Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and predictors of underweight and stunting among children under 2 years of age in Eastern Kenya

Abstract Objective: To investigate key risk factors associated with undernutrition in the first few years of life. Design: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in January 2018 collecting anthropometric data and other information on household, caregiver and child characteristics. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were calculated to assess the association of these characteristics with stunting and underweight outcomes. Setting: Kitui and Machakos counties in south-east Kenya. Participants: Caregivers and their children aged 0–23 months in 967 beneficiary households of the Government of Kenya’s cash for orphans and vulnerable children (CT-OVC) social protection scheme. Results: Twenty-three per cent of the 1004 children with anthropometric data were stunted, 10 % were underweight and 6 % experienced wasting. The strongest predictors of stunting and underweight were being in the second year of life and being born with a low birth weight. Residing in a poor household and having more than one child under 2 years of age in the household were also significant risk factors for being underweight. Although 43 % of children did not receive the minimal acceptable diet, this was not a significant factor associated with undernutrition. When age was removed as a covariate in children aged 12–23 months, being male resulted in a significantly higher risk of being stunted. Conclusions: While only 9 % of children were born with a low birth weight, these were four to five times more likely to be stunted and underweight, suggesting that preventive measures during pregnancy could have significant nutrition and health benefits for young children in this study area.
The Azeri Version of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30): Translation and Validation

Objective: Quality of life in cancer patients has become an important outcome measure. This study aimed to translate and validate the European Cancer Research and Treatment Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) in Azerbaijan. Methods: Forward-backward procedure was applied to translate the EORTC QLQ-C30 from English into Azeri. Then a cross sectional study was conducted to validate the questionnaire in Azerbaijan. A sample of patients with confirmed diagnosis of oral cancer completed the Azeri version of the questionnaire from January 2017 to December 2018. Construct validity was assessed by performing know groups comparison and item-scale correlation matrix. Reliability was examined by estimating the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for internal consistency. Results: In all 141 patients with oral cancer participated in the study. Known groups comparison indicated that the Azeri version of EORTC QLQ-C30 well differentiated between patients who differed in the disease stage. Those with higher stage reported lower functioning and higher symptoms. In addition item-scale correlation matrix showed a good correlation between items and its own hypothesized subscales as expected (Pearson correlation coefficient ranging from 0.735-0.978). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ranged form 0.68 to 0.94 indicating acceptable results for the internal consistency of the questionnaire. Conclusion: This preliminary validation study proved that the Azeri version of EORTC QLQ-C30 is a valid measure of quality of life in cancer patients. However, studies with other cancer patients and stronger psychometric evaluations are recommended.
Effect of wheat bran derived prebiotic supplementation on gastrointestinal transit, gut microbiota, and metabolic health: a randomized controlled trial in healthy adults with a slow gut transit

ABSTRACT Acute intake of the wheat bran extract Arabinoxylan-Oligosaccharide (AXOS) modulates the gut microbiota, improves stool characteristics and postprandial glycemia in healthy humans. Yet, little is known on how long-term AXOS intake influences gastrointestinal (GI) functioning, gut microbiota, and metabolic health. In this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, we evaluated the effects of AXOS intake on GI function and metabolic health in adults with slow GI transit without constipation. Forty-eight normoglycemic adults were included with whole-gut transit time (WGTT) of >35 h receiving either 15 g/day AXOS or placebo (maltodextrin) for 12-wks. The primary outcome was WGTT, and secondary outcomes included stool parameters, gut permeability, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), microbiota composition, energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, glucose, insulin, lipids, gut hormones, and adipose tissue (AT) function. WGTT was unchanged, but stool consistency softened after AXOS. 12-wks of AXOS intake significantly changed the microbiota by increasing Bifidobacterium and decreasing microbial alpha-diversity. With a good classification accuracy, overall microbiota composition classified responders with decreased WGTT after AXOS. The incretin hormone Glucagon-like protein 1 was reduced after AXOS compared to placebo. Energy expenditure, plasma metabolites, AT parameters, SCFA, and gut permeability were unchanged. In conclusion, intake of wheat bran extract increases fecal Bifidobacterium and softens stool consistency without major effects on energy metabolism in healthy humans with a slow GI transit. We show that overall gut microbiota classified responders with decreased WGTT after AXOS highlighting that GI transit and change thereof were associated with gut microbiota independent of Bifidobacterium. NCT02491125
Effect of CYP3A5*3 genetic polymorphism on concentration/dose and efficacy of tacrolimus in patients with kidney transplantation

OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of CYP3A5*3 genetic polymorphism on the concentration/dose(C/D)ratio,acute rejection and adverse reaction of tacrolimus(FK506) in the renal patients after transplantation.METHODS The CYP3A5*3 genotype was determined by PCR-RFLP method.The differences of C/D ratio,acute rejection and adverse reaction were compared among all of the genotype groups treated with FK506.RESULTS During the first month after transplantation,the C/D ratio of FK506 in patients with *3/*3 genotype group was 151.7±60.0,which was higher than 72.6±21.7 and 99.4±40.3 of *1/*1 and *1/*3 genotype groups(P0.01). The ratio of acute rejection in *1/*1 group was 25.0%,which was higher than 10.8% and 8.8% of *1/*3 and *3/*3 groups within 3 months(P0.05). The ratio of adverse reaction about dysfunction of liver, hyperglycosemia and neurotoxicity was significantly increased in *1/*3 and *3/*3 group compared with *1/*1 group(P0.05). CONCLUSION There was intimate relation between the C/D ratio of FK506,acute rejection and adverse reaction and CYP3A5*3 genetic polymorphism in the transplant patients.
Biodistribution and organ oxidative damage following 28 days oral administration of nanosilver with/without coating in mice

This study evaluated the biodistribution and organ oxidative effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) coated with/without polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (AgNP‐20 and AgNP‐PVP) in mice; these were administered by gavage at a dose of 10‐250 mg/kg body weight per day for 28 days. The results showed that both the AgNPs could induce subacute toxicity and oxidative damage to mice and were mainly accumulated in the liver and spleen and excreted by feces. AgNPs could be absorbed into blood and might cross the blood‐brain barrier, and be distributed extensively in mice. The malondialdehyde content in the liver, lungs and kidneys increased in both AgNP groups, while the content of glutathione decreased, and the activity of superoxide dismutase increased at first and then decreased along with the increased doses. Inflammatory pathological changes in the lung and liver at high dose of both AgNPs were consistent with increases in glutamate pyruvic transaminase, glutamate oxaloacetic transaminase and the total protein in serum detection. The Ag content was detected in organs, with the highest content in the liver, followed by spleen, while the Ag content in feces was about 500 times higher than that in urine. AgNP‐PVP could induce higher oxidative stress and subacute toxicity than AgNP‐20 at the same dose, which might be related to the higher concentrations and more Ag+ ions released in mice after AgNP‐PVP exposure. The data from this research provided information on toxicity and biodistribution of AgNPs following gavage administration in mice, and might shed light for future application of AgNPs in daily life.
Meta-analysis: Predictive validity of Braden for pressure ulcers in critical care.

BACKGROUND Pressure ulcers (PUs) are encountered in all types of care settings. The incidence of PUs in the intensive care unit (ICU) is higher for a variety of reasons. The Braden Scale is a widely used tool to assess the risk of PU, but its predictive power is controversial in ICU settings. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the Braden Scale for measurement of risk of PU in adult ICU patients. METHODS A comprehensive literature search in English databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, OVID, and Web of Science), Chinese databases (SinoMed, CNKI, and Wanfang), and gray literature was performed. Studies assessing the predictive value of the Braden Scale for risk of PU in adult ICU patients were searched. Quality of the studies was scored with Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. Country, study design, setting, blinding, and characteristics of included studies were extracted. RESULTS Eleven full-text articles containing 10 044 patients, comprising 1058 patients with PUs were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of the Braden Scale for predicting PU risk in ICU adults were 0.89 (95% CI, 0.87-0.91; I2 = 94.9%, P = .0000) and 0.28 (95% CI, 0.27-0.29; I2 = 99.2%, P = .0000), respectively. The pooled DOR was 6.29 (95% CI: 4.09-9.68). The overall weighted AUC was 0.7812 ± 0.0331 (95% CI: 0.7163-0.8461) and the Q* value was 0.7196 ± 0.0283 (95% CI: 0.6641-0.7751). Significant heterogeneity was noted among the included studies. Meta-regression analysis showed that there was no heterogeneity in blinding (P = .074), study design (P = .679), or cut-off value (P = .821). CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis demonstrated that the Braden Scale had a moderate predictive validity with good sensitivity and low specificity in adult critically ill patients. Further development and modification of this tool or generation of a new tool with higher predictive power is warranted for use in ICU populations. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The first step in prevention of PU is risk assessment. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the predictive power of the Braden Scale for assessing risk of PU in ICU adult patients, which could potentially guide clinical practice.
Workplace violence against emergency department nurses in Oman: a cross-sectional multi-institutional study.

AIM To examine the prevalence, characteristics and factors associated with workplace violence against emergency department nurses in Oman. BACKGROUND Violence against healthcare professionals, including nurses, is a global public health problem. Understanding the epidemiology of violence is crucial for the implementation of appropriate preventative and management policies. METHODS We conducted a multi-centre cross-sectional study in February 2019 utilizing a widely employed self-report questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization. We invited all emergency department nurses working in four governmental hospitals in Al-Sharqiyah and Al-Dakhiliyah Governorates of Oman to participate in the study. RESULTS Of the 103 respondents, most were Omani (57.3%), female (73.8%), and 30 years or older (65%). The majority (87.4%) were exposed to violence in the past 12 months, and non-physical violence (84.5%) was over fourfold greater than physical violence (18.4%). Most physical and non-physical incidents took place during weekends (68.4% and 82.8%, respectively) and in the afternoon or night shifts (78.9‬% and 93.1%, respectively), and family members and visitors were the most common perpetrators of violence (62.6% physical and 66.7% non-physical). Non-Omani nurses (P = 0.03) and those with education less than a bachelor's degree (P = 0.007) were less likely to experience physical violence. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Workplace violence is highly prevalent among emergency department nurses in Oman. Future studies should investigate violent incident reporting, and the causes and consequences of workplace violence on nurses' psychological and physical well-being, work functioning and the quality of care provided to patients. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY The high prevalence of workplace violence is alarming and demonstrates the need for additional interventions to reduce violence and limit its consequences on healthcare professionals and patients' quality of care. Findings from this study can be used to implement changes in existing anti-violence policies.
Apoptosis in porcine cumulus‐oocyte complexes: Relationship with their morphology and the developmental competence

The aim of this study was to assess the presence and distribution of apoptosis in porcine cumulus‐oocyte complexes (COCs) and its relations with COC morphology and developmental competence. The COCs were obtained from slaughterhouse ovaries, classified into A1 (top category), A2, B1, B2, C, and D based on their morphology. A1, A2, and B1 were matured and fertilized in vitro, and blastocyst rate was compared among them. Before and after in vitro maturation (IVM), annexin‐V staining, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays were performed to assess early and late apoptosis, respectively. There was a significant increase in both annexin‐V (+) oocytes and TUNEL (+) cumulus cells as morphology further deteriorated. There were no statistical differences regarding annexin‐V (+) oocytes within immature and post‐IVM COCs, but TUNEL (+) oocytes were only observed in post‐IVM COCs. Early and late apoptosis was detected in cumulus cells of all categories of immature and post‐IVM COCs. However, the difference was only significant for annexin‐V (+). There were no significant differences in embryo development. Therefore, apoptosis increases as the morphological features of the immature COCs decrease. In conclusion, the selection of COCs from Categories A1, A2, and B1 may be used as a selection criterion for in vitro development.
Offspring phenotype is shaped by the nonsperm fraction of semen

In a large majority of animal species, the only contribution of males to the next generation has been assumed to be their genes (sperm). However, along with sperm, seminal plasma contains a wide array of extracellular factors that have many important functions in reproduction. Yet, the potential intergenerational effects of these factors are virtually unknown. We investigated these effects in European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) by experimentally manipulating the presence and identity of seminal plasma and by fertilizing the eggs of multiple females with the manipulated and unmanipulated semen of several males in a full‐factorial breeding design. The presence of both own seminal plasma and foreign seminal plasma inhibited sperm motility, and the removal of own seminal plasma decreased embryo survival. Embryos hatched significantly earlier after both semen manipulations than in control fertilizations; foreign seminal plasma also increased offspring aerobic swimming performance. Given that our experimental design allowed us to control potentially confounding sperm‐mediated (sire) effects and maternal effects, our results indicate that seminal plasma may have direct intergenerational consequences for offspring phenotype and performance. This novel source of offspring phenotypic variance may provide new insights into the evolution of polyandry and mechanisms that maintain heritable variation in fitness and associated female mating preferences.
Particle Swarm Optimization-Based Identification of the Elastic Properties in Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy

Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) is an experimental measurement method for obtaining elastic constants of an anisotropic material from the free resonant frequencies of a sample. One key step of the method is to adjust elastic constants to minimize the difference between calculated and experimental frequencies. The method has been widely used in the determination of elastic constants of solid materials with high ${Q}$ value, such that the resonant frequencies can be easily extracted from the measured spectrum. However, for materials with high damping, the identification of the resonant modes becomes difficult due to the overlap of resonant peaks and the absence of some modes. Thus, the success of RUS depends largely on initial guessing of elastic constants. In this article, these limitations are addressed with a new RUS approach. First, the identification of resonant modes is transformed into a linear assignment problem solved by the Hungarian algorithm. Second, the inversion of the elastic tensor is achieved using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. This method, having the ability of global optimization in the search space, is less sensitive to the initial guess of the elastic constants. The PSO algorithm was successfully applied for the first time to RUS data, providing estimates of elastic constants that were in good agreement with reference values. First, simulated data for a transversely isotropic sample of enamel of rectangular parallelepiped shape were used to validate the proposed RUS method. Second, the proposed RUS approach was validated using experimental data collected on a sample of transversally isotropic bone-mimicking material.
Infant feeding beliefs and practices among tribal mothers in Nashik district, Maharashtra -

Background: Breast milk is the safest and nutritious food for infant. Colostrum feeding provides nutrients and immunity to the newborn. Early initiations of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding practices are essential for both infants and mothers. Even though breastfeeding is almost universal in India, culture and tradition exhibit great impact in breastfeeding practice. Objective: To study the beliefs and practice about breastfeeding and identify the impact of selected sociodemographic factors on the infant feeding practices in rural ethnic mothers. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2014 to April 2015 among 400 rural ethnic mothers having infants and attending Mobile Medical Unit under NRHM in Nasik, Maharashtra. Interview was done by using predesigned, semi-structured questionnaire. Result: The average age of respondents was 22.47 ± 2.58 years; most of them (67.3%) were from the age group 21–25 years. Average age at marriage was 17.5 ± 0.81 years, and average age at first pregnancy was 19.04 ± 0.77 years. Almost half (49.3%) of the respondents got married below the age of 18 years, and 75% of them were pregnant with their first baby when they were still at their teenage. Over 55% of the respondent belonged to scheduled tribes category. Majority of the women (42.3%) revealed less than 4 years of schooling, while 13.8% of them never attended school. Majority (61.3%) of the respondents were daily wage laborers. Colostrum feeding was observed in 88.8% study subjects, prelacteal feeding in 17.5%, early initiation of breastfeeding in 70.1%, and exclusive breastfeeding in 83.8%. Conclusion: Even though knowledge and practice of breastfeeding was better, early marriage and early conception were concerns that require attention.
L-glutamine for sickle cell disease: Knight or pawn?

Oxidative stress is an important contributor to the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease. The pathways involved are complex and interlinked. L-glutamine is an amino acid with myriad roles in the body, including the synthesis of antioxidants, such as reduced glutathione and the cofactors NAD(H) and NADP(H), as well as nitric oxide—so it has therapeutic potential as an antioxidant. However, the relative impact of L-glutamine on the redox environment in red blood cells in sickle cell disease is not fully understood, and there are few therapeutic trials in sickle cell disease. Following the FDA approval of L-glutamine for sickle cell disease, more research is still needed to understand its clinical effects and role in therapy. Impact statement L-glutamine has been recently approved by the FDA for the prevention of acute complications in sickle cell disease (SCD). However, there are many gaps in our understanding of the biologic role of glutamine and its therapeutic implications in SCD. This review summarizes the pre-clinical and clinical evidence that can inform clinical decision-making and future research on glutamine therapy in SCD patients.
ABCG2 expression and uric acid metabolism of the intestine in hyperuricemia model rat

Abstract To elucidate roles of the intestine in uric acid (UA) metabolism, we examined ABCG2 expression, tissue UA content and xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) activity in different intestinal segments. Male SD rats were assigned to control group or oxonic acid-induced hyperuricemia (HUA) group. In control rats, ABCG2 was present both in villi and crypts in each segment. Tissue UA content and XOR activity were relatively high in duodenum and jejunum. However, in HUA rats, tissue UA content was significantly elevated in the ileum, whereas it remained unaltered in other segments. Moreover, ABCG2 expression in the HUA group was upregulated both in the villi and crypts of the ileum. These data indicate that the ileum may play an important role in the extra-renal UA excretion.
Perceived Usability and Acceptability of Videoconferencing for Delivering Community-Based Rehabilitation to Individuals with Acquired Brain Injury: A Qualitative Investigation

Abstract Objectives: There is limited research on the use of telerehabilitation platforms in service delivery for people with acquired brain injury (ABI), especially technologies that support delivery of services into the home. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives of rehabilitation coordinators, individuals with ABI, and family caregivers on the usability and acceptability of videoconferencing (VC) in community-based rehabilitation. Participants’ experiences and perceptions of telerehabilitation and their impressions of a particular VC system were investigated. Methods: Guided by a theory on technology acceptance, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 participants from a community-based ABI service, including 13 multidisciplinary rehabilitation coordinators, 9 individuals with ABI, and 8 family caregivers. During the interview, they were shown a paper prototype of a telehealth portal for VC that was available for use. Interview transcripts were coded by two researchers and analysed thematically. Results: The VC was used on average for 2% of client consultations. Four major themes depicted factors influencing the uptake of VC platforms; namely, the context or impetus for use, perceived benefits, potential problems and parameters around use, and balancing the service and user needs. Participants identified beneficial uses of VC in service delivery and strategies for promoting a positive user experience. Conclusions: Perceptions of the usability of VC to provide services in the home were largely positive; however, consideration of use on a case-by-case basis and a trial implementation was recommended to enhance successful uptake into service delivery.