Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Counseling and testing TB patients for HIV: evaluation of three implementation models in Kinshasa, Congo.

SETTING Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the implementation of three models of provider-initiated HIV counseling and testing (CT) for tuberculosis (TB) patients. METHODS HIV CT was offered to all TB patients aged ≥18 months registered for treatment at three project clinics between August 2004 and June 2005. HIV CT was performed at the TB clinic, the health center or the freestanding voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) center. HIV-infected patients received cotrimoxazole prophylaxis. RESULTS Uptake of HIV CT was high (95-98%) when performed at the TB clinic or primary health care center, but significantly lower (68.5%) among patients referred to a free-standing VCT center. The overall HIV prevalence among the 1088 patients tested for HIV was 18.8%. HIV was associated with female sex (aOR 1.91), recurrent TB (aOR 2.74), extra-pulmonary TB (aOR 1.97) and age. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of provider-initiated routine HIV CT by the TB nurse or health care worker at the primary health care center results in a higher uptake compared to referral of patients with TB to freestanding VCT clinics. Provider-initiated HIV CT is only a first step and needs to be linked to access to HIV care, support and treatment.
Long-term survival for COPD patients receiving noninvasive ventilation for acute respiratory failure

Implementation of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) as an add-on treatment has been routinely used in a non-intensive care setting since 2004 for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute hypercapnic respiratory failure at a university hospital in Denmark. Although randomized controlled trials show lowered mortality rates in highly selected patients with acute exacerbation and respiratory failure, there are only few reports on long-term survival after receiving NIV. We present long-term all-cause mortality data from patients receiving NIV for the first time. Method Data from medical records were retrospectively retrieved from all patients receiving NIV for the first time after being admitted acutely to an acute medical ward and further transfer to a respiratory ward with respiratory failure and a diagnosis of COPD in the period January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2007; patients were followed until January 2012. Demographic data collected included age, sex, diagnoses at discharge, and, when present, FEV1; a “not-to-intubate” order was also registered when listed. Results In total, 253 patients (143 female, 110 male) received NIV for the first time. The median age was 72 years (range 46–91 years). The 30-day mortality rate was 29.3%. The 5-year survival rate was 23.7%. Women showed a trend towards better survival than men (25.7% vs 19.2%, P = 0.25), and the trend was even more pronounced for patients with COPD. Conclusion The mortality rate of patients receiving NIV is high, as expected in a real-life setting, but with a 5-year survival rate of 23.7% with a trend towards more female than male long-term survivors.
Formation of endothelial lumens requires a coordinated PKCϵ-, Src-, Pak- and Raf-kinase-dependent signaling cascade downstream of Cdc42 activation

In this study, we present data showing that Cdc42-dependent lumen formation by endothelial cells (ECs) in three-dimensional (3D) collagen matrices involves coordinated signaling by PKCϵ in conjunction with the Src-family kinases (SFKs) Src and Yes. Activated SFKs interact with Cdc42 in multiprotein signaling complexes that require PKCϵ during this process. Src and Yes are differentially expressed during EC lumen formation and siRNA suppression of either kinase, but not Fyn or Lyn, results in significant inhibition of EC lumen formation. Concurrent with Cdc42 activation, PKCϵ- and SFK-dependent signaling converge to activate p21-activated kinase (Pak)2 and Pak4 in steps that are also required for EC lumen formation. Pak2 and Pak4 further activate two Raf kinases, B-Raf and C-Raf, leading to ERK1 and ERK2 (ERK1/2) activation, which all seem to be necessary for EC lumen formation. This work reveals a multicomponent kinase signaling pathway downstream of integrin-matrix interactions and Cdc42 activation involving PKCϵ, Src, Yes, Pak2, Pak4, B-Raf, C-Raf and ERK1/2 to control EC lumen formation in 3D collagen matrices.
Training effects of a 12-week walking program on Parkinson disease patients and community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND Introducing evidence-based exercise guidelines of Parkinson's disease (PD) into clinical practice and community settings has been highlighted. AIM This study tested the feasibility and compared the weekly effects of a 12-week walking training program on PD patients and community-dwelling seniors. DESIGN A prospective quasi-experimental design was used. PD patients in Hoehn and Yahr Stage I through III (PG) and community-dwelling adults older than 65 were recruited (CG). METHODS In the outpatient department of a hospital, the information of personal data, coordination test, and walking ability of participants were collected first. They then participated in a 36-session, 12-week treadmill walking training program. RESULTS Weekly data of step length and velocity in PG and CG were collected. The walking training program achieved significant velocity (χ² = 126.38, p < 0.001) and step length (χ² = 27.27, p = 0.001) improvements in PG. Differences in improvement between PG and CG in terms of velocity (χ² = 7.089, df = 1, p = 0.008) and step length (χ² = 7.718, df = 1, p = 0.005) were also identified. CONCLUSION The applicability of this 12-week walking program both for PD patients and community-dwelling older adults was identified. Conducting the economic evaluation and neurology studies of the 12-week walking program and test the effects of five-week walking program are suggested.
Sequence variability in three mitochondrial genes between the two pig nodule worms Oesophagostomum dentatum and O. quadrispinulatum

In this study, sequence variation in three mitochondrial DNA regions, namely cytochrome c oxidase subunit (cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunits 1 and 4 (nad1 and nad4), between Oesophagostomum dentatum and O. quadrispinulatum isolated from pigs in different geographical origins in Mainland China was examined, and their phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed. A partial of the cox1 (pcox1), nad1, and nad4 genes (pnad1 and pnad4) were amplified separately from individual nodule worms by PCR and were subjected to direct sequencing in order to define sequence variations. While the intraspecific sequence variations within each of the two species were 0.3–5.2% for pcox1, 0–4.9% for pnad1, and 0–7.1% for pnad4, the interspecific sequence differences were significantly higher, being 10.7–13.4% for pcox1, 11–14.6% for pnad1, and 14.9–18% for pnad4, respectively. There were a number of nucleotide positions in the pcox1, pnad1, and pnad4 sequences with no apparent intraspecific variation but distinct interspecific differences among those samples of Oesophagostomum spp. examined, which may be used as genetic makers for the identification and differentiation of the Oesophagostomum spp. Phylogenetic analyses using three inference methods, namely Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony based on the combined sequences of pcox1, pnad1, and pnad4 revealed that the O. dentatum and O. quadrispinulatum form monophyletic groups, respectively. These findings demonstrated clearly the usefulness of the three mitochondrial sequences for studying systematics, population genetic structures, and the molecular ecology of Oesophagostomum spp.
Bias in estimations of DNA content by competitive polymerase chain reaction.

Competitive PCR is a highly sensitive method for specific DNA quantification. Despite the lack of studies related to the accuracy of the method it has been widely used. Here we present a simulation model for competitive PCR, which takes into account the efficiency decay as a linear relationship of the total product yield. The model helped us to study the kind and magnitude of errors that arise from quantitative and semiquantitative competitive PCR protocols and to find ways to minimize them. The simulation data suggest that differences in amplification efficiency between target and standard templates induce stronger biases in quantitative than in semiquantitative competitive PCR. Quantitative competitive PCR can only be used when both efficiencies are equal. In contrast, semiquantitative competitive PCR can be used even when the target is amplified with a higher efficiency than the standard, since under such conditions the method tends to underestimate the differences in initial DNA content. These predictions have been confirmed with experimental data and show that the estimation of the amplification efficiencies is a prerequisite for the use of quantitative and semiquantitative competitive PCR. A simple method for this estimation is also presented.
Communicating nutraceuticals: A multi-stakeholder perspective from a developing nation

ABSTRACT Nutraceuticals, a combination of nutrition and pharmaceutical, have grown rapidly as a product globally. Nutraceuticals can be advertised directly to consumers as well as prescribed, and thus involve multiple stakeholders in the marketing communication process. The present study investigates the marketing communication aspects of nutraceuticals using 216 semistructured in-depth interviews including all stakeholders in the process such as company/brand, physicians, pharmacists, and consumers. The findings bring out the role of each participant in the communication process and a comprehensive picture of the same. The insights would facilitate the nutraceutical brands to understand and implement marketing effective communication strategies.
Lysophosphatidic acid stimulates phospholipase D activity and cell proliferation in PC‐3 human prostate cancer cells

Phospholipase D (PLD) is activated in mammalian cells in response to a variety of growth factors and may play a role in cell proliferation. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive metabolite potentially generated as a result of PLD activation. Two human prostate cancer cell lines, PC‐3 and LNCaP, express membrane PLD activity. The effects of LPA on PLD activity and proliferation were examined in PC‐3 cells, which express hPLD1a/1b. Phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA) induced a prolonged activation of PLD, as detected in both intact cells and membranes. LPA induced a transient activation of PLD that was maximal by 10 minutes. The EC50 for LPA‐induced PLD activation was approximately 1 μM. Pertussis toxin did not inhibit activation of PLD by LPA or PMA. Ro‐31‐8220 and bisindolylmaleimide I, inhibitors of protein kinase C, blocked activation by PLD by both PMA and LPA. PMA‐induced activation of PLD did not appear to require translocation of PLDs from cytosol to membrane. LPA stimulated proliferation of PC‐3 cells with an EC50 of approximately 0.2 μM; this response was not inhibited by pertussis toxin. Perillyl alcohol, an anti‐cancer drug, reversibly inhibited proliferation in response to either serum or LPA but did not inhibit activation of PLD by PMA or LPA. These data establish that LPA activates PLD and stimulates proliferation via Gi‐independent pathways in a human prostate cancer cell line. J. Cell. Physiol. 174:261–272, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of exercise on depressive symptoms in older adults with poorly responsive depressive disorder: randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Depression is common in later life. AIMS To determine whether exercise is effective as an adjunct to antidepressant therapy in reducing depressive symptoms in older people. METHOD Patients were randomised to attend either exercise classes or health education talks for 10 weeks. Assessments were made "blind" at baseline, and at 10 and 34 weeks. The primary outcome was seen with the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). Secondary outcomes were seen with the Geriatric Depression Scale, Clinical Global Impression and Patient Global Impression. RESULTS At 10 weeks a significantly higher proportion of the exercise group (55% v. 33%) experienced a greater than 30% decline in depression according to HRSD (OR=2.51, P=0.05, 95% CI 1.00-6.38). CONCLUSIONS Because exercise was associated with a modest improvement in depressive symptoms at 10 weeks, older people with poorly responsive depressive disorder should be encouraged to attend group exercise activities.
Acute leukaemia immunophenotyping in bone‐marrow routine sections

Immunohistochemistry of acute leukaemias in bone‐marrow paraffin sections is commonly thought to be useless because of the poor preservation of many lineage‐related markers. The recent development of antibodies against fixative‐resistant epitopes and of new antigen retrieval techniques, however, has expanded the possibility of accurately testing routine samples. To assess the relevance of paraffin section phenotyping in lineage determination, 110 examples of acute leukaemia were studied by specific antibodies against CD1a, CD3, CD15, CD20, CD34, CD68, CD79a, TdT, myeloperoxidase, glycophorin A, and factor‐VIII‐related antigen. The cases included 59 acute myeloid leukaemias, classified according to the FAB cooperative group criteria, 39 precursor B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (ALLs), seven T‐ALLs, and five mixed precursor B‐cell/myeloid acute leukaemias. The combination of the markers employed always allowed the identification of the cell lineage (myeloid, lymphoid or mixed) and, in some instances, of phenotypic profiles characteristic of distinct acute leukaemia subtypes. According to the results obtained, bone‐marrow biopsy may be regarded as a reliable tool for acute leukaemia diagnosis; this observation is of practical relevance especially for the classification of cases which lack circulating blasts in the peripheral blood or showing dry tap at bone‐marrow aspiration.
A system dynamics approach for healthcare waste management: a case study in Istanbul Metropolitan City, Turkey

Healthcare waste consists of various types of waste materials generated at hospitals, medical research centres, clinics and laboratories. Although 75–90% of this waste is classified as ‘domestic’ in nature, 20–25% is deemed to be hazardous, which if not disposed of appropriately, poses a risk to healthcare workers, patients, the environment and even the whole community. As long as healthcare waste is mixed with municipal waste and not segregated prior to disposal, costs will increase substantially. In this study, healthcare waste increases along with the potential to decrease the amounts by implementing effective segregation at healthcare facilities are projected to 2040. Our long-term aim is to develop a system to support selection and planning of the future treatment capacity. Istanbul in Turkey was used as the case study area. In order to identify the factors affecting healthcare waste generation in Istanbul, observations were made and interviews conducted in Istanbul over a 3 month period. A system dynamics approach was adopted to build a healthcare waste management model using a software package, Vensim Ple Plus. Based on reported analysis, the non-hazardous municipal fraction co-disposed with healthcare waste is around 65%. Using the projected waste generation flows, reducing a municipal fraction to 30% has the potential to avoid some 8000 t year−1 of healthcare waste by 2025 and almost 10 000 t year−1 by 2035. Furthermore, if segregation practices ensured healthcare waste requiring incineration was also selectively managed, 77% of healthcare waste could be diverted to alternative treatment technologies. As the throughput capacity of the only existing healthcare waste treatment facility in Istanbul, Kemerburgaz Incinerator, has already been exceeded, it is evident that improved management could not only reduce overall flows and costs but also permit alternative and cheaper treatment systems (e.g. autoclaving) to be adopted for the healthcare waste.
Using Research Poetics “Responsibly”: Applications for Health Promotion Research

Research poetics, a form of arts-based research methods, has been underutilized in the field of health promotion. Poetic methods have most commonly been used as a form of re/presentation of the lived experience in qualitative research. For the community-engaged researcher, re/presenting findings through poetry offers unique opportunities for engaging the reader and reaching diverse communities. However, this approach also has implications as an analytic method and allows the analyst to have a more meaningful and personal engagement with participants' stories. Perhaps most importantly, this approach acknowledges and brings to the forefront the co-construction of qualitative findings and de-centers the authority of the researcher by preserving and promoting the participant's voice. Using examples from the authors' own research, this article describes opportunities for incorporating research poetics into health promotion research and argues for its applicability for community-engaged health promotion researchers. Figurative language can give shape to the difficult and the painful. It can make visible and “felt” that which is invisible and “unfeelable. ” Imagery, more than anything else, can take us out of our own existence and let us stand in the condition of another instance, or another life. It can make the subject of the poem, whatever it is, as intimate as honey—or ashes—in the mouth. Use it responsibly [1, p. 108].
Optimized Indoor Positioning based on WIFI in Mobile Classroom Project

The Mobile Classroom Project aims at building an interactive platform between students and teachers. The LBS(Location Based Services) Teaching Platform is an important part of it. With its help, teachers can send homework, in-class exercises or related learning materials to students, which take mobile teaching equipment in the classroom. Students can submit their homework and in-class test in specified location quickly. The indoor positioning system is the foundation of the LBS teaching platform. However, the current indoor localization based on WIFI(Wireless Fidelity) fingerprint cannot consider both effects of environment to AP(Access Point) and complexity of localization algorithm, leading to the result of low location accuracy or consume more resources of mobile equipment. This paper proposes an optimized Indoor Positioning algorithm based on WIFI. It uses a reliable AP algorithm as AP selection algorithm to reduce the effects of the indoor environment, and takes reliable AP algorithm combining hybrid of KNN(K-Nearest Neighbor) and Bayesian decision into account to obtain better location accuracy and to reduce complexity of positioning computation possibly. In this paper, we realized the indoor positioning system and gave the experiments. We can see the location accuracy is improved and the complexity of the algorithm is reduced.
The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, 1985-2001

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS — Men and women (55%) aged 18 –30 years from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study without the metabolic syndrome at baseline (n 4,192, 49% black) were followed-up from 1985 to 2001. Incident metabolic syndrome, defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, was ascertained 7, 10, and 15 years after baseline. Risk factors were measured via clinical examination and standardized questionnaires. RESULTS — The age-adjusted rate of metabolic syndrome was 10 per 1,000 person-years (n 575). Metabolic syndrome risk increased with age and was higher among black participants and those with less than a high school education. Higher baseline BMI, no alcohol intake (versus one to three drinks per day), higher intake of dietary carbohydrates, and lower intake of crude fiber were each associated with an increased risk for the metabolic syndrome (relative risk [RR] ranging from 1.3 to 1.9), and physical activity was protective (RR 0.84 [95% CI 0.76 – 0.92]). In models adjusting simultaneously for all factors, black participants and women were less likely to develop metabolic syndrome. Risk for metabolic syndrome increased 23% (20 –27%) per 4.5 kg (10 lb) of weight gained, whereas regular physical activity over time versus low activity was protective (RR 0.49 [0.34 – 0.70]). CONCLUSIONS — BMI and weight gain are important risk factors for the metabolic syndrome. Regular physical activity may counter this risk. Diabetes Care 27:2707–2715, 2004
Des modèles d’affaires circulaires pour valoriser des coproduits agricoles. Etude exploratoire de quatre initiatives

L'economie circulaire consiste a penser les systemes de production en tenant compte de la fin de vie des produits. Elle constitue un nouveau modele de pensee qui accompagne la transition vers le developpement durable. Dans la gestion des dechets de l'agriculture, de nombreuses initiatives ont ainsi ete mises en oeuvre pour gerer les dechets et les coproduits afin d'optimiser la consommation des ressources et de reduire les impacts environnementaux de l'activite economique. Cet article propose une analyse du modele economique de quatre initiatives de valorisation des coproduits de l'agriculture. Les resultats montrent que lorsque la valeur proposee correspond a un marche tangible l'approche du business model est basee sur la structure du marche et propose une valeur economique mais aussi sociale et environnementale. En revanche les initiatives ou la valeur n'est pas marchande necessitent un soutien de fonds publics et une participation des populations cibles. Cette recherche met egalement en evidence l'impact des caracteristiques des coproduits agricoles sur les business models circulaires et le caractere trans-sectoriel des activites de valorisation.
Usefulness of the restriction–modification test plus staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec types and Panton–Valentine leukocidin encoding phages to identify Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant clones

Abstract We studied the usefulness of the restriction–modification (RM) test, staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec types, and Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-encoding phages to identify Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant lineages and to differentiate clones that belong to the same lineage. A total of 108 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)–multi-locus sequence typing (MLST)–spa-typing. The RM correctly identified the lineages CC5, CC8, CC30, and CC398, but not CC25 and CC72. The SCCmec and RM combined analysis allowed differentiation between MLST types within the same lineage. Only 5 MRSA strains were PVL-positive. Four PVL-positive USA300 isolates carried elongated-head type PVL-encoding phages, while the sequence type (ST)-30 strain carried an icosahedral-head phage. The combination of the RM test method, SCCmec types, and PVL phage identification could be useful for MRSA typing purposes.
Developers land sale bidding strategy and house price expectation formation

ABSTRACT This paper studies developers’ bidding strategy in Hong Kong’s land sale market where aggressive bidding is commonly seen. Given that the difference between the submitted bid and the estimated land value can be explained by the developer’s housing market outlook, the formation of house price expectation represents a tool to understand developers’ bidding strategy. Different economic expectation models are tested. While the rational expectation hypothesis (REH) is rejected, the proposed adaptive implicit expectation model best describes developers’ expectations. The findings in this paper provide land policymakers with insights on controlling the outcome of land sales as well as fill the gap of the house price expectation formation which remains little known.