Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of selected cardiometabolic risk factors among adults in urban and semi-urban hospitals in four sub-Saharan African countries

Summary Aim: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a global challenge but the burden in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries is less well documented than elsewhere. We aimed to describe the key cardiometabolic risk factors in four SSA countries. Methods: A cross-sectional, multi-national, hospital-based study was carried out among adults (> 35 years) across four SSA countries from 12 December 2011 to 7 February 2013. Risk factors were defined using the World Health Organisation and International Diabetes Federation guidelines. Results: Of the 844 adults (57.4% female, mean age 52.6 years), 76.6% were urban residents. The predominant CVD risk factors were hypertension (74.1%), obesity (36.2%) and excessive alcohol consumption (25.6%). Diabetes (17.7 vs 10.0%), obesity (42.8 vs 16.8%) and hypercholesterolaemia (25.8 vs 18.0%) were more prevalent among the hypertensive subjects (all p < 0.007) than the normotensives. The metabolic syndrome (39.4%) was more common in women and hypertensive subjects. Conclusions: Hospital patients in SSA countries present with excessive rates of cardiometabolic risk factors. Focus on their prevention and control is warranted.
The Ecology of Inequality: Minorities and the Concentration of Poverty, 1970-1980

This article examines trends in the geographic concentration of poverty among whites, blacks, Hispanics, and Asians in 60 U.S. mentropolitan areas from 1970 to 1980. It describes changes in the distributional structure of income, the extent of income inequality, and the degree of spatial segretation by income. These factors are then related to levels and trends in poverty concentration. Concentrated urban poverty is confined principally to blacks outside the West and to Hispanics in the Northeast. Poverty concentration among these groups does not reflect a tendency for upper-status minority members to live apart from the poor but an interaction between changes in the distributional structure ov income and patterns of racial/ethnic segregation. The occurence of rising poverty under conditions of high racial/ethnic segregation explains the growing spatial isolation of poor blacks and hispanic in U.S. urban society.
Impact of compensatory enlargement of atherosclerotic coronary arteries on angiographic assessment of coronary artery disease.

To determine whether compensatory enlargement of atherosclerotic coronary arteries occurs and to what degree it affects the angiographic assessment of coronary artery disease, we performed postmortem coronary angiography of 30 human hearts with suspected coronary artery disease and studied 70 histologic cross sections of the proximal left anterior descending artery and proximal right coronary artery. Angiographic and morphometric analyses of 50 stenoses in proximal and middle sections of the left anterior descending artery, right coronary artery, and left circumflex artery were performed. The control group of 10 human hearts without suspected coronary artery disease was evaluated in the same way. For this purpose, coronary arteries were filled with a methylmethacrylic radiopaque resin at a pressure of 100 mm Hg and closely embedded in a methylmethacrylic resin by use of which shrinkage and mechanical artifacts could be avoided. The area circumscribed by the internal elastic lamina was taken as a measure of the area of the arterial lumen if no plaque had been present. The angiographic and corresponding morphometric degree of stenosis was assessed. A significant correlation (r = 0.85, p less than or equal to 0.0001) was found between the internal elastic lamina area and the area of the plaque (lesion area), suggesting that coronary arteries may enlarge as lesion area increases. With the morphometric degree of stenosis, the expected anatomic diminution of the coronary artery was abolished (r = 0.79, p less than or equal to 0.0001), indicating compensatory enlargement in atherosclerotic segments. Accordingly, the degree of stenosis assessed from in vitro angiograms was underestimated. Compensatory coronary enlargement of the stenotic segment was the main reason for angiographic underestimation. The underestimation factor of up to 3.50 for very mild stenoses decreased to 1.37 at an angiographic degree of 50% area stenosis and 30% diameter stenosis. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
EFFECTS OF AGE AND SPEAKING RATE ON VOICE ONSET TIME

As part of a research project on the investigation of second language (L2) ultimate attainment in 41 Spanish early and late near-native speakers of L2 Swedish, the present study reports on voice onset time (VOT) analyses of the production of Swedish word-initial voiceless stops, /p t k/. Voice onset time is analyzed in milliseconds as well as in percentages of word duration, thereby accounting for speaking rate effects. The results revealed an overall age effect on VOT production; however, this age effect became salient and statistically significant for all three stops only when speaking rate was taken into consideration. Similarly, when speaking rate was accounted for, only a small minority of the late learners exhibited actual nativelike L2 behavior, and most (but far from all) early learners performed within native-speaker range. The results are taken as an indication for relative VOT, as opposed to absolute VOT, constituting a reliable measure of nativelike L2 stop production, which has important implications for future research on age effects and maturational constraints in L2 acquisition.
Keto acid-supplemented low-protein diet for treatment of adult patients with hepatitis B virus infection and chronic glomerulonephritis

Objectives An open-label, randomized, controlled, single-centre clinical trial to evaluate the effects of low-protein intake, with or without keto acid supplementation, on nutritional status and proteinuria, in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and early stage chronic glomerulonephritis. Methods Patients with chronic glomerulonephritis and HBV infection were randomized to receive a low-protein diet (0.6–0.8 g/kg ideal body weight [IBW] per day) either without (LP group) or with (sLP group) keto acid supplementation (0.1 g/kg IBW per day), for 12 months. Nutritional, clinical and safety parameters were recorded. Results The study included 17 patients (LP group n = 9; sLP group n = 8). Proteinuria and microalbuminuria were significantly lower in the sLP group at 6 and 12 months compared with baseline, and at 12 months compared with the LP group. There were no significant differences in serum creatinine level or estimated glomerular filtration rate. Nutritional parameters (serum albumin and prealbumin) were significantly improved at 12 months, compared with baseline, in the sLP group. Conclusions Restriction of dietary protein intake to 0.6–0.8 g/kg IBW per day appears to have an acceptable safety profile. Supplementation with keto acids is associated with decreased urine protein excretion.
Carbon Nanotubes as an Effective Opportunity for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Despite the current progresses of modern medicine, the resistance of malignant tumors to present medical treatments points to the necessity of developing new therapeutic approaches. In recent years, numerous studies have focused their attention on the promising use of nanomaterials, like iron oxide nanowires, zinc oxide or mesoporous silica nanoparticles, for cancer and metastasis treatment with the advantage of operating directly at the bio-molecular scale. Among them, carbon nanotubes emerged as valid candidates not only for drug delivery, but also as a valuable tool in cancer imaging and physical ablation. Nevertheless, deep investigations about carbon nanotubes’ potential bio-compatibility and cytotoxicity limits should be also critically addressed. In the present review, after introducing carbon nanotubes and their promising advantages and drawbacks for fighting cancer, we want to focus on the numerous and different ways in which they can assist to reach this goal. Specifically, we report on how they can be used not only for drug delivery purposes, but also as a powerful ally to develop effective contrast agents for tumors’ medical or photodynamic imaging, to perform direct physical ablation of metastasis, as well as gene therapy.
Optical parametric oscillation in quasi-phase-matched GaAs

We demonstrate a GaAs based OPO. The singly resonant, pulsed OPO utilized an all-epitaxially-grown orientation-patterned GaAs (OP-GaAs) crystal. By tuning either near-IR pump wavelength or OP-GaAs temperature, we achieved broad tunability between 2 and 10 microns.
Training family therapy students in conceptual and observation skills relating to the therapeutic alliance: an evaluation

This paper describes a training intervention to develop students' conceptual and observation skills relating to the therapeutic alliance (TA) in family therapy. An evaluation methodology was developed and piloted. The knowledge and observation skills of family therapy students pre- and post-training were assessed in comparison to a non-intervention group of experienced clinicians. Students' mean scores on the knowledge measure improved significantly from 43 per cent to 74 per cent (p<0.001) and on the observation test from 43 per cent to 65 per cent, although this failed to reach statistical significance (p=0.08). There were no significant changes in the clinicians' scores over the same period. The clinicians' knowledge was higher initially, but the students had caught up after six months. In conclusion, training students in conceptual and observational skills relating to the therapeutic alliance may have a measurable effect. A ‘stepwise’ methodology for demonstrating the relationship between training in TA and outcomes for families is proposed.
Ambiguity and Coherence

Plusieurs theories recentes traitent le lexique comme un objet hautement structure permettant aux multiples aspects de la signification d'etre representes en une seule entree, mais ne permettant pas de prendre en compte les zeugmas et l'absence de lectures croisees, traditionnellement expliques en termes d'entrees lexicales multiples. Les As. montrent que ces cas peuvent etre expliques par la coherence du discours, et proposent la formalisation d'un principe pragmatique general qui saisit les effets du discours sur la signification d'un mot. Ils demontrent ainsi comment ce principe contribue a la creation d'un zeugma et a la non-disponibilite de lectures croisees en l'absence d'entrees lexicales multiples
Cross‐link stabilization does not affect the response of collagen molecules, fibrils, or tendons to tensile overload

We investigated whether immature allysine‐derived cross‐links provide mechanically labile linkages by exploring the effects of immature cross‐link stabilization at three levels of collagen hierarchy: damaged fibril morphology, whole tendon mechanics, and molecular stability. Tendons from the tails of young adult steers were either treated with sodium borohydride (NaBH4) to stabilize labile cross‐links, exposed only to the buffer used during stabilization treatment, or maintained as untreated controls. One‐half of each tendon was then subjected to five cycles of subrupture overload. Morphologic changes to collagen fibrils resulting from overload were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, and changes in the hydrothermal stability of collagen molecules were assessed using hydrothermal isometric tension testing. NaBH4 cross‐link stabilization did not affect the response of tendon collagen to tensile overload at any of the three levels of hierarchy studied. Cross‐link stabilization did not prevent the characteristic overload‐induced mode of fibril damage that we term discrete plasticity. Similarly, stabilization did not alter the mechanical response of whole tendons to overload, and did not prevent an overload‐induced thermal destabilization of collagen molecules. Our results indicate that hydrothermally labile cross‐links may not be as mechanically labile as was previously thought. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31:1907–1913, 2013
Distinct Roles of RAG1 and RAG2 in Binding the V(D)J Recombination Signal Sequences

ABSTRACT The RAG1 and RAG2 proteins initiate V(D)J recombination by introducing double-strand breaks at the border between a recombination signal sequence (RSS) and a coding segment. To understand the distinct functions of RAG1 and RAG2 in signal recognition, we have compared the DNA binding activities of RAG1 alone and RAG1 plus RAG2 by gel retardation and footprinting analyses. RAG1 exhibits only a three- to fivefold preference for binding DNA containing an RSS over random sequence DNA. Although direct binding of RAG2 by itself was not detected, the presence of both RAG1 and RAG2 results in the formation of a RAG1-RAG2-DNA complex which is more stable and more specific than the RAG1-DNA complex and is active in V(D)J cleavage. These results suggest that biologically effective discrimination between an RSS and nonspecific sequences requires both RAG1 and RAG2. Unlike the binding of RAG1 plus RAG2, RAG1 can bind to DNA in the absence of a divalent metal ion and does not require the presence of coding flank sequence. Footprinting of the RAG1-RAG2 complex with 1,10-phenanthroline-copper and dimethyl sulfate protection reveal that both the heptamer and the nonamer are involved. The nonamer is protected, with extensive protein contacts within the minor groove. Conversely, the heptamer is rendered more accessible to chemical attack, suggesting that binding of RAG1 plus RAG2 distorts the DNA near the coding/signal border.
Sevelamer and Other Anion-Exchange Resins in the Prevention and Treatment of Hyperphosphataemia in Chronic Renal Failure

Sevelamer, or more precisely ‘sevelamer hydrochloride’, is a weakly basic anion-exchange resin in the chloride form that was introduced in 1997 for the treatment of the hyperphosphataemia of patients with end-stage renal failure, usually those on long-term haemodialysis. The rationale for this therapy was that sevelamer would sequester phosphate within the gastrointestinal tract, so preventing its absorption and enhancing its faecal excretion. Over the succeeding years, large numbers of patients have been treated with sevelamer, and it has fulfilled expectations in helping to control the hyperphosphataemia of end-stage renal failure. However, it is only one of many anion-exchange resins that could be used for this purpose, some of which are currently available for clinical use and are much less costly than sevelamer. Theoretical considerations suggest that some of these other resins might be at least as efficient as sevelamer in sequestering phosphate in the gastrointestinal tract. Neither sevelamer, nor any of these other agents, has been submitted to a proper metabolic balance study to measure the amount of phosphate sequestered by the resin in the bowel, and without this information it is impossible to judge which is the ideal resin for this purpose.
Sisters at Arms

The narrative surrounding the nature of relationships and interactions between and among women at work is decidedly negative, which is evident in the coverage that female competition and the queen bee syndrome receive in the media, nonfiction books, and the management and psychology literatures. In the current article, we propose a two-stage theory that is grounded in gender stereotyping to account for this narrative. In the first stage, we draw from theories of social comparison and in-group distancing to offer plausible reasons for why women’s same-sex relationships at work might be more fraught with interpersonal conflict than men’s. In the second stage, we set aside consideration of possible gender differences in same-sex conflict frequency and draw from attribution theory to propose that female same-sex conflict is more problematized by third parties than male same-sex conflict, which could produce the exaggerated perception that women have more dysfunctional same-sex workplace relationships than men. Implications for future research and gender equality in organizations are discussed.
The Protective Role of Coastal Marshes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background Salt marshes lie between many human communities and the coast and have been presumed to protect these communities from coastal hazards by providing important ecosystem services. However, previous characterizations of these ecosystem services have typically been based on a small number of historical studies, and the consistency and extent to which marshes provide these services has not been investigated. Here, we review the current evidence for the specific processes of wave attenuation, shoreline stabilization and floodwater attenuation to determine if and under what conditions salt marshes offer these coastal protection services. Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted a thorough search and synthesis of the literature with reference to these processes. Seventy-five publications met our selection criteria, and we conducted meta-analyses for publications with sufficient data available for quantitative analysis. We found that combined across all studies (n = 7), salt marsh vegetation had a significant positive effect on wave attenuation as measured by reductions in wave height per unit distance across marsh vegetation. Salt marsh vegetation also had a significant positive effect on shoreline stabilization as measured by accretion, lateral erosion reduction, and marsh surface elevation change (n = 30). Salt marsh characteristics that were positively correlated to both wave attenuation and shoreline stabilization were vegetation density, biomass production, and marsh size. Although we could not find studies quantitatively evaluating floodwater attenuation within salt marshes, there are several studies noting the negative effects of wetland alteration on water quantity regulation within coastal areas. Conclusions/Significance Our results show that salt marshes have value for coastal hazard mitigation and climate change adaptation. Because we do not yet fully understand the magnitude of this value, we propose that decision makers employ natural systems to maximize the benefits and ecosystem services provided by salt marshes and exercise caution when making decisions that erode these services.
Novel therapies, including enzastaurin, in the treatment of ovarian cancer

Introduction: Despite primary cytoreductive surgery followed by standard-of-care treatment, at least 60% of patients with ovarian cancer ultimately develop recurrent disease. There is an urgent unmet medical need to develop more effective treatments for ovarian cancer. Areas covered: This article provides a summary of the novel targeted therapeutics currently in development for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Expert opinion: The goal of first-line therapy is to increase progression-free survival and overall survival in women with ovarian cancer. Women with advanced disease frequently experience disease relapse following standard cytotoxic therapy, so new treatments are being explored. Using a molecular approach, targeted drugs are now being tested in clinical trials. These studies have investigated angiogenesis inhibitors (that target VEGF and other tyrosine kinases), angiopoietin inhibitors, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors, folate receptor blockers, MEK inhibitors and a protein kinase Cβ inhibitor (enzastaurin) in ovarian cancer. Of these, antiangiogenic agents (bevacizumab, pazopanib, nintedanib and trebananib) are furthest in development, having positive Phase III data. It is hoped that more effective agents are on the horizon and that the use of these agents can eventually be combined and tailored to the individual with ovarian cancer.
Application of the DBIM-TwIST algorithm to experimental microwave imaging data

This work presents some preliminary results from applying our previously developed microwave imaging algorithm based on two-step iterative shrinkage/thresholding (TwIST) to data measured from an experimental microwave imaging system. Combining the distorted Born iterative method (DBIM) with the TwIST linear solver, our two-dimensional (2-D) algorithm is applied to reconstruct 2-D slices of the complex permittivity of the interrogated imaging domain. Experimental data are obtained by rotating a two-antenna system along the cylindrical imaging domain, which is filled with Triton X-100. The imaging object is an anatomically realistic breast phantom with a tube filled water representing the tumor-like target. Measurements are covered in the frequency range from 0.5 to 4.0 GHz. The paper presents reconstructed images at 900 MHz, while more results will be presented at the conference.
A social network interface to an interactive narrative

Regular viewers of serial dramas tend to construct a model of the social relationships between characters as a main determinant for the narrative events that constitute each episode. We have developed a novel approach to interactive narrative in which this dependency is made explicit and can be used to control the generation of various episodes for a baseline drama. This is implemented in our demonstration system, NetworkING (social Network for Interactive Narrative Generation), which provides an interface that enables users to set the social relationships between virtual characters in order to create an episode of their choosing which they can watch as it is visualised as a 3D animation. The domain for the interactive narrative is a medical drama with a cast of virtual characters, such as doctors, nurses and patients. The use of the social network makes the relationships between characters visible and hence leads to the generation of narratives featuring shenanigans within the context of medical story lines.
Practical Considerations for the Clinical Use of Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine is a new and attractive medication option for many opioid-addicted adults and their physicians. Before initiating buprenorphine treatment, providers must be aware of such critical factors as how the medication works, its efficacy and safety profile, how it is used in opioid withdrawal as well as maintenance treatment, and how patients can best be selected, educated about buprenorphine, and monitored throughout treatment. This article reviews these important issues as well as requirements for physician and staff training and needs for additional research on this unique medication.
Prostate cancer: embodied experience and perceptions of masculinity

While some argue that gender differences, which refer to the social classification into 'masculine' and 'feminine', have their source in 'culture', others argue there is no need to have an absolute dichotomy between culture and nature, or between constructionist and anti-constructionist epistemologies. Although there has been much theorising about the body, until recently little attention has been paid to empirical evidence. This paper looks at the way in which prostate cancer and its treatment affects men's bodies, their roles and sense of masculinity. Interviews were conducted with 52 men, exploring their experiences of prostate cancer. Findings suggest that many men are reluctant to consult their doctors, because 'men don't cry', thus reinforcing the notion that 'masculinity' is a social construction. However, while the illness and the side effects of surgical and radiotherapy treatments sometimes led to impotence and incontinence, the treatments that involved hormones were reported to have an additional, sometimes profound effect on libido, energy, ability to work, body shape and competitiveness. These side effects reduced some men's sense of masculinity. We conclude that the physical body as well as culture should be considered when trying to explain what it means to be masculine, and how illness may affect men's sense of masculinity.