts.
Immune status and risk for infection in patients receiving chronic immunosuppressive therapy.

OBJECTIVE Chronic immunosuppressive therapy may be complicated by infections indicating a more or less profound immune defect. However, immune monitoring to estimate the risk for infection has so far not been performed routinely. The aim of this study was (1) to investigate the effects of commonly used immunosuppressive treatment regimens on lymphocyte subsets and cytokine release from stimulated whole blood cultures in patients with rheumatic or autoimmune diseases; and (2) to determine whether such measurements could be used as predictors of infection, and if so, to determine their predictive value for subsequent infectious complications. METHODS Patients with various chronic inflammatory diseases (n = 97) treated with different immunosuppressive regimens and healthy controls (n = 36) were evaluated for T lymphocyte subsets and for cytokine release in whole blood cultures after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and ionomycin. RESULTS Therapy with corticosteroids induced dose-dependent lymphocyte depletion. Concomitant application of cytotoxic disease modifying drugs and corticosteroids caused an additive effect on lymphocytopenia, but did not change CD4/CD8 ratio. Corticosteroid therapy was also associated with impaired cytokine release from mononuclear cells in whole blood assays after in vitro stimulation with LPS or PMA/ionomycin. Infections requiring hospitalization developed in 19 of 95 evaluable patients during an average followup period of 2.3 years. On logistic regression analysis, lymphocytopenia < 600/microl, in particular < 250 CD4+ T cells/microl, and therapy with corticosteroids > 10 mg prednisolone equivalent per day were predictive of infections. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that T-helper lymphocytopenia < 250/microl was the best predictor for future infections, with a positive predictive value of 0.53 and a negative predictive value of 0.97. CONCLUSION Patients receiving chronic immunosuppressive therapy can develop severe lymphopenia that involves all subsets. Monitoring T-helper cell counts may be useful to estimate the risk for subsequent infections in such patients.
Constraints on the amplitude of Mid-Pliocene (3.6–2.4 Ma) eustatic sea-level fluctuations from the New Zealand shallow-marine sediment record

Ice-volume calibrations of the deep-ocean foraminiferal δ18O record imply orbitally influenced sea-level fluctuations of up to 30 m amplitude during the Mid-Pliocene, and up to 30 per cent loss of the present-day mass of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) assuming complete deglaciation of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) and Greenland. These sea-level oscillations have driven recurrent transgressions and regressions across the world's continental shelves. Wanganui Basin, New Zealand, contains the most complete shallow-marine Late Neogene stratigraphic record in the form of a continuous cyclostratigraphy representing every 41 and 100 ka sea-level cycle since ca 3.6 Ma. This paper presents a synthesis of faunally derived palaeobathymetric data for shallow-marine sedimentary cycles corresponding to marine isotope stages M2–100 (ca 3.4–2.4 Ma). Our approach estimates the eustatic sea-level contribution to the palaeobathymetry curve by placing constraints on total subsidence and decompacted sediment accumulation. The sea-level estimates are consistent with those from δ18O curves and numerical ice sheet models, and imply a significant sensitivity of the WAIS and the coastal margins of the EAIS to orbital oscillations in insolation during the Mid-Pliocene period of relative global warmth. Sea-level oscillations of 10–30 m were paced by obliquity.
Acute otalgia in Nigerian children.

A study of 112 referred children with acute otalgia labeled 'acute otitis media' by the referring physicians was carried out at the E.N. T. clinic of Lagos University Teaching Hospital in 1981-1982. Only 11% of these were actually due to acute otitis media, reflecting poor technique at otoscopy. Of the acute otalgia cases 56% were due to ear pathology while 44% resulted from referred pain. Otological causes included foreign body in the ear (23%), acute otitis media (11%), otitis externa (10%), secretory otitis media (6%) and myringitis bullosa haemorrhagica (4%). Cases due to referred otalgia were from tonsillitis (21%), foreign body in the pharynx (5%), traditional uvulectomy (5%), and foreign body in the nose (2%). Thus, there is a need for more careful examination of the ear in all cases of acute otalgia.
Nouvelle découverte d'un gîte à silex à Lepidorbitoides dans le Sud-Ouest de la France (Saint-Aubin, Gers) et implications archéologiques

Note sur la decouverte de silex a Lepiborbitoides en contexte sub-primaire pres de Saint-Aubin (Gers). L'absence de calcaire cretace dans ce secteur amene les auteurs a discuter de l'origine et de l'histoire de ces materiaux. Ces nouvelles donnees viennent alimenter et enrichir le debat actuellement mene sur un type de silicification souvent considere comme un "marqueur lithologique".
Radium in Wisconsin Drinking Water: An Analysis of Osteosarcoma Risk

Abstract Epidemiological studies of radium dial painters have found an association between exposure to high-dose radium and bone cancers. However, only limited data exist on the relationship between low doses of radium, as are found in some drinking water sources, and osteosarcoma. The authors conducted a population-based case-control study to examine the association between exposure to radium in drinking water and the occurrence of osteosarcoma. Estimates of radium exposure and covariates used were based on subjects' residential ZIP codes. The median radium level was not significantly associated with osteosarcoma (odds ratio = .98; 95% confidence interval = .93,1.04; p = .56). The authors found no evidence that radium, at current levels in Wisconsin drinking water, resulted in excess cases of osteosarcoma.
Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

An ethnobotanical survey of plants used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders was carried out in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Information on the names of plants, used parts and methods of preparation was obtained from traditional medical practitioners, herbalist, hawkers in traditional medicines and rural dwellers, using semi-structured questionnaire. 36 plant species representing 24 families were found to be commonly used in the treatment of a variety of gastrointestinal disorders in this study. The family Fabaceae had the highest number of species being used for treating gastrointestinal disorders.47. 06% of the plants used in treating dysentery and other gastrointestinal disorders were used in the treatment of dysentery alone while 46.15% of the plants used to treat diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal disorders, were used in the treatment of diarrhoea alone. 30.3% of the different plants were implicated in the treatment of various stomach problems. Rationales for the choice of these plants were also identified. The leaves were the most commonly used parts, followed by roots and bark while decoctions and infusions are the most frequent methods of preparation. The traditional healers in this Province possess rich ethno-pharmacological knowledge and depend largely on naturally growing plant species. The documented medicinal plants can serve as a basis for further and future phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Key words: Medicinal plants, gastrointestinal disorders, dysentery, indigenous knowledge, over-exploitation.
Reducing the Memory Bandwidth Overheads of Hardware Security Support for Multi-Core Processors

To prevent physical attacks on systems, secure processors have been proposed to reduce trusted computing base to the processor itself. In a secure processor, all off-chip data are encrypted and their integrity is protected. This paper investigates how the limited memory bandwidth of multi-core processors affects the design of secure processors. Although the performance of a single-core secure processor has improved significantly with the counter-mode encryption combined with Bonsai Merkle Tree, our results indicate that multi-core secure processors can suffer from significant performance degradation due to the limited memory bandwidth. To mitigate the performance overheads, this paper proposes three techniques for the multi-core design of secure processors. First, the paper advocates to use a combined cache for all normal and security-supporting data. Second, the paper proposes memory scheduling and mapping schemes for secure processors. Finally, the paper investigates a type-aware cache insertion scheme considering the distinct characteristics of normal and security-supporting data. Our simulation results show that the combined techniques reduce the performance degradation for supporting full confidentiality and integrity, from 25-34 percent to less than 8-14 percent in 8-core and 16-core secure processors, with minimal extra hardware costs.
tRNA Splicing*

Introns interrupt the continuity of many eukaryal genes, and therefore their removal by splicing is a crucial step in gene expression. Interestingly, even within Eukarya there are at least four splicing mechanisms. mRNA splicing in the nucleus takes place in two phosphotransfer reactions on a complex and dynamic machine, the spliceosome. This reaction is related in mechanism to the two self-splicing mechanisms for Group 1 and Group 2 introns. In fact the Group 2 introns are spliced by an identical mechanism to mRNA splicing, although there is no general requirement for either proteins or co-factors. Thus it seems likely that the Group 2 and nuclear mRNA splicing reactions have diverged from a common ancestor. tRNA genes are also interrupted by introns, but here the splicing mechanism is quite different because it is catalyzed by three enzymes, all proteins and with an intrinsic requirement for ATP hydrolysis. tRNA splicing occurs in all three major lines of descent, the Bacteria, the Archaea, and the Eukarya. In bacteria the introns are self-splicing (1–3). Until recently it was thought that the mechanisms of tRNA splicing in Eukarya and Archaea were unrelated as well. In the past year, however, it has been found that the first enzyme in the tRNA splicing pathway, the tRNA endonuclease, has been conserved in evolution since the divergence of the Eukarya and the Archaea. Surprising insights have been obtained by comparison of the structures and mechanisms of tRNA endonuclease from these two divergent lines.
Short and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic compared to open liver resection for colorectal liver metastases.

BACKGROUND Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is now established as standard of care for a variety of gastrointestinal procedures for benign and malignant indications. However, due to concerns regarding superiority to open liver resection (OLR), the uptake of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has been slow. Data on long-term outcomes of LLR for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) remain limited. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of short and long-term outcomes of LLR compared to OLR for CRLM. METHODS Five electronic databases were systematically searched for studies comparing LLR and OLR for CRLM and reporting on survival outcomes. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted data. Primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and recurrence free survival (RFS). Secondary outcomes were operative time, estimated blood loss, post-operative major morbidity, mortality, length of stay (LOS), and resection margins. RESULTS Eight non-randomized studies (NRS) were included (n=2,017 total patients). Six were matched cohort studies. LLR reduced estimated blood loss [mean difference: -108.9; 95% confidence interval (CI), -214.0 to -3.7) and major morbidity [relative risk (RR): 0.68; 95% CI, 0.56-0.83], but not mortality. No difference was observed in operative time, LOS, resection margins, R0 resections, and recurrence. Survival data could not be pooled. No studies reported inferior survival with LLR. OS varied from 36% to 60% for LLR and 37% to 65% for OLR. RFS ranged from 14% to 30% for LLR and 22% to 38% for OLR. According to the grade classification, the strength of evidence was low to very low for all outcomes. The use of parenchymal sparing resections with LLR and OLR could not be assessed. CONCLUSIONS Based on limited retrospective evidence, LLR offers reduced morbidity and blood loss compared to OLR for CRLM. Comparable oncologic outcomes can be achieved. Although LLR cannot be considered as standard of care for CRLM, it is beneficial for well-selected patients and lesions. Therefore, LLR should be part of the liver surgeon's armamentarium.
Articular collagen degradation in the Hulth-Telhag model of osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE This study employed immunohistochemistry to investigate the pattern of type II collagen (CII) degradation in an acute injury model of osteoarthritis. It was hypothesized, based on previous studies of primary osteoarthritis (OA), that the worst areas of CII degradation would be located in the superficial and upper middle zones of the articular cartilage, with staining extending into the deep zone as the OA became more severe. DESIGN In this model of secondary OA, rabbits were made osteoarthritic by transecting the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments and removing the meniscus. At various times post surgery, articular cartilage was examined for CII degradation using monoclonal antibody 18:6:D6. This antibody reacts to an epitope that is exposed when CII is degraded as the result of protease cleavage. Proteoglycans (PG) were localized using Safranin-O/Fast Green. Staining intensities were quantitated using image analysis software. RESULTS In the joints with surgically induced OA, degradation of CII was seen as early as 3 weeks with the majority of the degradation localized in zones I and III. At 14 weeks the destruction of CII was more pronounced, but there was a surprising lack of degradation in zone II. There were also several other unexpected findings. The sham-operated joints, for example, were intended to serve as controls yet CII degradation was observed in rabbits killed 3 weeks after surgery. It was also expected that greater CII degradation would occur in cartilage from medial condyles, but after 14 weeks there was no significant difference between medial and lateral condyles. Finally, the loss of staining for PG correlated with the degradation of CII except in zone III where limited PG loss was observed. CONCLUSION Differences were observed between the pattern of articular cartilage destruction in this model of secondary OA and that of primary OA. Further investigation of the mechanical and biochemical processes underlying the development of both types of OA needs to be conducted.
Screening of vibroarthrographic signals via adaptive segmentation and linear prediction modeling

This paper proposes a noninvasive method to diagnose chondromalacia patella at its early stages by recording knee vibration signals (also known as vibroarthrographic or VAG signals) over the mid-patella during normal movement. An adaptive segmentation method was developed to segment the nonstationary VAG signals. The least squares modeling method was used to reduce the number of data samples to a few model parameters. Model parameters along with a few clinical parameters and a signal variability parameter were then used as discriminant features for screening VAG signals by applying logistic and discriminant algorithms. The system was trained using ten normal and eight abnormal signals. It correctly screened a separate test set of ten normal and eight abnormal signals except for one normal signal. The proposed method should find use as an alternative technique for diagnosis of knee joint pathology or as a test before arthroscopy or major knee surgery.
Are measures of hypomanic personality, impulsive nonconformity and rigidity predictors of bipolar symptoms?

OBJECTIVES It has been suggested that temperaments such as 'hypomanic personality' (HYP) have an explanatory role in affective disorders. Similarly, the impulsive nonconformity scale, originally designed to assess psychosis proneness, was recently found to augment the prediction of manic episodes. Conversely, research indicates that 'rigidity', a central feature of Typus Melancholicus (TMEL; von Zerssen, 1996), may characterize the premorbid personality of depressives. DESIGN The present study combines these three scales to prospectively predict manic and depressive symptoms diagnosed 2 years later in a non-college student population. METHOD Structured clinical interviews for DSM-IV were conducted with 114 individuals (60% female, mean age = 19 . 9 years), 2 years after an initial screening. RESULTS It was found that none of the predictors predicted purely depressive symptoms. As expected, HYP emerged as the strongest predictor of (hypo-)manic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS While rigidity did not predict depression, people with a hypomanic temperament are at risk of developing symptoms of bipolar disorder, especially (hypo-)manic ones. It is noteworthy that this was evident in our young sample, still in the earlier stages of the high-risk period.
Is it possible to increase n-3 fatty acid content of meat without affecting its technological and/or sensory quality and the growing performance of chickens?

Abstract The aim of this study was to increase the content of n-3 fatty acids (FA) of meat without affecting its sensory and/or technological properties or the growth performance of chickens reared under standard conditions. Male chickens, Ross 308, were distributed into 5 groups corresponding to 5 different diets for the growing and finishing periods: control (T), containing extruded linseeds exhibiting high concentration of fibre (ELHF), extruded linseeds exhibiting low concentration of fibre (ELLF), microalgae, or an association of 75% ELLF and 25% MA (ELLF+MA). The diet containing microalgae induced a decrease in feed consumption without affecting growth rate. Chickens exhibited a lower feed conversion ratio than the other groups for the growing and finishing periods but also the whole rearing period. The use of linseeds in diets had no effect on the growth performance of chickens in comparison to the control group. The dietary enrichment with n-3 FA had few effects on carcass composition or the ultimate pH and colour of breast meat. The microalgae increased the meat susceptibility to oxidation. The lipid content of breast meat was not affected by the diets. The breast meat of chickens fed on diets containing linseeds and/or microalgae had greater n-3 FA content (2.4 to 3.9 times higher than group T). The linseeds and microalgae mainly increased the contents in linolenic acid and long chain n-3 FA, respectively. Dietary enrichment with n-3 FA had no effect on the sensory quality of fillets whereas the thighs of the MA group exhibited the lowest score for the flavour “chicken” and the greatest score for the flavour “abnormal” corresponding to a fish flavour.