Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physiotherapy in children hospitalized with traumatic brain injury in a South African tertiary paediatric hospital.

INTRODUCTION Physical impairments following traumatic brain injury (TBI) may limit participation in daily living. Physiotherapy could assist in managing these limitations, however, there is a paucity of literature on the physiotherapy management of children in the acute phase of TBI. OBJECTIVES To describe the characteristics, course and outcome of children hospitalized with TBI, with specific reference to the role of physiotherapy. METHODS A retrospective folder review of all children (n = 130, median 5.37 years [IQR 1.88-7.88]) admitted in 2016 with a primary diagnosis of TBI was conducted at a tertiary paediatric hospital. RESULTS Most cases presented with mild TBI (66.2%). The most common cranial manifestation of the TBI was brain bleeds (80%) and most occurred as a result of road traffic accidents (50%, including both pedestrian and motor vehicle accidents). Physiotherapy was administered in 35 cases (26.9%), with functional interventions, such as mobilizations out of bed, the most common form of therapy (71.4%). Children involved in road traffic accidents, presenting with severe diffuse TBI, resulting in altered tone and coordination problems, admitted to intensive care, monitored with an intracranial pressure or Licox monitor, and receiving occupational therapy and/or been followed up by dieticians, were more likely to receive physiotherapy. The duration of hospitalization (median 4 days [IQR 2-9]) was associated with infections, severity of TBI, presence of an intracranial monitoring, and parietal lobe injury. CONCLUSION This is the first study in South Africa investigating standard physiotherapy care in children admitted with TBI. Physiotherapy was provided in a small portion of children and appeared to be well tolerated. However, due to the limited information recorded in the physiotherapy notes, results of this study need to be confirmed in larger, more well-documented studies before generalizations can be made.
Goat kid's growth improvement with a lactic probiotic fed on a standard base diet

The objective of the present study was to increase kid's growth fed on alfalfa hay (Medicago sativa) and a high protein concentrate, with the addition of a lactic probiotic containing lactobacilli. A 120 day experiment was carried out in Mexico with 80 alpine kids divided in two groups, with two goats fixed with ruminal cannulas in each group. The basal diet was made of 55 % alfalfa and 45% high protein concentrate. Kids in treatment 1 (T1) were fed on a basal diet only. Animals in treatment 2 (T2) were fed on a basal diet mixed with a lactic probiotic solution. Daily weight gain were 129 g/d and 169 g/d for T1 and T2 respectively (P < 0.05). NH3 concentration was higher in T2 (P < 0.05). Nitrogen digestibility was greater in T2 (80.2%) in comparison with T1 (57.6%). Fibre digestibility was better in T2 (P < 0.05). NDF digestibility were improved in T2 (P < 0.05). True digestibility was 47.7% in T2 and 38.3% in T1. Half-time disappearance for hemicellulose was higher (P < 0.05) for T2 (32.03 h) compared to T1 (17.37 h). Lactobacillus plantarum, L. helvaticus, L. delbrueckii, Lactoccocus lactis, L. cremoris and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were identified. Lactobacilli counts were 1.6 and 4.4 million/ml the first day and increased to 5.5 and 12.5 million/ml in 7 days. Purines were significantly increased with the probiotic diet of T2 (P < 0.05). Adding a probiotic to the diet increased body weight gain and digestibility of fibre in the rumen of goat kids in T2.
Leveraging routine viral load testing to integrate diabetes screening among patients on antiretroviral therapy in Malawi

Abstract Background People living with HIV are at an increased risk of diabetes mellitus due to HIV infection and exposure to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Despite this, integrated diabetes screening has not been implemented commonly in African HIV clinics. Our objective was to explore the feasibility of integrating diabetes screening into existing routine HIV viral load (VL) monitoring and to determine a group of HIV patients that benefit from a targeted screening for diabetes. Methods A mixed methods study was conducted from January to July 2018 among patients on ART aged≥18 y and healthcare workers at an urban HIV clinic in Zomba Central Hospital, Malawi. Patients who were due for routine VL monitoring underwent a finger-prick for simultaneous point-of-care glucose measurement and dried blood spot sampling for a VL test. Diabetes was diagnosed according to WHO criteria. We collected demographic and medical history information using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and electronic medical records. We conducted focus group discussions among healthcare workers about their experience and perceptions regarding the integrated diabetes screening program. Results Of patients undergoing routine VL monitoring, 1316 of 1385 (95%) had simultaneous screening for diabetes during the study period. The median age was 44 y (IQR: 38–53); 61% were female; 28% overweight or obese; and median ART duration was 83 mo (IQR: 48–115). At baseline, median CD4 count was 199 cells/mm3 (IQR: 102–277) and 50% were in WHO clinical stages I or II; 45% were previously exposed to stavudine and 88% were virologically suppressed (<1000 copies/mL). Diabetes prevalence was 31/1316 (2.4%). Diabetes diagnosis was associated with age ≥40 y (adjusted OR [aOR] 7.44; 95% CI: 1.74 to 31.80), being overweight and/or obese (aOR 2.46; 95% CI: 1.13 to 5.38) and being on a protease inhibitor-based ART regimen (aOR 5.78; 95% CI: 2.30 to 14.50). Healthcare workers appreciated integrated diabetes screening but also reported challenges including increased waiting time, additional workload and inadequate communication of results to patients. Conclusions Integrating diabetes screening with routine VL monitoring (every 2 y) seems feasible and was valued by healthcare workers. The additional cost of adding diabetes screening into VL clinics requires further study and could benefit from a targeted approach prioritizing patients aged ≥40 y, being overweight/obese and on protease inhibitor-based regimens.
Genetic analysis of farmed and wild stocks of large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea by using microsatellite markers

The large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) is one of the most economically important mariculture fish species in China. In this study, the genetic diversity and relationship among a wild stock, four farmed stocks and a selectively bred strain of large yellow croaker were assessed by 14 microsatellite markers. A total of 108 different alleles were detected over all loci. The average number of allele per locus ranged from 5.57 to 7.93, with an average of 6.75; the observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.572 to 0.665 and from 0.649 to 0.751, with an average of 0.621 and 0.694, respectively; the Shannon’s diversity index ranged from 1.34 to 1.64, with an average of 1.48. The selectively bred strain had the lowest genetic diversity; all farmed stocks showed a slight reduction of genetic variability contrasted with wild stock. All stocks suffered severe bottleneck. The pair-wise FST, the phylogenetic tree, the factor correspondence analysis and the model based clustering analysis revealed that, the Ningbo stock, which was from Zhejiang province, was different from the remaining stocks from Fujian province. This study suggested that (1) the farmed stocks were at relatively low level of genetic diversity compared with the wild stock; (2) samples from Ningbo investigated in this study have a distinct divergence with those from Fujian province; (3) there had emerged significant differentiation among farmed stocks.
Interaction of the Vp3 Nuclear Localization Signal with the Importin α2/β Heterodimer Directs Nuclear Entry of Infecting Simian Virus 40

ABSTRACT For nuclear entry of large nucleoprotein complexes, it is thought that one key nuclear localization signal (NLS) of a protein component becomes exposed to mediate importin recognition. We show that the nuclear entry of simian virus 40 involves a dynamic interplay between two distinct interiorly situated capsid NLSs, the Vp1 NLS and the Vp3 NLS, and the selective exposure and importin recognition of the Vp3 NLS. The Vp3 NLS-null mutants assembled normally into virion-like particles (VLP) in mutant DNA-transfected cells. When used to infect a new host, the null VLP entered the cell normally but was impaired in viral DNA nuclear entry due to a lack of recognition by the importin α2/β heterodimer, leading to reduced viability. Both Vp3 and Vp1 NLSs directed importin interaction in vitro, but the Vp1 NLS, which overlaps the Vp1 DNA binding domain, did not bind importins in the presence of DNA. The results suggest that certain canonical NLSs within a nucleoprotein complex, such as the Vp1 NLS, can be masked from functioning by binding to the nucleic acid component and that the availability of an NLS that is not masked and can become exposed for importin binding, such as the Vp3 NLS, is a general feature of the nuclear entry of the nucleoprotein complexes, including those of other animal viruses.
Interleukin-13 receptor subunit alpha-2 is a target of progesterone receptor and steroid receptor coactivator-1 in the mouse uterus†

Abstract The endometrium, composed of epithelial and stromal cell compartments, is tightly regulated by the ovarian steroid hormones estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) during early pregnancy. Through the progesterone receptor (PGR), steroid receptor coactivators, and other transcriptional coregulators, progesterone inhibits E2-induced cell proliferation and induces the differentiation of stromal cells in a process called decidualization to promote endometrial receptivity. Although interleukin-13 receptor subunit alpha-2 (Il13ra2) is expressed in the human and mouse endometrium, its potential role in the steroid hormone regulation of the endometrium has not been thoroughly examined. In this study, we employed PGR knockout mice and steroid receptor coactivator-1 knockout mice (SRC-1–/–) to profile the expression of Il13ra2 in the murine endometrium and determine the role of these transcriptional regulators in the hormone-responsiveness of Il13ra2 expression. Furthermore, we utilized a well-established decidualization-inducing steroidogenic cocktail and a siRNA-based knockdown of IL13RA2 to determine the importance of IL13RA2 in the decidualization of primary human endometrial stromal cells. Our findings demonstrate that Il13ra2 is expressed in the subepithelial stroma of the murine endometrium in response to ovarian steroid hormones and during early pregnancy in a PGR- and SRC-1-dependent manner. Furthermore, we show that knockdown of IL13RA2 before in vitro decidualization of primary human endometrial stromal cells partially compromises the full decidualization response. We conclude that Il13ra2 is a downstream target of progesterone through PGR and SRC-1 and plays a role in mediating the stromal action of ovarian steroid hormones. Summary Sentence Expression of Il13ra2 is induced by progesterone in the murine uterine stroma through the progesterone receptor and steroid receptor coactivator-1, and it is involved in human stromal cell decidualization.
Tinnitus Does Not Interfere with Auditory and Speech Perception

Tinnitus is a sound heard by 15% of the general population in the absence of any external sound. Because external sounds can sometimes mask tinnitus, tinnitus is assumed to affect the perception of external sounds, leading to hypotheses such as “tinnitus filling in the temporal gap” in animal models and “tinnitus inducing hearing difficulty” in human subjects. Here we compared performance in temporal, spectral, intensive, masking and speech-in-noise perception tasks between 45 human listeners with chronic tinnitus (18 females and 27 males with a range of ages and degrees of hearing loss) and 27 young, normal-hearing listeners without tinnitus (11 females and 16 males). After controlling for age, hearing loss, and stimulus variables, we discovered that, contradictory to the widely held assumption, tinnitus does not interfere with the perception of external sounds in 32 of the 36 measures. We interpret the present result to reflect a bottom-up pathway for the external sound and a separate top-down pathway for tinnitus. We propose that these two perceptual pathways can be independently modulated by attention, which leads to the asymmetrical interaction between external and internal sounds, and several other puzzling tinnitus phenomena such as discrepancy in loudness between tinnitus rating and matching. The present results suggest not only a need for new theories involving attention and central noise in animal tinnitus models but also a shift in focus from treating tinnitus to managing its comorbid conditions when addressing complaints about hearing difficulty in individuals with tinnitus. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is a neurologic disorder that affects 15% of the general population. Here we discovered an asymmetrical relationship between tinnitus and external sounds: although external sounds have been widely used to cover up tinnitus, tinnitus does not impair, and sometimes even improves, the perception of external sounds. This counterintuitive discovery contradicts the general belief held by scientists, clinicians, and even individuals with tinnitus themselves, who often report hearing difficulty, especially in noise. We attribute the counterintuitive discovery to two independent pathways: the bottom-up perception of external sounds and the top-down perception of tinnitus. Clinically, the present work suggests a shift in focus from treating tinnitus itself to treating its comorbid conditions and secondary effects.
Glyphosate-Resistant Soybean Management System Effect on Sclerotinia Stem Rot1

The impact of the management variables soybean cultivar, row spacing, population density, and shading was evaluated on the incidence of Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) on glyphosate-resistant soybeans in an irrigated glyphosate-resistant soybean management system. Soybean canopy development, flower number, soil moisture, disease severity, and soybean yield were evaluated on three glyphosate-resistant cultivars, Pioneer ‘92B71’ (upright), Asgrow ‘AG2701’ (bushy), and Asgrow ‘AG2702’ (bushy). Three different row spacing–target population combinations of 76 cm, 430,000 seeds/ha; 19 cm, 430,000 seeds/ha; and 19 cm, 560,000 seeds/ha were evaluated. Cultivars 92B71 and AG2701 had 42 and 15% lower disease severity indexes and 38 and 19% greater yields than AG2702, respectively. The actual average population of 92B71 was 9 and 20% lower than actual average populations of AG2701 and AG2702, respectively. Disease severity indexes were lower and yield was higher when population was reduced from 560,000 seeds/ha to 430,000 seeds/ha in 19-cm rows. When averaged over the entire study, population was positively correlated with disease severity index (r2 = 0.33; P < 0.0001) and negatively correlated with yield (r2 = −0.13; P = 0.0140). Reduction of soybean population was more important than increasing row spacing to manage SSR in an irrigated system. Average actual spacing between plants within a row was 18 and 4 cm for 19- and 76-cm rows, respectively, at a target population of 430,000 seeds/ha, which may have contributed to greater plant-to-plant transfer of the Sclerotinia sclerotiorum pathogen in the 76-cm rows. Nomenclature: Glyphosate; soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr. Pioneer ‘92B71’, Asgrow ‘AG2701’, and Asgrow ‘AG2702’; Sclerotinia stem rot (white mold), Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary. Additional index words: Disease severity index, population density, row spacing. Abbreviations: DSI, disease severity index; LAI, leaf area index; SSR, Sclerotinia stem rot.
Impact of grazing regime on a Mongolian forest steppe

ABSTRACT Question: What is the impact of grazing regime on plant species abundance, plant growth form, plant productivity and plant nutrient concentrations in a forest steppe? Location: Hustai National Park in the forest steppe region of Mongolia. Methods: On the Stipa steppe we applied three different grazing regimes by using; (1) one type of exclosure which excluded grazing by large mammalian herbivores, mainly takh (Przewalski horse), (2) another type of exclosure that excluded both large and small (Siberian marmots) mammalian herbivores, and (3) control plots which were freely grazed. We measured species frequencies, tiller densities, plant biomass and nitrogen concentrations of the vegetation. Results: Exclusion from grazing by takh and marmots significantly increased plant standing crop, but marmot grazing and full grazing did not show significant differences. Protection from grazing decreased forage quality, shown by a lower N-concentration of the standing crop. However, this was solely the result of the lower live-dead ratio of the vegetation. The frequency of the rhizomatous Leymus chinensis decreased under reduced grazing, as did the frequency of the total of rhizomatous species. The frequency of Stipa krylovii increased under reduced grazing, as did its basal areas, tiller density and tussock height. Conclusion: Reduced grazing leads to a lower abundance of rhizomatous species and an increase in tussock species. Nomenclature: Grubov (2001).
Kinetics, Isotherms, and Thermodynamic Modeling of the Adsorption of Phosphates from Model Wastewater Using Recycled Brick Waste

Phosphates in wastewater at elevated concentrations cause eutrophication of water bodies and their removal from treated wastewater is essential before effluents are discharged to the environment. Phosphates are predominately removed during wastewater treatment by chemical precipitation which is usually expensive and has a significant environmental footprint. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of waste recycled bricks as adsorbent for phosphate removal during wastewater treatment. The kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics of adsorption were investigated to establish the mechanisms of adsorption. The results showed that adsorption capacities increased with an increase in contact time, adsorbent dosage, and initial phosphate concentration. The kinetic study indicated that adsorption was governed by several mechanisms with various processes dominating different stages of the adsorption. The adsorption process was better represented by the pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm adequately described the adsorption of phosphates onto brick particles with a maximum adsorption capacity of 5.35 mg/g. The thermodynamic studies showed that the adsorption process was exothermic and proceeded spontaneously, demonstrating that waste bricks can be used as a sustainable alternative for the effective removal of phosphates from wastewater.
The connecting systems of the reptile heart—alligator

The connections between the divisions of the reptile heart along which the impulses for contraction are transmitted have been described by a number of investigators. Inasmuch a s adequate summaries of the literature are given in the papers of Laurens ( '13 a and b, '15, '16), Mangold ( '14), and others, no detailed review will be repeated here. The Crocodilia, however, have been somewhat neglected in this respect, although Mackenzie ('13) deals briefly with the connecting systems in the heart of the crocodile. The Crocodilia a re phylogenetically the lowest group of vertebrates possessing a complete interventricular septum and might be expected, therefore, to represent a transitional stage between the simple auriculoventricular funnel of the lower reptiles, amphibia, and fish, and the much reduced, though more complex, bundle of mammals. Young alligators a re readily available for physiological experiments, and this account is intended not only as a record of the morphology of one more auriculo-ventricular connection, but also a somewhat diagrammatic background for physiological work on the heart.
Adaptational Changes in White Clover Populations Selected Under Marginal Conditions

Abstract To extend the cultivation of white clover into the marginal areas of northern Europe it is important to identify morphological and physiological characters of adaptive value. These can form the basis of selection criteria for genetic improvement. The objectives of this study were to (1) characterize the morphology of survivor populations of the white clover cultivars AberHerald and Undrom selected under Icelandic conditions; (2) investigate the growth response of selected populations in simulated spring temperatures; and (3) study how these responses affected persistence and production potential of the populations when grown under field conditions in Iceland. Results showed that natural selection had led to morphological changes in the AberHerald survivor populations in the direction of the morphology of plants adapted to the northern, marginal environment. Results obtained under simulated spring temperatures also indicated a selection for genotypes that maintained their leaf production potential. In contrast, selection in Undrom occurred for improved general efficiency and competitive ability rather than for improved survival of the harsh winter climate. The different responses of the two cultivars may partly reflect the fact that AberHerald survivors were selected after only one winter but Undrom survivors were selected after three growing seasons in experimental plots. The observed morphological changes in AberHerald were not sufficient to improve persistence when tested under field conditions. Undrom survivors, on the other hand, suffered less winter damage and showed greater production potential over the following growing season than the original population. Implications of the results for breeding white clover for marginal areas are discussed.
Development and validation of a standard area diagram set for assessment of alternaria spot on the cladodes of the prickly pear cactus.

Alternaria spot, caused by Alternaria tenuis, is an important disease of cladodes of the prickly pear cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera) in Brazil. There are no standard methods for assessment of the disease, so a standard area diagram set (SAD) was developed based on disease severity encompassing 2, 4, 7, 12, 22 and 40% of the cladode area spotted. SAD was validated by 10 raters, who analysed 50 cladodes with a range of disease severity, without and with SAD as an assessment aid. The accuracy, precision, reproducibility and repeatability of the estimates with and without the scale were determined using simple linear regression analysis. Without SAD the accuracy and precision of raters’ estimates were poor, with significantly constant and systematic bias, and determination coefficients (R2) ranging from 0.56 to 0.78. When raters employed SAD, significant reductions were observed in both constant and systematic bias, with R2 ranging from 0.91 to 0.96. In fact, raters achieved the highest repeatability (mean R2 = 0.95) and reproducibility (R2 =0.80 in all cases) of estimates when using SAD. The proposed SAD set is suitable for assessment of Alternaria spot of prickly pear cladodes and improves the accuracy and precision of assessments.