Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of sociodemographic and health-service factors on breast-feeding in sub-Saharan African countries with high diarrhoea mortality

Abstract Objective The current study aimed to examine the impact of sociodemographic and health-service factors on breast-feeding in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries with high diarrhoea mortality. Design The study used the most recent and pooled Demographic and Health Survey data sets collected in nine SSA countries with high diarrhoea mortality. Multivariate logistic regression models that adjusted for cluster and sampling weights were used to investigate the association between sociodemographic and health-service factors and breast-feeding in SSA countries. Setting Sub-Saharan Africa with high diarrhoea mortality. Subjects Children (n 50 975) under 24 months old (Burkina Faso (2010, N 5710); Demographic Republic of Congo (2013, N 6797); Ethiopia (2013, N 4193); Kenya (2014, N 7024); Mali (2013, N 3802); Niger (2013, N 4930); Nigeria (2013, N 11 712); Tanzania (2015, N 3894); and Uganda (2010, N 2913)). Results Overall prevalence of exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) and early initiation of breast-feeding (EIBF) was 35 and 44 %, respectively. Uganda, Ethiopia and Tanzania had higher EBF prevalence compared with Nigeria and Niger. Prevalence of EIBF was highest in Mali and lowest in Kenya. Higher educational attainment and frequent health-service visits of mothers (i.e. antenatal care, postnatal care and delivery at a health facility) were associated with EBF and EIBF. Conclusions Breast-feeding practices in SSA countries with high diarrhoea mortality varied across geographical regions. To improve breast-feeding behaviours among mothers in SSA countries with high diarrhoea mortality, breast-feeding initiatives and policies should be context-specific, measurable and culturally appropriate, and should focus on all women, particularly mothers from low socio-economic groups with limited health-service access.
Gender- and Region-Dependent Local Facet Joint Kinematics in Rear Impact: Implications in Whiplash Injury

Study Design. Localized facet joint kinematics resulting from whiplash acceleration were analyzed in the dynamic domain during the time of cervical S-curvature using intact head and neck specimens and a pendulum mini-sled loading apparatus. Objectives. To determine the effects of gender, impact severity, cervical level, and anatomic joint region on shear and distraction motion of lower cervical facet joints. Summary of Background Data. Clinical and experimental studies identify cervical facet joints to be a likely location of whiplash injury. Epidemiologic studies report that female occupants sustain a greater percentage of whiplash injuries. Previous experimental studies have not analyzed facet joint motion as a function of variables such as gender. Methods. Intact head and neck complexes were subjected to whiplash acceleration using a pendulum mini-sled apparatus at four impact severities. Facet joint kinematics were analyzed using digital high-resolution video at 1000 frames per second during the time of maximum cervical S-curvature. Shear and distraction motions were analyzed in the ventral and dorsal joint regions from C4–C5 to C6–C7 levels. Analysis of variance techniques were used to analyze biomechanical data. Results. Intact head and neck complexes sustained cervical S-curvature during whiplash loading. Lower cervical facet joints demonstrated dorsally directed shear motion with distraction in the ventral and compression in the dorsal regions of the joint. Magnitudes of distraction and compression were significantly lower than shear motion (P < 0.05). Facet joint shear and distraction motion increased with impact severity. Lower cervical facet joint shear and distraction motions in female specimens were greater than in male specimens. This difference reached statistical significance at C4–C5 (P < 0.05). Conclusions. Secondary to whiplash loading, lower cervical facet joints responded with a shear plus distraction mechanism in the anatomic ventral and shear plus compression mechanisms in the dorsal region. Injury to the ventral region stems from tensile failure of the jointcapsule. Injury to the dorsal region stems from pinching of the joint capsule or synovial fold and contact between subchondral bone of superior and inferior facet processes. Because excess spinal motion is biomechanically related to abnormalities and because lower cervical facet joints sustain greater motion in female specimens, this population is more likely to be injured under whiplash loading. Potential contributors for the susceptibility of females to injury, including genotypic (apolipoprotein APOE-&egr;4), hormonal, structural, and tolerance factors, are discussed.
[Tuberculous allergy in a population of 3-to-23-month-old children in Bangui (Central African Republic)].

In 1986, vaccinal allergy has been looked for by tuberculin RT 23 intradermal reaction within a random group of 354 Central African Children aged of 3 to 23 months and immunized in the Mother and Child Care Services in Bangui in the framework of the Enlarged Vaccination Program, with the same B.C.G. strain during their postnatal period. Percentage of intradermal reactions equivalent or superior to 6 mm get down with time, of progressive but fast mode from 56.2 p.c. in the age group of 3 to 5 months to 20.2 p.c. in the ones of 12 to 23 months. Nevertheless, the authors recommend B.C.G. immunization in urban milieu during the postnatal period because of the strong vaccinal protection one get, but recommend also a systematic booster injection during the second year of childhood.
Construction of the nuclear matrix at the transition from maternal to zygotic control of development in the mouse: An immunocytochemical study

The nuclear matrix is thought to be responsible for DNA organization, DNA replication, RNA synthesis, and RNA processing. We have looked for the presence of nuclear matrix antigens during early mouse embryogenesis. Antibodies to peripheral and interior antigens (P1, PI1, PI2, and lamin B) were used to immunolocalize nuclear matrix antigens in germinal vesicle oocytes, metaphase II oocytes, zygotes, two‐cell‐stage embryos, and eight‐cell stage embryos. All antibodies reacted with the nuclei of germinal vesicle oocytes, and two‐ and eight‐cell‐stage embryos; however, only P1 and lamin B were present at the pronuclear stage. In eggs collected at the pronuclear stage and cultured to the late two‐cell stage in the presence of α‐amanitin, the matrix morphology was altered for PI1 and PI2. α‐Amanitin had no affect on the distribution of P1 or lamin B antigens. If α‐amanitin was added 2 hr after cleavage to the two‐cell stage, the normal staining pattern of PI2 was retained. These results suggest that the presence of specific components of an internal matrix is correlated with normal genomic activity.
Probability density functions based study for identification of land cover using SAR data

Fully polarimetric SAR data has the ability of characterizing and differentiating various land covers as it conserves detailed information of the amplitude and the phase of backscattering coefficient, which helps in distinguishing diverse scattering mechanisms. The classification by means of polarimetric data could be enhanced by fusing it with statistical information, but labeling of different classes is still a challenge. So, in this paper, probability density function based approach has been proposed for identification of different classes of land cover. Land cover is classified into four classes using polarimetric indices information and then six probability density functions are applied on each of the classes. Chi-Squared goodness of fit (GoF) test has been used for selecting best-fit density function for each of the classes. The boundaries of the classes were estimated using scale and location parameter of the best-fit density function. The proposed approach was applied on ALOS PALSAR data which resulted in good identification of urban and water region.
Two-Dimensional ESPRIT-Like Shift-Invariant TOA Estimation Algorithm Using Multi-Band Chirp Signals Robust to Carrier Frequency Offset

In this paper, a two-dimensional (2-D) ESPRIT-like shift-invariant time-of-arrival (TOA) estimation (ELSITE) algorithm for multi-band chirp signals in the presence of a carrier frequency offset (CFO) is presented. For the shift invariant TOA estimation, the received signals must be transformed into a sinusoidal form. When the received signals are perturbed by a CFO, the frequency of the transformed sinusoids is also shifted such that the TOA estimation results are biased. The TOA-induced phase shift of the multi-band chirp signals is determined according to the parameters of the signal, while the CFO-induced phase shift is only proportional to the elapsed time. Based on this property, the proposed ELSITE algorithm achieves robust TOA estimation against CFO from the signal subspace of the stacked matrix. The root mean square error of the proposed algorithm was analyzed and verified in both an AWGN channel and a multipath channel with CFO via Monte-Carlo simulations.
LPT1 Encodes a Membrane-bound O-Acyltransferase Involved in the Acylation of Lysophospholipids in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae*

Phospholipids are major components of cellular membranes that participate in a range of cellular processes. Phosphatidic acid (PA) is a key molecule in the phospholipid biosynthetic pathway. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, SLC1 has been identified as the gene encoding lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase, which catalyzes PA synthesis. However, despite the importance of PA, disruption of SLC1 does not affect cell viability (Nagiec, M. M., Wells, G. B., Lester, R. L., and Dickson, R. C. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 22156–22163). We originally aimed to identify the acetyl-CoA:lyso platelet-activating factor acetyltransferase (lysoPAF AT) gene in yeast. Screening of a complete set of yeast deletion clones (4741 homozygous diploid clones) revealed a single mutant strain, YOR175c, with a defect in lysoPAF AT activity. YOR175c has been predicted to be a member of the membrane-bound O-acyltransferase superfamily, and we designated the gene LPT1. An Lpt1-green fluorescent protein fusion protein localized at the endoplasmic reticulum. Other than lysoPAF AT activity, Lpt1 catalyzed acyltransferase activity with a wide variety of lysophospholipids as acceptors, including lysophosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidylglycerol, lysophosphatidylinositol, and lysophosphatidylserine. A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis indicated that lysophosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylethanolamine accumulated in the Δlpt1 mutant strain. Although the Δlpt1 mutant strain did not show other detectable defects, the Δlpt1 Δslc1 double mutant strain had a synthetic lethal phenotype. These results indicate that, in concert with Slc1, Lpt1 plays a central role in PA biosynthesis, which is essential for cell viability.
Recent Progress in Organic Electrodes for Li and Na Rechargeable Batteries

Organic rechargeable batteries, which use organics as electrodes, are excellent candidates for next‐generation energy storage systems because they offer design flexibility due to the rich chemistry of organics while being eco‐friendly and potentially cost efficient. However, their widespread usage is limited by intrinsic problems such as poor electronic conductivity, easy dissolution into liquid electrolytes, and low volumetric energy density. New types of organic electrode materials with various redox centers or molecular structures have been developed over the past few decades. Moreover, research aimed at enhancing electrochemical properties via chemical tuning has been at the forefront of organic rechargeable batteries research in recent years, leading to significant progress in their performance. Here, an overview of the current developments of organic rechargeable batteries is presented, with a brief history of research in this field. Various strategies for improving organic electrode materials are discussed with respect to tuning intrinsic properties of organics using molecular modification and optimizing their properties at the electrode level. A comprehensive understanding of the progress in organic electrode materials is provided along with the fundamental science governing their performance in rechargeable batteries thus a guide is presented to the optimal design strategies to improve the electrochemical performance for next‐generation battery systems.
Copyright Protection for Digital Images using Singular Value Decomposition and Integer Wavelet Transform

This paper presents a new technique for copyright protection of images using integer wavelet transform (IWT), singular value decomposition (SVD) and Arnold transform. We divide the cover image into four sub-images by picking alternate pixels from consecutive rows and columns and embed the copyright mark into the sub-image having the largest sum of singular values. The embedding is done by modifying singular values of the IWT coefficients of the selected sub-image. The use of Arnold transform and SVD increases security and robustness against geometric and several signals processing attacks, while IWT provides computational efficiency. We compare the performance of our technique with state-of-the-art-methods. The experimental results show that the proposed technique is more imperceptible and achieves higher security and robustness against various signal processing (filtering, compression, noise addition, histogram equalization and motion blur) and geometrical (cropping, resizing, rotation) attacks.
Relevance Predictability in Information Retrieval Systems

An experiment is described which attempts to derive quantitative indicators regarding the potential relevance predictability of the intermediate stimuli used to represent documents in information retrieval systems. In effect, since the decision to peruse an entire document is often predicated upon the examination of one »level of processing« of the document (e.g., the citation and/or abstract), it became interesting to analyze the properties of what constitutes »relevance«. However, prior to such an analysis, an even more elementary step had to be made, namely, to determine what portions of a document should be examined. An evaluation of the ability of intermediate response products (IRPs), functioning as cues to the information content of full documents, to predict the relevance determination that would be subsequently made on these documents by motivated users of information retrieval systems, was made under controlled experimental conditions. The hypothesis that there might be other intermediate response products (selected extracts from the document, i.e., first paragraph, last paragraph, and the combination of first and last paragraph), that would be as representative of the full document as the traditional IRPs (citation and abstract) was tested systematically. The results showed that: 1. there is no significant difference among the several IRP treatment groups on the number of cue evaluations of relevancy which match the subsequent user relevancy decision on the document; 2. first and last paragraph combinations have consistently predicted relevancy to a higher degree than the other IRPs; 3. abstracts were undistinguished as predictors; and 4. the apparent high predictability rating for citations was not substantive. Some of these results are quite different than would be expected from previous work with unmotivated subjects.
Vaccination strategies for an influenza pandemic.

Vaccination offers the best opportunity to prevent disease and death in a pandemic, but there will be limitations on the timeliness and availability of vaccine [1]. Optimistic projections are that it could take at least 6 months for the first pandemic vaccine doses to be prooduced after the identification of a pandemic strain. Global influenza-vaccine production capacity has nearly doubled over the preceding decade, and increased demand for annual influenza vaccine will continue to
Phosphorylation of Nur77 by the MEK-ERK-RSK Cascade Induces Mitochondrial Translocation and Apoptosis in T Cells1

Nur77, an orphan nuclear receptor, plays a key role in apoptosis in T cells. In cancer cell lines, Nur77 can induce apoptosis through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, but the mechanism by which Nur77 kills T cells remains controversial. In this study, we provide biochemical, pharmacological, and genetic evidence demonstrating that Nur77 induces apoptosis through the activation of the intrinsic pathway in T cells. We also show that Nur77 is a physiological substrate of the MEK-ERK-RSK cascade. Specifically, we demonstrate that RSK phosphorylates Nur77 at serine 354 and this modulates Nur77 nuclear export and intracellular translocation during T cell death. Our data reveal that Nur77 phosphorylation and mitochondrial targeting, regulated by RSK, defines a role for the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 cascade in T cell apoptosis.
Recognition for Group Work

How is credit for group work allocated when individual contributions are not perfectly observed? Do demographic traits like gender influence the allocation of credit? Using data from academic economists' CVs, I test whether coauthored and solo-authored publications matter differently for tenure for men and women. Because coauthors are listed alphabetically in economics, coauthored papers do not provide specific information about each contributor's skills or ability. Solo-authored papers, on the other hand, provide a relatively clear signal of ability. I find that men are tenured at roughly the same rate regardless of whether they coauthor or solo-author. Women, however, become less likely to receive tenure the more they coauthor. The result is most pronounced for women coauthoring with men and less pronounced among women who coauthor with other women. I contrast economics with sociology, a discipline in which coauthors are listed in order of contribution, and find that when contributions are made clear, men and women receive equal credit for coauthored papers.
A New Processor Architecture with a New Program Driving Method

This paper proposes a new type of processor architecture using a new program driving method which makes it possible for more programs to run in a single kernel processor concurrently without using interrupt technique. The main idea of the method is to collect all the program/instruction driving elements/factors to form a driving vector, called Program Driver (PD) for short, so that more than one PD can drive its own program to run in a single kernel processor concurrently.
Methylation of DNA polymerase ß by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 regulates its binding to proliferating cell nuclear antigen

DNA polymerase β (pol β) is a key player in DNA base excision repair (BER). Here, we describe the complex formation of pol β with the protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1). PRMT1 specifically methylated pol β in vitro and in vivo. Arginine 137 was identified in pol β as an important target for methylation by PRMT1. Neither the polymerase nor the dRP‐lyase activities of pol β were affected by PRMT1 methylation. However, this modification abolished the interaction of pol β with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Together, our results provide evidence that PRMT1 methylation of pol β might play a regulatory role in BER by preventing the involvement of pol β in PCNA‐dependent DNA metabolic events. El‐Andaloussi, N. , Valovka, T. , Toueille, M. , Hassa, P. O. , Gehrig, P., Covic, M. , Hübscher, U. , Hottiger, M. O. Methylation of DNA polymerase f by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 regulates its binding to proliferating cell nuclear antigen. FASEB J. 21, 26–34 (2007)
TBCRC 001: randomized phase II study of cetuximab in combination with carboplatin in stage IV triple-negative breast cancer.

PURPOSE Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a targetable receptor frequently overexpressed in basal-like breast cancer, which comprises most triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), the only subtype without established targeted therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this randomized phase II trial, patients with metastatic TNBC received anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab (400 mg/m(2) load then 250 mg/m(2) per week intravenously [IV]) alone, with carboplatin (area under the curve of 2, once per week IV) added after progression or as concomitant therapy from the beginning. Response rate (RR) was the primary end point; others included time to progression (TTP), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Embedded correlative studies included molecular subtyping on archival tissue. Fresh tumor tissue before and after 7 to 14 days of therapy was used for microarray analyses exploring EGFR pathway activity and inhibition. RESULTS In 102 patients with TNBC, RRs were 6% (two of 31) to cetuximab and 16% (four of 25) to cetuximab plus carboplatin after progression. RR to those treated from the beginning with cetuximab plus carboplatin was 17% (12 of 71); 31% of patients responded or had prolonged disease stabilization. The cetuximab plus carboplatin regimen was well tolerated, but both TTP and OS were short at 2.1 months (95% CI, 1.8 to 5.5 months) and 10.4 months (95% CI, 7.7 to 13.1 months), respectively. Of 73 patients with archival tissue for analysis, 74% had basal-like molecular subtype. Sixteen patients had tumor biopsies before and 1 week after therapy; genomic patterns of the EGFR pathway showed activation in 13 and inhibition by therapy in five. CONCLUSION Despite strong preclinical data, combination cetuximab plus carboplatin in metastatic TNBC produced responses in fewer than 20% of patients. EGFR pathway analysis showed that most TNBCs involved activation. However, cetuximab blocked expression of the EGFR pathway in only a minority, suggesting that most had alternate mechanisms for pathway activation.
Organizational Religious Behavior Among Older African Americans

The authors used data from the older African American subsample of the National Survey of American Life (n = 837) to examine the sociodemographic and denominational correlates of organizational religious involvement among older African Americans. Six measures of organizational religious participation were used, including two measures of time allocation for organized religious pursuits. Significant gender, regional, marital status, and denominational differences in organizational religiosity were found. Of particular note, although older Black women generally displayed higher levels of religious participation, older Black men spent more hours per week in other activities at their places of worship. The findings are discussed in relation to prior work in the area of religious involvement among older adults. New directions for research on religious time allocation are outlined.
Recent advancement of molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis occurs in response to any etiology of chronic liver injury including hepatitis B and C, alcohol consumption, fatty liver disease, cholestasis, and autoimmune hepatitis. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary source of activated myofibroblasts that produce extracellular matrix (ECM) in the liver. Various inflammatory and fibrogenic pathways contribute to the activation of HSCs. Recent studies also discovered that liver fibrosis is reversible and activated HSCs can revert to quiescent HSCs when causative agents are removed. Although the basic research for liver fibrosis has progressed remarkably, sensitive and specific biomarkers as non‐invasive diagnostic tools, and effective anti‐fibrotic agents have not been developed yet. This review highlights the recent advances in cellular and molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis, especially focusing on origin of myofibroblasts, inflammatory signaling, autophagy, cellular senescence, HSC inactivation, angiogenesis, and reversibility of liver fibrosis.