Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The epidemiology of malaria in Bolifamba, a rural community on the eastern slopes of Mount Cameroon: seasonal variation in the parasitological indices of transmission

Abstract The prevalences of malarial parasitaemia, fever, splenomegaly and anaemia and the levels of parasitaemia were investigated, through part of one wet season (in 2001) and the following dry season (in 2002), in 2157 subjects in the village of Bolifamba, in south–western Cameroon. Overall, 55.9% of the villagers checked in the wet season but only 49.5% of those examined in the dry season were found smear-positive for malaria (P<0.0001). Rainfall was found to be significantly associated with the mean level of parasitaemia (P=0.001). The prevalences of fever (40.3% v. 19.6%), splenomegaly (37.4% v. 4.0%) and marked splenomegaly (i.e. a Hackett's score of 2 or higher; 25.8% v. 2.4%) were all significantly higher in the wet season than in the dry (P<0.0001 for each). No seasonal difference was observed, however, in the prevalence of anaemia. Parasitaemia, fever, splenomegaly and anaemia were all significantly more common in the young children investigated (i.e. those aged < 5 years) than in the older subjects. When the data were subjected to a multiple logistic regression, age-group, anaemia, fever, and month of examination were all found to be significantly associated with the presence of malarial parasitaemia. The results of this large-scale study, the first of its kind in the Buea district of Cameroon, indicate the intense transmission of malarial parasites in rural Bolifamba, with young children at greatest risk. The data collected provide a useful 'base line' for an ongoing study to assess the immune status of the residents of Bolifamba.
Perilipin Controls Lipolysis by Regulating the Interactions of AB-hydrolase Containing 5 (Abhd5) and Adipose Triglyceride Lipase (Atgl)*

The mobilization of stored lipid by hormones is a fundamental function of fat cells, and there is strong evidence that perilipin (Plin), a lipid droplet scaffold, and adipose tissue triglyceride lipase (Atgl), a triglyceride-specific lipase, play critical roles. Previous work suggested that Abhd5, a protein activator of Atgl, coordinates with Plin in controlling basal and stimulated lipolysis; however, the underlying mechanism is controversial. The present experiments investigated protein trafficking and interactions among Plin, Atgl, and Abhd5 in live cells. The results demonstrate that Plin binds Abhd5 with high affinity and thereby suppresses the interaction of Abhd5 with Atgl. Sequestration of Abhd5 appears to a major mechanism by which Plin reduces basal lipolysis. Phosphorylation of Plin on serine 492 or serine 517 rapidly releases Abhd5 from Plin, allowing Abhd5 to directly interact with Atgl. Imaging experiments demonstrated that the Plin-dependent interaction of Abhd5 and Atgl occurs mainly, but not exclusively, on lipid droplets that contain Plin.
Simultaneous Analysis of Four Food Groups of Fathers in Relation to Child ’ s Risk of Sporadic Bilateral Retinoblastoma

Parental Diet and Risk of Retinoblastoma Resulting from New Germline RB1 Mutation Greta R. Bunin,* Marilyn Tseng, Yimei Li, Anna T. Meadows, and Arupa Ganguly Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Department of Kinesiology, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, California Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Does Augmented Feedback from Pedometers Increase Adults' Walking Behavior?

This study investigated whether feedback from pedometers motivated adults to increase their walking behavior. Participants (n = 26) were enrolled in one of two 8-wk. “Walking for Fitness” classes. The study used a crossover design, such that Group 1 wore pedometers for the first 3 weeks (Feedback Condition) and sealed “disguised” pedometers for the last 3 weeks (No-feedback Condition). The order of feedback was reversed for Group 2. Analysis indicated that (a) neither group increased their walking behavior significantly over time and, (b) interactions between groups were not significant at Week 3 or 6, indicating that groups did not respond differently to feedback from the pedometers. If a motivational effect from pedometers exists, it may be small, dissipate before 3 wk. , only work in combination with goal setting, or only motivate certain types of individuals.
Age is an important predictor of kidney transplantation outcome.

BACKGROUND Donor and recipient age may have an impact on the renal transplant outcome. Kidney transplantation from older donors may result in a worse outcome, and the survival benefit of kidney transplantation compared with dialysis may be reduced. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of donor and recipient age on kidney transplant outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two hundred and twenty-three recipients of kidney transplants performed at our institution between 2002 and 2007 were analysed. The role of donor and recipient age matching on survival rate were investigated performing the Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis by decades, considering the donor's age of 60 and 70 years. The Cox proportional hazard uni- and multivariate regressions were also performed. Finally, Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis was performed to assess survival rates of patients transplanted stratified by donor age compared with wait-listed renal transplant candidates. RESULTS Elderly recipients had a significant lower graft and patient survival as well as a significantly higher risk of graft loss and patient death. Recipients younger and older than 65 years of age were at higher risk of graft loss if they received grafts from donors>65 years [hazard ratio (HR)=2.59, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-6 and HR=5.65, 95% CI: 2.31-13.79, respectively]. Elderly recipients displayed a worse survival compared with transplant candidates on the waiting list. CONCLUSIONS Age is an important predictor of kidney transplantation outcome. Kidney transplantation does not offer a significant survival benefit in the intermediate term, compared to the waiting list, to elderly recipients transplanted with grafts from older donors. However, it cannot be excluded that it is still possible that there is a long-term benefit of transplantation over dialysis in this group of patients.
Differential cycles of range contraction and expansion in European high mountain plants during the Late Quaternary: insights from Pritzelago alpina (L.) O. Kuntze (Brassicaceae)

Nuclear DNA sequence variation of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) were used to illuminate the evolutionary history of Pritzelago alpina, a herbaceous perennial of (sub)alpine to nival habitats of the European high mountains. Maximum likelihood analysis of ITS sequences of P. alpina, Hornungia petraea and Hymenolobus procumbens (the ‘Pritzelago alliance’) resolved P. alpina and H. petraea as sister taxa. ITS divergence estimates support an origin for P. alpina in the Late Tertiary, while intraspecific diversification started in the Late Quaternary (0.4–0.9 million years ago). AFLP analysis of 76 individuals of P. alpina, representing 24 localities across its entire west–east distribution, identified four mountain lineages in Cantabria, the Pyrenees, (south‐) western Alps, and northeastern Alps/Tatras/Carpathians. In an analysis of molecular variance (amova), 14.3% of the total variation derived from this separation. However, relationships among these lineages remained unresolved in neighbour‐joining and principal co‐ordinates analyses, suggesting a population history of near simultaneous vicariance. Comparison with our previous ITS/AFLP study of Anthyllis montana (Fabaceae) indicates that the two co‐distributed but altitudinally differentiated plant species exhibit temporally concordant but spatially discordant patterns of genetic variation. Moreover, levels of AFLP divergence were significantly lower in P. alpina than in the submediterranean, lower‐elevation A. montana. Together, these data are consistent with a ‘displacement refugia model’, which predicts that European mountain plant species associated with lower‐ and upper‐elevation habitats had a different cycle of range contraction into (long‐term) glacial and (short‐term) interglacial refugia, respectively.
Fetal Cholelithiasis: A Prospective Study of Incidence, Predisposing Factors, and Ultrasonographic and Clinical Features

G allstone disease is a rare but well-recognized disorder in the pediatric population. Three different clinical entities can be recognized: (1) cholelithiasis in childhood and in adolescence; (2) cholelithiasis in the neonate; (3) cholelithiasis in the fetus. Fetal cholelithiasis was first diagnosed in 1983 by Beretsky and Lankin,' and since then only a few authors have reported the presence of gallstones in the fetus. '-6 The most representative series7 describes 26 fetuses who had echogenic material in the gallbladder. Although predisposing risk factors have been proposed to have a causative role, the pathogenesis of fetal gallstones remains unknown. Unlike in the adult patient, spontaneous resolution of the gallstones is the rulel-5,8 and occurs in the newborn although the persistence of stones for months or even years has been noted by a few investigators.7 Clinical sequelae of fetal gallstones are unknown as well as the role of fetal cholelithiasis in predisposing to gallstones as an adult. We report a prospective study to assess the incidence, predisposing factors, clinical picture, evolution, and possible therapy of this rare condition.
Effects of silymarin on UDP-glucuronic acid and glucuronidation activity in the rat isolated hepatocytes and liver in relation to D-galactosamine toxicity.

Influence of silymarin on UDP-glucuronic acid (UDPGA) and glucuronidation activity of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes in suspension and in rat liver in vivo was examined. Viability of the hepatocytes (> 85%) was not altered in Hank's balanced salt solution at least for 4 hr at 37 degrees C under oxygen. Silymarin at 0.4 mM depleted UDPGA by more than 60% at the end of 4 hr of incubation, the fall in nucleotide pool was rapid and concentration (0.1-0.4 mM)-dependent. The rate of glucuronidation of 3-OH- benzo(a)pyrene (3-OH-BP) determined simultaneously was also reduced significantly; silybin being 3-times more effective than silymarin. Combination of flavonoids with D-galactosamine (GalN) further attenuated the glucuronidation functions of the cells. The flavonoids also offered strong inhibition of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UDP-GDH) activity in the liver cytosolic fraction while the activity in hepatocytes was not affected even after 4 hr of incubation. Interestingly, the GalN- induced strong inhibition of UDP-GDH in isolated hepatocytes was completely abolished by flavonoids. Decrease in UDPGA appeared neither due to the activation of UDPGA-pyrophosphatase activity nor to the inhibition of UDP-GDH activity in hepatocytes. Further, the flavonoids also inhibited hepatic UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity towards 3-OH-BP (UGT) both in vitro and in intact cells. On the contrary, silymarin administered (70 mg/kg body wt; i.p.) to rats for 3 hr increased the hepatic UDPGA by 2-fold while GalN (400 mg/kg body wt) reduced the nucleotide content to 50% of control. Coadministration of silymarin and GalN restored the UDPGA content significantly while the activities of UDP-GDH and UGT were comparable to the untreated control. The results indicated that silymarin elicits differential effects on the rate of glucuronidation and contents of UDPGA in the isolated rat hepatocytes and in liver. The flavonoid counteracted D-GalN-induced lowering of UDPGA presumably by relieving UDP-GDH of in vivo inhibition affected by GalN-metabolite.
Ink From Longfin Inshore Squid, Doryteuthis pealeii, as a Chemical and Visual Defense Against Two Predatory Fishes, Summer Flounder, Paralichthys dentatus, and Sea Catfish, Ariopsis felis

Chemical and visual defenses are used by many organisms to avoid being approached or eaten by predators. An example is inking molluscs—including gastropods such as sea hares and cephalopods such as squid, cuttlefish, and octopus—which release a colored ink upon approach or attack. Previous work showed that ink can protect molluscs through a combination of chemical, visual, and other effects. In this study, we examined the effects of ink from longfin inshore squid, Doryteuthis pealeii, on the behavior of two species of predatory fishes, summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus, and sea catfish, Ariopsis felis. Using a cloud assay, we found that ink from longfin inshore squid affected the approach phase of predation by summer flounder, primarily through its visual effects. Using a food assay, we found that the ink affected the consummatory and ingestive phase of predation of both sea catfish and summer flounder, through the ink’s chemical properties. Fractionation of ink showed that most of its deterrent chemical activity is associated with melanin granules, suggesting that either compounds adhering to these granules or melanin itself are the most biologically active. This work provides the basis for a comparative approach to identify deterrent molecules from inking cephalopods and to examine neural mechanisms whereby these chemicals affect behavior of fish, using the sea catfish as a chemosensory model.
Potential Implications of Changes in ChalleNGe Admission Criteria: A Literature Review

Abstract : In this report, we consider two potential changes to the admission criteria of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program (ChalleNGe)-limiting the ages for admission and introducing a standardized test for admission-both with the aim of maximizing cadets growth at ChalleNGe. Restricting the eligible ages could optimize the potential for noncognitive growth; a minimum admission score could maximize cognitive improvement. We synthesize the literature in these areas and ultimately determine that neither change is recommendable. There are age-related variables that affect noncognitive development, making it less likely to occur at younger ages and thus more likely to be significantly improved at ChalleNGe. However, we do not recommend excluding older, at-risk youth from the program based solely on the desire to achieve maximum noncognitive growth. In addition, a standardized test score is insufficiently accurate as a representation of true ability to be used as an admission criterion
Assessing the Completeness of Bicycle Trail and Lane Features in OpenStreetMap for the United States

This article assesses the completeness of bicycle trail and on‐street lane features in OpenStreetMap (OSM). Comparing OSM cycling features with reference data from local planning agencies for selected US Urbanized Areas shows that OSM bicycle trails tend to be more completely mapped than bicycle lanes. Manual evaluation of mapped cycling features in OSM and Google Maps for selected test areas within the Central Business Districts of Portland (OR) and Miami (FL) through comparison with governmental datasets, satellite imagery, and Google Street View, shows that the Bicycle layer in Google Maps can help to identify some missing or erroneously mapped OSM cycling links. However, Google Maps was also found to have some gaps in its data layers, suggesting that consultation of current trail and lane data from local planning authorities, if available, should be considered as an additional data source for bicycle related planning projects.
Forecasting realized volatility: a review

Modeling financial volatility is an important part of empirical finance. This paper provides a literature review of the most relevant volatility models, with a particular focus on forecasting models. We firstly discuss the empirical foundations of different kinds of volatility. The paper, then, analyses the non-parametric measure of volatility, named realized variance, and its empirical applications. A wide range of realized volatility models, both univariate and multivariate, is presented, such as time series models, MIDAS and GARCH-MIDAS models, Realized GARCH, and HEAVY models. We further discuss forecasting evaluation methods specifically suited for volatility models.
Acoustic arousal responses in children with obstructive sleep apnea

Our objectives were to study the arousal responses to nonrespiratory (acoustic) stimuli in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The acoustic arousal response was studied in children with OSAS due to adenotonsillar hypertrophy compared to normal, age‐matched children. Acoustic stimuli were delivered incrementally from 30–100 dB during stage 2, slow wave sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The percentage of children who aroused in response to acoustic stimuli, and the arousal threshold (i.e., sound level at which arousal occurred), were compared between groups and sleep stages. The percentage of children who aroused was similar between children with OSAS and controls. The percentage of children who aroused was lower during slow wave sleep than REM sleep and stage 2 in both OSAS and controls. There were no statistically significant differences in acoustic arousal threshold between OSAS and control children. There was no difference in arousal response to moderate acoustic stimulation between children with OSAS and controls. These results contrast with previous data showing blunted arousal responses to hypercapnia and upper airway loading during sleep in children with OSAS, suggesting that children with OSAS have an arousal deficit specific to respiratory stimuli. However, further studies evaluating arousal to both respiratory and nonrespiratory stimuli in the same subjects are needed. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ketamine Appears Associated With Better Word Recall Than Etomidate After a Course of 6 Electroconvulsive Therapies

Abstract: Ten patients treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for depressive illness received anesthesia with either etomidate or ketamine. Three patients received both etomidate and ketamine anesthesia for ECT during separate episodes of depression. Patients anesthetized with ketamine for ECT had significantly less impairment of short-term memory function than did patients who received ECT with etomidate anesthesia. All patients who received both anesthetics for ECT during 2 different episodes had less memory loss during ECT with ketamine than with etomidate. These results show the importance of studying the effects of all anesthetic agents used during ECT on cognitive functions. The results imply that the effect of ECT on memory may be largely caused by effects mediated by glutamate at N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors and suggest that N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonists may offer protection from memory dysfunction during ECT.
Expanded CAG repeats in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

CAMs (N-CAM) are expressed in bram in both neurons and astrocytes ; there are a large number of isoforms and they play important roles during development and m lesion-mduced plasticity. Lesions m bram tissue may lead to increases m N-CAMs; an initial study demonstrated increased N-CAM levels in the CSF of schizophrenics. To access the genetic component of this finding, CSF was obtained from six monozygotic twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia (1). N-CAM levels were higher and the Ll antigen levels were lower m the affected twin than in the nonaffected twm in all six
EFFECTS OF PROTEASE SUPPLEMENTATION OF LOW PROTEIN BROILER DIETS ON GROWTH PARAMETERS AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTIC

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of addition of exogenous protease into broiler grower diets on growth parameters (body weight and feed conversion ratio) and carcass characteristic (carcass weight and yield). The used exogenous protease was enzyme a monocomponent serine protease expressed in Bacillus licheniformis. For the in vivo studies, a heat stable formulated product containing 75,000 PROT/g was used. A total of 990 one-day-old ROSS 308 broiler chickens were randomly divided into 9 experimental units of 110 chickens per each and located randomly to 3 different experimental treatments. The experiment was realized between the 10 and 35 day of age. The basal diet was based on wheat, corn and soybean meal. The dietary treatments were a positive control diet (PC) contained a normal crude protein (CP) level (207 g CP per kg feed, 12.5 MJ/kg) and two low protein diets. The level of CP in the low protein diets (LP) was reduced by 4 % compare to PC. First LP diet (LP0) was without and second LP diet (LP1) was with the supplementation of 15,000 PROT PRO g feed. The results of the experiment showed that the exogenous mono-component protease added into low protein broiler diet had no significant effect on both observed growth parameters carcass characteristic.
Strong, bold, and kind: self-control and cooperation in social dilemmas

We develop a model that relates self-control to cooperation patterns in social dilemmas, and we test the model in a laboratory public goods experiment. As predicted, we find a robust association between stronger self-control and higher levels of cooperation, and the association is at its strongest when the decision maker’s risk aversion is low and the cooperation levels of others high. We interpret the pattern as evidence for the notion that individuals may experience an impulse to act in self-interest—and that cooperative behavior benefits from self-control. Free-riders differ from other contributor types only in their tendency not to have identified a self-control conflict in the first place.
Changes in Hip Flexor Passive Compliance Do Not Account for Improvement in Vertical Jump Performance After Hip Flexor Static Stretching

Abstract Wakefield, CB and Cottrell, GT. Changes in hip flexor passive compliance do not account for improvement in vertical jump performance after hip flexor static stretching. J Strength Cond Res 29(6): 1601–1608, 2015—To date, there is limited research investigating stretching of antagonist muscles and its effects on agonist muscle function. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of pre-static stretching (pre-SS) of the hip flexor musculature on passive hip extension range of motion (ROM) and vertical jump height. Fifteen subjects reported to the laboratory on 4 separate days (D1, D2, D3, and D4). D1 was for familiarization, while on D2 to D4, subjects randomly completed 1 of 3 intervention conditions; no stretch (CON), hip flexor stretch (HFS), or hip extensor stretch (HES). Subject's pre- and post-intervention hip extension ROM were measured before performing 3 sets of pre- and post-maximal counter-movement vertical jumps. Vertical jump height was normalized to baseline for data analysis. A repeated-measures ANOVA with post hoc paired sample t-tests revealed a significant increase in vertical jump height in the HFS condition (1.74% ± 0.73; p ⩽ 0.05) when compared with CON (−1.34% ± 0.96) or HES (−1.74% ± 0.65) conditions. There was also a significant increase in hip extension ROM after the HFS stretching protocol (6.5 ± 2.75%; p ⩽ 0.05) when compared with the CON protocol (−1.73 ± 3.26); however, no significant difference when compared with the HES protocol (1.84 ± 2.79). A correlation analysis showed that the relative hip laxity of each subject had no effect on response to either condition nor did the magnitude of hip ROM change predict improvement in vertical jump. These results suggest that performing SS of the hip flexors may enhance vertical jump performance independent of changes in passive compliance of the hip flexor muscular tendon unit.