Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) and Airway Smooth Muscle

TSLP is a newly‐identified cytokine thought to be involved in airway inflammation. TSLP levels have been shown to significantly increase in airway smooth muscle (ASM) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other inflammatory diseases. This study evaluated the expression of TSLP in human ASM cells and tissues exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) or to pro‐inflammatory cytokines TNF‐α and IL‐13. In parallel studies, TSLP expression was evaluated in house dust mite sensitized mice with or without cigarette smoke exposure. The presence of TSLP and TSLP‐receptors were verified using Western blot analysis. Exposure to TNF‐α and IL‐13 (50 ng/mL each) for 24 hours resulted in increased TSLP and TSLP‐R expression. Simultaneous exposure to functional TSLP antibody blunted cytokine induced TSLP‐R expression. Interestingly, acute CSE (30 min) down‐regulated TSLP expression, while chornic exposure increased expression. Similarly, [Ca2+]i responses of human ASM to histamine were blunted with chronic CSE exposure, effects reversed by TSLP and TSLP‐R antibodies. Sensitized mice demonstrated an increase in TSLP expression in whole lung samples. This effect was even further enhanced in dust mite sensitized mice exposed to chronic cigarette smoke. These results indicate a complex role for TSLP in ASM inflammation with or without cigarette smoke exposure.
Quantiles of the Gain Distribution of an Early Childhood Intervention

We offer a new strategy to identify the distribution of treatment effects using data from the Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP), a relatively understudied early-childhood intervention for low birth-weight infants. We introduce a new policy parameter, QCD, which denotes quantiles of the effect distribution conditional on latent neonatal health. The dependence between potential outcomes originates from a new class of factor models where latent health can affect the location and shape of distributions. We first show that QCD depends on quantiles of marginal outcome distributions given latent health. We then achieve identification of these marginal distributions and QCD by proxying latent health with neonatal anthropometrics and accounting for measurement error in these proxies. The effects of enrolling in IHDP are widely distributed across children and depend on neonatal health. Moreover, the large average effects documented in past work for close to normal birth weight children from low-income families are driven by a minority of children in this group.
Kinematic Analysis of the Snatch Technique in High Performance Weightlifters

The overall objective of this work is to compare the differences between the execution of snatches performed by high-performance male and female weightlifters as well as the lateral symmetry of the gesture through the 2D reconstructions of the kinematics. Seventeen weightlifters (6 women and 11 men) from “Liga Antioqueña de Levantamiento de Pesas” participated in this study. Their movements were captured in the frontal and sagittal plane by means of 2D videogrammetry. The articular kinematics of both men and women present the same bilateral symmetry. However, the transition and turnover phases exhibited the most significant changes. Differences between the two study groups can be found in their joint movement range, barbell vertical velocity, and base of support; the latter two were greater in women. This changes can be useful to provide coaches with basic biomechanical tools to improve their practice and to personalize training.
A systematic review of the evidence on decoupling of GDP, resource use and GHG emissions, part II: synthesizing the insights

Strategies toward ambitious climate targets usually rely on the concept of ‘decoupling’; that is, they aim at promoting economic growth while reducing the use of natural resources and GHG emissions. GDP growth coinciding with absolute reductions in emissions or resource use is denoted as ‘absolute decoupling’, as opposed to ‘relative decoupling’, where resource use or emissions increase less so than does GDP. Based on the bibliometric mapping in part I (Wiedenhofer et al, Environ. Res. Lett. 15 063002), we synthesize the evidence emerging from the selected 835 peer-reviewed articles. We evaluate empirical studies of decoupling related to final/useful energy, exergy, use of material resources, as well as CO2 and total GHG emissions. We find that relative decoupling is frequent for material use as well as GHG and CO2 emissions but not for useful exergy, a quality-based measure of energy use. Primary energy can be decoupled from GDP largely to the extent to which the conversion of primary energy to useful exergy is improved. Examples of absolute long-term decoupling are rare, but recently some industrialized countries have decoupled GDP from both production- and, weaklier, consumption-based CO2 emissions. We analyze policies or strategies in the decoupling literature by classifying them into three groups: (1) Green growth, if sufficient reductions of resource use or emissions were deemed possible without altering the growth trajectory. (2) Degrowth, if reductions of resource use or emissions were given priority over GDP growth. (3) Others, e.g. if the role of energy for GDP growth was analyzed without reference to climate change mitigation. We conclude that large rapid absolute reductions of resource use and GHG emissions cannot be achieved through observed decoupling rates, hence decoupling needs to be complemented by sufficiency-oriented strategies and strict enforcement of absolute reduction targets. More research is needed on interdependencies between wellbeing, resources and emissions.
DENTAL CARIES AND ITS DETERMINANTS AMONG CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS IN DISTRICT KARACHI, PAKISTAN

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and determinants of dental caries among children with special health care needs in the special needs schools of Karachi, PakistanMETHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 196 children (aged 6-18 years) attending the public and private sector special-needs schools of Karachi, Pakistan. Children with mental and/or physical disability were included in the study. Prevalence of dental caries determined oral examination using the Decayed Missing Filled Teeth and Decayed Filled Teeth (DMFT/dft) index. Parental education level, oral health knowledge and house-hold level socioeconomic status were measured through a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 20. RESULTS: The overall frequency of dental caries was 58.2% with 70.3% and 55.3% prevalence in the public and private special needs schools. The mean DMFT/dft value was 1.85±2.28. The Down syndrome group had the highest mean (DMFT/dft=2.45±2.65), followed by the group including (vision impairment, autistic and cerebral palsy children) (DMFT/dft=2.05±2.51), Intellectual disability (DMFT/dft=1.70±2.01) and the deaf or hard of hearing group (DMFT/dft =1.49±2.27). Caries status was not significantly associated with gender (p=.518), socioeconomic status (p=.067), father education (p=.158) and mother education (p=.758). CONCLUSION: The frequency of dental caries was high among children with disabilities in the Karachi district of Pakistan. The most important factor in improving the oral health status of these children is the awareness of their families by continuous community oriented medical and dental education programs.
Debit Card Usage as a Rational Choice: The Moderating Effect of Cash Habit

This research takes a new perspective in explaining the willingness to use debit cards in which the use of debit cards is treated as a rational choice over cash, its alternative means of payment. Upon the adaption of rational choice theory, this study comprehensively identifies the costs and benefits associated with debit card usage and tests the effects of these forces on debit cardholders’ willingness to use the card. Moreover, this study also investigates the influence of cash habit on the willingness to use debit cards. This research employed both the qualitative method with in-depth interview to develop hypotheses and measurement scales and quantitative survey on 376 Vietnamese debit cardholders to test the conceptual model. The findings indicate that the willingness to use debit cards can be significantly encouraged by enhancing perceived benefits and reducing perceived adaptation costs associated with debit card usage. Moreover, although the habit of using cash does not directly affect willingness to use debit cards, it significantly weakens the positive impacts of perceived benefits and strengthens the negative impacts of perceived adaption costs on willingness to use debit cards.
Acute traumatic quadriplegia: Predictors of in-hospital and six-month mortality

Background Traumatic spinal cord injury is one of the most disastrous and devastating health burdens all over the world with a high mortality rate. The present study aimed to evaluate the predictors of in-hospital and six-month mortality in these patients. Methods The electronic medical records of 87 consecutive patients with acute complete traumatic quadriplegia were reviewed to extract clinical, radiological, and laboratory data. Simple and multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate crude and adjusted odds with 95% confidence interval (CI) ratios for the predictors of in-hospital mortality and six-month mortality. Results There were 48 males and the mean age was 38.67 ± 12.81; in-hospital and six-month mortality were 21.84% and 11.76%, respectively. Traffic road accidents (67.8%) and falls (12.6%) were the most common causes of injury. The univariate analysis demonstrated advanced age, level of injury, late surgery or no surgical intervention, the lack of methylprednisolone therapy, a higher Charlson comorbidity index, the Injury Severity Score, and the presence of respiratory failure or bradycardia on admission were predictors of in-hospital mortality (p < 0.05). In the final multiple logistic regression model, the level of injury (OR = 0.02 (0.001,0.35), p = 0.008) and the presence of respiratory failure (OR = 2.37 (0.03,13.88), p = 0.024) were the only predictors of in-hospital mortality. The univariate model showed that the level of injury, respiratory failure on admission, and the Injury Severity Score were the predictors of six-month mortality; however, the level of injury was the only predictor of the six-month mortality (OR = 1.12 (0.99, 1.27), p = 0.028) according to the multiple logistic regression model. Conclusions Several factors could affect in-hospital and six-month mortality in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury. Our findings demonstrated the level of injury and respiratory failure on admission as independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in these patients. Furthermore, the level of injury was the only independent predictor of six-month mortality in the present study.
ENHANCING VOLUNTEERS’ INTENTION TO ENGAGE IN CITIZEN SCIENCE: THE ROLES OF SELF-EFFICACY, SATISFACTION AND SCIENCE TRUST

This research was carried out at the Science Volunteer Program 2018, which is run by Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology. The purpose of the research was to understand the effects of self-efficacy, satisfaction, and science trust on science volunteers’ intention to continue volunteering. The research drew on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to test how social cognitive variables affect volunteers’ intention to continue engaging in events and with organizations. A total of 156 volunteers taking part in the program completed a questionnaire measuring Self-efficacy, Satisfaction, Trust, and Intention. A structural equation model (SEM) was developed, and the proposed effects on the variables were tested using SEM procedures. The results of the SEM analysis found that there were positive effects between (a) Self-efficacy and Satisfaction, (b) Self-efficacy and Intention, (c) Satisfaction and Intention, and (d) Trust and Intention. The discussion highlights implications for science volunteer managers who are not only in a position to increase volunteers’ behavioral intention to continue their engagement in volunteer work, but also to facilitate interventions to boost volunteering in Taiwan. Keywords: citizen science, science volunteers, social cognitive career theory, structural equation model
In vitro activity of twelve veterinary antibacterial drugs against Pasteurella haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida isolated from Dutch calves

: Results of susceptibility tests of clinical isolates of animal pathogens are periodically summarized and reported by the Animal Health Service. However, these results are based upon qualitative test methods. In the present paper results of quantitative susceptibility tests of twelve antibacterial agents against Mannheimia haemolytica (MHA) and Pasteurella multocida (PMU) isolated from Dutch calves in 1996 and 1997 are presented. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of amoxicillin, ceftiofur, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole, tilmicosin, neomycin, gentamicin, spectinomycin, flumequine, enrofloxacin, chloramphenicol and florfenicol were determined. No resistance was detected for ceftiofur and florfenicol. Three strains had an intermediate susceptibility to tilmicosin. The resistance percentages of MHA and PMU for neomycin, gentamicin, spectinomycin, flumequine, enrofloxacin, and chloramphenicol varied from 2% to 16%. Higher resistance percentages (16%-53%) were observed for amoxicillin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole. The MIC breakpoints used to determine whether a strain is susceptible, intermediate, or resistant are arbitrary and discussed in this paper.
Effect of Gestational Diabetes on Interventricular Septum Thickness in Newborns in the Golestan Province, Iran

Background and objectives: Despite advances in prenatal care, there is a high rate of morbidity and mortality in infants of diabetic mothers. Interventricular septal hypertrophy is a well-known congenital heart abnormality in neonates of mothers with gestational diabetes. In this study, we investigate the effect of gestational diabetes mellitus on interventricular septum thickness. Methods: In this cross-sectional cohort study, 42 neonates from mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus and 42 neonates from non-diabetic mothers were selected from gynecology ward of Sayyad Shirazi Hospital in Gorgan (Iran) between April 2016 and April 2017. Ventricular septum thickness in neonates was measured by M-mode echocardiography. Comparison of septum thickness and frequency of septal hypertrophy between the two groups was performed using t-test, Mann-Whitney test and chi-square test. All statistical analyses were preformed in SPSS 16 at significance level of 0.05. Results: The mean septum thickness was 4.51±1.58 mm in newborns of non-diabetic mothers and 5.84±1.44 mm in newborns of diabetic mothers (P<0.001). Septal hypertrophy (thickness of ≥6 mm) was significantly more common in newborns of diabetic mothers (P=0.029). In addition, we found no significant difference in septum thickness between newborns of diabetic mothers receiving diet or insulin therapy. Conclusion: Overall, our findings suggest that there is a significant correlation between gestational diabetes and ventricular septal hypertrophy. In addition, glycemic control with diet or insulin therapy has no significant impact on septum thickness.
Effect of Soil Water Stress and Nickel Application on Micronutrient Status of Canola Grown on Two Calcareous Soils

Abstract Recently, application of sewage sludge/effluents to soils as an alternative source of organic matter in arid/semiarid regions and as a practical approach to remove its sanitary adverse effects in urban and industrial regions is gaining increased attention. This may lead to high levels of nickel (Ni) in soil and plants. On the other hand, in these regions water shortage is a major constraint of plant productivity. To determine the combined effects of Ni and water stress on the nutritional status of canola, we studied the effect of five Ni levels (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg Ni kg–1 soil as Ni(NO3)2) and two levels of water status (field capacity, FC, and 0.6 FC) on the contents of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in canola (Brassica napus L.) on two loamy and sandy clay calcareous soils in greenhouse conditions. Shoot/root dry matter yield (SDMY/ RDMY), their Fe, Zn and Mn content decreased under 0.6 FC conditions; whereas, their concentrations increased. Shoot /root Cu concentration /content decreased in water-stressed plants. Application of > 0.05 mg Ni kg–1 to loamy soil increased SDMY, however Ni did not affect SDMY positively or even decreased it in sandy clay soil. Application of 0.01~0.5 mg Ni increased RDMY in loamy soil under FC conditions; whereas, higher levels of Ni decreased it. Nickel decreased RDMY in sandy clay soil, whereas did not affect micronutrient concentrations in the root. The concentration and content of Mn in the shoot followed different patterns in response to applied Ni. Although the highest level of applied Ni increased shoot Zn content. Application of 0.05 and 1 mg Ni decreased the Cu concentration in the shoot on loamy and sandy clay soils, respectively. However, Ni did not affect the Cu content of shoot. Nickel had different impacts on the content of each micronutrient and was not effective in mitigating the adverse effects of drought stress.
The MODULATORY EFFECTS OF BONE MARROW-DERIVED MESENCHMAL STEM CELLS ON CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN CARCINOMA MICE

Objective: Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is a chemotherapeutic agent, induces hepatotoxicity as one of its side effects. Therefore, the present work was designed to investigate the protective role of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) on CPA–induced hepatotoxicity in Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma bearing-mice (EAC) and to test whether BM-MSCs influences the antitumor properties of the CPA. Methods: The hepatoprotective effects of BM-MSCs (single dose of 100 µl of a cell suspension containing allogenic BM-MSCs, i. v.) was evaluated in a model of hepatotoxicity by CPA (10 mg/kg/d i. p.) in EAC-female mice for one month. The anti-tumor activities of CPA and BM-MSCs were assessed by measuring mean tumor weight, mean survival time and the increase in life span. Moreover, ALT, AST, GGT, MDA, GSH, SOD, IL-6, IL10, caspase-3 and Bcl2 were measured. Results: The i. p. administration of CPA and BM-MSCs resulted in significant reductions in tumor size and mean tumor weight as well as caused concurrent significant increases in the life span as compared to the EAC mice. Furthermore, BM-MSCs ameliorated the liver enzyme markers namely ALT, AST, GGT, and hepatic oxidative stress through inhibition of MDA level that correlated with significant improvement in antioxidant status via increasing GSH and SOD levels as compared to both EAC and EAC+CPA groups. Moreover, BM-MSCs treatment significantly reduced the inflammatory marker level IL-6 as well as increment the level of IL-10 with subsequent decreases apoptosis via a depletion in the caspase-3 associated with an enhancement in the level of Bcl2 as compared to EAC group and EAC+CPA group. Minor histological lesions were observed in the liver tissue sections of mice treated with CPA and BM-MSCs as compared to the high histological lesions observed in the liver of the EAC group and CPA treated group. Conclusion: These results concluded that the combination treatment of BM-MSCs with CPA exhibited promising potential antitumor efficacy with greater safety than CPA treatment alone in mice via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects.
Behavioral Roles of Oxytocin and Vasopressin

Arginine Vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT) are peptide hormones found in most mammals that have vital physiological and behavioral actions. The major sites of AVP production are the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei in the hypothalamus, although AVP and its receptors are found in numerous brain nuclei and peripheral tissues. AVP’s physiological roles, which are mediated through both peripheral and central mechanisms, include regulating fluid homeostasis and blood pressure. It is also an important component of the endocrine stress response through its actions in the posterior pituitary gland, where it is a secretagogue of ACTH, stimulating the release of corticosteroid stress hormones and catecholamines from the adrenal glands. The three receptor subtypes for AVP are V1a, V1b, and V2. V2 receptors mediate the fluid regulating actions of AVP in the periphery, where the behavioral and central endocrine functions of AVP are mediated by the V1a and V1b receptors in the brain. These receptors are also involved in the central control of cardiovascular activity.
A historical, scaled approach to climate change adaptation: the case of Vietnam

This article sheds light on how scaled, historical dynamics inform the framing of climate change adaptation programs. It looks particularly at the influence of domestic versus global rationalities in adaptation programs through a novel joint governance and political ecology framework. It does this in the setting of water management in Vietnam. Based on a historical view, semi-structured interviews and document and policy reviews, I examine historical water management in Vietnam and current water management programs identified as climate change adaptation. By analyzing how historical, scaled political rationalities inform the framing of current adaptation programs, I find that program formulation reflects domestic(ated) rationalities rather than novel global adaptation agendas. This suggests that universalizing accounts of climate change adaptation overlook the significance of situated, historical factors in the formulation of adaptation programs. Furthermore, the article illustrates how political rationalities can be rescaled, gaining traction within new institutional scales and the programs enacted from them. Finally, the article underlines the inherent power implications of the struggle to determine whose rationalities prevail in program formulation. Keywords: Climate change adaptation, water management, scale, rescaling, political rationalities, Vietnam
Rôle des polymorphismes dans la région C-Terminale de l'enveloppe du VIH dans l'infection de cellules primaires

Le virus de l'immunodeficience humaine (VIH) est responsable du syndrome d'immunodeficience humaine acquise (SIDA). Le virus est tres variable et est classe en divers sous-types dont le sous-type B qui est le plus etudie et le C qui est le plus repandu. L'enveloppe (Env) a la surface du virus lui permet d'infecter des cellules du systeme immunitaire, parmi lesquelles les lymphocytes T CD4 (LT CD4) et les macrophages sont des cibles privilegiees. Nous avons etudie le role de variations de sequences dans la partie de Env qui n'est pas exposee a la surface du virus (la queue intravirale (gp41CT)). Nos resultats montrent que ce domaine contribue a la replication du virus dans les LT CD4 et que des variations dans ce domaine entravent l'assemblage des proteines de structure du virus, diminuant la production de nouveaux virus. Ce defaut n'est pas observe dans les macrophages, suggerant qu'un facteur cellulaire est implique. Identifier ce facteur pourrait fournir de nouvelles cibles antivirales