Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence rates of impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes mellitus amongst expectant mothers and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus in walk-in patients at health centres in North Central Trinidad

Objective: To assess the prevalence rates of impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes among expectant mothers, as well as the prevalence rate of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus in walk-in patients at selected health centres in North Central Trinidad. Design: A cross-sectional study over the period January 2012 to December 2016. Setting: Primary health care centres. Sample Population: Pregnant women aged 18–45 years who were within their second and third trimester of pregnancy, and for undiagnosed diabetes mellitus the sample population consisted of males and females over the age of 18. Methodology: Medical records of 90 pregnant women and 174 walk-in patients who received care at the selected health centres during the period January 2012 to December 2016 were examined and the following were recorded: age, ethnicity, parity, gravidity, past medical/surgical history, past obstetric history, oral glucose tolerance test results, random blood glucose results, HbA1c results, and family history of diabetes mellitus (DM). Results: The sample population was 90 expectant mothers and 174 walk-in patients. However, valid results were available for 50 expectant mothers and 78 walk-in patients. Of the 50 valid results for expectant mothers, 1 mother had a confirmed diagnosis recorded for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) yielding a prevalence of 2% for GDM. Age was positively correlated with the diagnosis of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). (P = 0.028). Of the 141 valid entries for walk-in patients, 25 had a confirmed diagnosis of DM yielding a prevalence of ~ 18% for undiagnosed DM. A family history of diabetes was positively correlated with a subsequent diagnosis of DM among previously undiagnosed diabetes. Conclusion: The prevalence rate for GDM was found to be 2% and the prevalence rate for undiagnosed DM in walk-in patients was 18%.
Palliative Care Delivery in Cancer Patients in the Era of Covid-19 Outbreak: Unique Needs, Barriers, and Tools for Solutions

World is facing a pandemic recently due to the outbreak of COVID-19 infection. Cancer has been identified as one of the major comorbidities which cause more severe disease due to COVID-19 infection. Moreover, there are several resource limitations and restrictions to avail the standard oncological health facilities due to robust measures taken for infection control. In this situation, palliative care in cancer patients deserves special attention. Their symptom management, psychological, social, cultural needs tremendously increase during the epidemic. Thus, we need to recognize the unique palliative care needs of cancer patients during pandemic and formulate the plan to maintain continuity of services. Triaging systems are essential tools for proper resource allocation during a pandemic. Therefore, we suggest triaging tools for emergency in hospital palliative care services: community-based palliative care and end of life care for cancer patients. Incorporation of newer technologies and identifying the potential resources are the other key components of the preparedness strategy.
Factors affecting awareness and practice of primary health care professionals towards interaction of various medications used in systemic conditions, and its effect on periodontal health

Background: Interaction of various drugs and its effects on gingival and periodontal health is the area of concern; hence the aim of the present study was to explore factors affecting the awareness and practice of primary health care professionals towards the interaction of various medications used for systemic diseases on periodontal health. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional, descriptive, questionnaire study conducted among 203 primary health care professionals which include 94 medical officers and 109 nurses working in primary health centers in rural areas of Udaipur district. The study was conducted in December 2019. Sampling techniques was stratified random sampling technique. A close-ended questionnaire was prepared to conduct an interview schedule. Results: The majority of health professionals had poor awareness (157 [77.33%]) and poor practice (168 [82.75%]) regarding the interaction of various medications used in systemic conditions and periodontal health. Factors that significantly affect awareness and practice of study participants were age (0.01*), degree (0.05*), and number of patients with oral problems seen in a week (0.05*), gender (0.05*), designation (0.05*). Conclusion: From above it was concluded that awareness and practice of primary care health professionals were poor. The factors that affect significantly affect awareness and knowledge of study participants was age, degree and number of patients with oral problems seen in a week, gender, designation, no. of patient attended in a day.
Influence of Social Media towards the Selection of Hollywood Smile among the University Students in Riyadh City

Background: Hollywood smile refers to the aesthetic development of dental appearance inspired by the beauty displayed by the movie actors. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the extent of social media effect on the decision making of university students towards selecting Hollywood smile as the choice of their aesthetic treatment. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by utilizing a self-designed closed-ended questionnaire among under-graduate students from the various public as well as private universities of Riyadh city. The questionnaire was constructed online using Google forms and began with questions related to demographics; questions like Do you notice celebrity's smile on social media? Have you visited a dentist solely after getting inspired by a celebrity's smile? etc., Responses were on a 5-point likert scale ranging from highly dissatisfied or strongly disagree to highly satisfied or strongly agree whenever applicable. Chi-square test was used to compare the differences among the groups with the value of significance kept under 0.05 by using SPSS version 19. Results: The majority of the female participants reported noticing the celebrity's smile on social media. Influence by the celebrity smiles on social media was found more in the older age group participants. However, the term “Hollywood smile” was slightly more known among the younger aged participants. Conclusion: The overall effect of social media in decision making of opting for Hollywood smile was found to be moderate. More studies should be conducted to investigate how much social medial is effecting the perceptions of youngsters.
The growth trend of never-married elderly population in Iran in the third millennium

Background: Statistics show that the age of the Iranian population is advancing, and the marriage age is increasing as well. Clearly, an increase in the number of never-married older adults is expected. The aim of this descriptive, analytical study was to determine the growth trend of never-married older population and its association with education level in Iran. Methods: Based on the raw data collected from the Statistical Center of Iran, we studied the population of never-married older adults in the past 25 years and evaluated the growth pattern in different parts of Iran, using ArcGIS software. We also examined the association of singlehood in late life with education in men and women residing in rural and urban areas, using the Chi-square test in SPSS version 22. Results: A sharp increase was observed in the population of never-married older adults, particularly women, in the past 10 years. Women with formal education from urban and rural areas were more likely to be never married in late life (χ2 = 10455.35, P < 0.001 and χ2 = 271.31, P < 0.001, respectively). Older men with formal education from urban areas were more likely to be never married (χ2 = 35.44, P < 0.001), while men with formal education from rural areas were less likely to be never married (χ2 = 179.13, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The rate of increase in the population of never-married older women was much higher than the overall growth of older population. Women with formal education, particularly those with university and pre-university degrees, were more likely to be single in late life. It is strongly suggested to determine the causes and process of singlehood in old age in future research, including qualitative studies.
Prevalence of hypertension and associated cardiometabolic risk factors in urban Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

Background: Hypertension is one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and all-of them cause mortality. Out of the estimated 1.13 billion people who have hypertension, less than 1 in 5 people have it under control. Aim and Objectives: To study the prevalence of hypertension and associated risk factors in the urban population of Rishikesh and the association of hypertension with other determinants. Methodology: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in an urban area of Rishikesh. The World Health Organization (WHO) steps instrument and protocol was used for the assessment of risk factors and measurements. i.e. anthropometry and blood pressure. Sample size was calculated to be 478. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS Version 20.0. Appropriate statistical tests were done. A P value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The prevalence of hypertension in urban Rishikesh is 32.4%. The prevalence in male and female is 34.5% and 31.3% respectively. Among hypertensives 45.8% had hypertriglyceridemia, 32.2% had low high-density lipoproteins (HDL), 52.25% had fasting blood glucose more than 100, and 55.4% were obese individuals. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that age, waist circumference, body mass index, triglycerides level, and physical activity were independently associated with hypertension. Conclusions: As the prevalence of hypertension and cardiometabolic risk factors were higher, necessary health interventions were required to reduce the morbidity/mortality of the disease.
Parental acceptance of human papillomavirus vaccination for adolescent girls in Lagos, Nigeria

Background and Aims: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is recommended for adolescent girls and would offer a long-term solution to cervical cancer especially in developing countries. However, parental perception and acceptance is a critical success factor. This study examined the degree of parental acceptance of HPV vaccination for adolescent secondary-school girls in Lagos, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of adolescent girls' parents was undertaken in two urban and two rural secondary schools in Lagos. Univariate and multivariate analysis were carried out using logistic regression to determine correlates of parental acceptance of HPV vaccine. Results: Of the 318 respondents, 45.9% had poor knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV infection, whereas 29.6% had good knowledge. Majority (54.7%) also had poor knowledge of HPV vaccine, whereas 26.7% had good knowledge. Most (72%) would vaccinate their daughters if vaccines were free, whereas only 35.5% would, if not free. Poor knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV infection significantly reduced the likelihood of vaccination even if free (adjusted odds ratio [OR] =0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI] =0.24–0.94; P = 0.0325), whereas good knowledge of HPV vaccines (adjusted OR = 6.11; 95% CI = 1.37–27.34; P = 0.018) and tertiary education in the mother (adjusted OR = 29.17; 95% CI = 3.98–214.08; P = 0.0009) increased the likelihood, if not free. Conclusion: HPV vaccination was acceptable to most parents only if offered free. Poor knowledge of cervical cancer, HPV infection, and vaccine may hinder acceptability. It is recommended that HPV vaccination is offered free through the National Programme on Immunization in Nigeria.
Effects of obesity on the transcriptional regulation of protein degradation in skeletal muscle

Obesity is commonly accompanied by increased skeletal muscle mass, yet this tissue overexpresses many genes involved in protein degradation. Despite evidence of increased whole-body protein turnover, the effects of obesity on skeletal muscle protein degradation have not been systematically explored. The purpose of the present project was to determine how obesity affects protein degradation and transcription of atrophyrelated genes. Methods: Primary Human Skeletal Muscle (HSkMC) myotubes, a cell culture model that retains many characteristics of obesity, from 10 lean and 8 severely obese women were subjected to both hypertrophic (IGF-1) and atrophic (dexamethasone or serum and amino acid starvation) stimuli. Gene expression patterns (RT-PCR), protein degradation rate, proteasome activity, and myotube area were measured at 24 h. Results: Gene expression patterns were similar between myotubes of lean and severely obese individuals with the exception of the transcription factor FoxO3, which was significantly higher in the severely obese. Total protein degradation rate was similar between myotubes of the lean and severely obese. However, the rate of flux through the autophagic/lysosomal pathway was slower in myotubes from the obese. Additionally, during starvation, the rate of flux through the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) decreased in myotubes of the lean, but increased in myotubes of the obese, indicating a shift toward UPS-mediated protein degradation. 10 Furthermore, myotubes from the obese displayed elevated proteasome activity. Despite altered flux through the major protein degradation pathways, myotube area was similar between lean and obese under basal and starved conditions. Conclusions: Despite increased gene expression of FoxO3, obesity does not affect the overall rate of muscle protein degradation but does alter flux through the major protein degradation pathways. Since the UPS and autophagic/lysosomal pathway preferentially degrade different cellular proteins and protein complexes, these findings suggest that the turnover rate of specific proteins may differ between lean and obese.
Late Pleistocene mammoth herd structure, migration patterns, and Clovis hunting strategies inferred from isotopic analyses of multiple death assemblages

Abstract Many late Pleistocene fossil localities contain the remains of multiple mammoths. Some of these sites have been interpreted as representing the mass death of an entire herd, or family group, of mammoths. These assemblages have been cited as evidence of intense human predation and used to reconstruct mammoth population dynamics. However, these interpretations remain controversial because the taphonomic settings of many sites are still debated. To reconstruct the taphonomic setting of each site and the movement patterns of mammoths among sites, I used analyses of carbon, oxygen, and strontium isotope ratios in mammoth tooth enamel. The carbon isotopes of fossils vary with diet and local vegetation, oxygen isotopes vary with local climate, and strontium isotopes vary with local soil chemistry. If Pleistocene mammoths traveled together in small family groups, then mammoths from sites that represent family groups should have lower isotopic variability than mammoths from sites containing unrelated individuals. I tested this conjecture by comparing the isotopic variability among mammoths from two sites—one that represents the mass death of a single herd (Waco, Texas) and one representing a time-averaged accumulation (Friesenhahn Cave, Texas)—and then used these analyses to examine mammoths from three Clovis sites: Blackwater Draw, New Mexico; Dent, Colorado; and Miami, Texas. Low levels of carbon isotope variability were found to be the most diagnostic signal of herd/family group association. Although the variability of oxygen and strontium isotope ratios proved less useful for identifying family group assemblages, these signals did provide information about the movement patterns of individuals among different sites. High levels of variability in each of the isotope systems at Clovis sites suggest that all of the sites examined represent time-averaged accumulations of unrelated individuals, rather than the mass deaths of family groups. In addition, analyses of the mean isotope values of Clovis mammoths show that although most mammoths from Blackwater and Miami had similar values, the values of Dent mammoths were significantly different. This demonstrates that the Dent mammoths belonged to a separate population and suggests that Clovis mammoths did not routinely undertake long distance (≥600 km) migrations.
A Bibliography of Rice Leaffolders (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

This bibliography on rice leaffolders contains 886 published and unpublished references for the period 1854 to June 1987. References are arranged alphabetically by the name of author and also classified by subjects. A distribution map, tables of alternate host plants, outbreaks, resistant rice varieties, resistant wild rices, natural enemies and developmental stages, and a brief description of current status of the leaffolders are also provided. RésuméCette bibliographique sur la chenille tordeuse des feuille du riz (rice leaffolders) contient 886 références, publiées et non publiées, couvrant la période de 1854 à Juin 1987. Les références sont classées par ordre alphabétique suivant le nom des auteurs et également par sujet. Une carte de la distribution du ravageur, des tableaux sur l’apparition des hautes densités de population du ravageur, sur les varietés résistantes de riz cultivées et sauvages, sur les ennemis naturels et les tables de vie plantes hôtes ainsi qu’une description à jour du statut de la chenille tordeuse des feuilles sont également presenteés.
A novel method for the estimation of age and growth in rajids using caudal thorns

The caudal thorns of four bathyrajid species from the Falkland Islands exhibit well-defined surface ridges. The apparent periodicity of ridge deposition suggests that caudal thorns exhibiting this sculpture have potential for use as ageing devices. Caudal thorns and vertebrae were removed from selected specimens. Thorn surface band counts were compared with counts from longitudinal sections of vertebral centra. Structures were read three times by each of three readers in a double-blind study. Differences in precision were found between readers. Estimates made by the most experienced reader showed least variation. A consistent difference between thorn and centrum band counts was recorded in the males of two species, with centrum counts lower than thorn counts by one growth increment. These differences were attributed to difficulties in interpreting the centrum sections of these species. In all other groups, counts were highly correlated with no significant difference between group means. Caudal thorns repr.
Coûts de la reproduction chez les femelles de chamois des Alpes (Rupicapra rupicapra)

The costs of reproduction are crucial to life-history theory. Because energy is limited, current reproductive investment is expected to be negatively correlated to future reproductive success, but individual heterogeneity often modifies those correlations. To study the costs of reproduction in relation to age, we captured, weighed, and monitored the reproductive success of individually marked female Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) in the Parco naturale delle Alpi Marittime (Italy) between 2007 and 2012, from April to October. We controlled for individual heterogeneity using a new approach based on permutations. For prime-aged females, fecundity was 77% and offspring survival to weaning was 88%. Prime-aged females alternated reproductive successes and failures more often than under a random order, suggesting reproductive costs of reproduction! Reproductive senescence began at 8 years, earlier than expected. Reproductive success was very heterogeneous for old females, suggesting variability in the onset of senescence. Old females showed no costs of reproduction and were heavier than prime-aged females, suggesting reproductive restraint in late life. Lactating females weighed 5% less than non-reproductive females and mass remained stable through the summer, indicating energetic costs of gestation and early lactation. Our results suggest that reproductive tactics and costs vary strongly with age in this species.
Seed mass and nutrient content in nutrient-starved tropical rainforest in Venezuela

Abstract Mean seed dry mass values were determined for 27 species of trees and shrubs in Amazonian caatinga (a forest-type especially short of nitrogen) and for 11 species in adjacent much taller forest on less poor soil. The tall trees (> 15 m) of caatinga have smaller seeds than the tall trees in adjacent forest on less infertile soil (both overall and in six taxonomically controlled comparisons), and than the tall trees in lowland rainforests elsewhere. The smaller seed size is interpreted in terms of a major advantage of keeping up seed number outweighing the marginal advantages of larger seed size. For trees of caatinga and adjacent forest considered together, there is a significantly greater concentration of P and Mg, and almost significantly greater concentration of N, in the embryo-cum-endosperm fraction of smaller-seeded species, but the content per seed of N, P and Mg is smaller in smaller seeds. The mean contribution of the seed coat (including endocarp for pyrenes) was 17% for dry mass, 3% for content of P, 10% for N and Mg, 15% for K, and 30% for Ca.
The Effect of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Concentration on Two Populus Clones Grown in a FACE System

SUMMARY Two poplar clones, hybrid Populus deltoides Bartr. Ex Marsh X Populus nigra L. (Populus xeuramericana), clone I-214, and Populus deltoides, clone Lux, were grown from hardwood cuttings for one growing season in either ambient (360 μmol mol−1) or elevated (560 μmol mol−1) [CO2] in FACE-systemrings at Rapolano Terme (Siena, Italy). Both clones I-214 and Lux exhibited a higher aboveground bio-mass, photosynthesis at light saturation and instantaneous transpiration efficiency (ITE) in CO2-enriched air. The elevated [CO2]-induced responses of clone I-214 included increased investment in branch and leaf biomass, and enhanced stem volume. The elevated [CO2]-induced responses of clone Lux included an increase in the number of branches (and foliage area). Indication of photosynthetic acclimation under elevated [CO2] was found during the early morning, but only in clone I-214. Stomatal conductance decreased under elevated [CO2] particularly in clone Lux. Clone differences in response to elevated [CO2] should be taken in account when planning future poplar plantations in forecast warmer and drier Mediterranean sites.