Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of atopic dermatitis on the quality of life of Nigerian children: A hospital-based cross-sectional study

Background. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common inflammatory skin disease in childhood. A skin disorder with a relapsing course, AD exerts a significant disease burden on affected children. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about the impact of AD on the quality of life (QOL) of affected children in Nigeria. Objectives. To examine the impact of AD on QOL in children of various age groups, and to identify the relationship between patient variables (age, gender, socioeconomic status), disease severity and QOL in AD. Method. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of children with AD attending the dermatology clinic of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria. AD cases were recruited from new paediatric patients ≤16 years who attended the clinic over a 6-month period. English and Yoruba versions of the Infants’ Dermatitis Quality of Life Index (IDQOL) and the Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) were used to determine the QOL of the subjects. AD severity was evaluated using the Objective SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis (obj-SCORAD) index. Results. Forty-seven subjects with AD were identified. Their ages ranged from newborn to 16 years. The median(interquartile range (IQR)) IDQOL score was 6.0 (3.0 - 15.5; n =25), and the median (IQR) CDLQI score was 9.5 (7.75 - 17.75; n =22). The mean (standard deviation) obj-SCORAD score was 34.4 (17.2). The question on itching was the highest-scoring question in both QOL questionnaires. There was no significant difference in QOL across age, gender and socioeconomic status groups. However, greater QOL scores were significantly correlated with higher AD severity scores. Conclusion. The study confirms that AD impairs the QOL of affected children in all age groups. QOL assessments are relevant tools which provide a patient’s perspective, thus improving the understanding of the impact of AD on afflicted individuals.
Role of multiple domains of T antigen in gene regulation and transformation

SV40 large T antigen (TAg) is a dominant acting oncoprotein that elicits transformation of many cell types and induces tumors in rodents. TAg induces transformation, in part, by disabling the functions of tumor suppressors such as pRb and p53. This dissertation is aimed to determine if inactivation of Rb and p53 are the major TAg activities required for transformation or if additional activities contribute.To determine whether Rb-family protein inactivation by the J domain of TAg is required for induction of intestinal hyperplasia, we have generated transgenic mice that express a J domain mutant (D44N) in villus enterocytes. In contrast to wild-type T antigen, the D44N mutant is unable to induce enterocyte proliferation. Unlike mice expressing wild-type TAg, mice expressing D44N do not reduce the protein levels of p130 and are also unable to dissociate p130-E2F DNA binding complexes. To determine if Rb inactivation is sufficient for the induction of hyperplasia or if progression to dysplasia requires some activity in the C-terminus of TAg (independent of p53), I have screened several transgenic lines expressing an amino-terminal mutant of TAg (N136) in villus enterocytes. I found that these mice develop intestinal hyperplasia, although not as early as wild-type TAg does, suggesting that the inactivation of Rb family members is sufficient to induce this phenotype. Furthermore, the appearance of signs of dysplasia was significantly delayed. I performed global analysis of gene regulation in MEFs and in mouse intestinal epithelium expressing TAg or various mutants. In mouse intestine most of the gene regulation is dependent on binding and inactivation of Rb-proteins by the LXCXE motif and J domain. Regulated genes are involved in cell cycle and proliferation. In MEFs genes belonging to cell cycle, apoptosis and growth factors are differentially regulated by TAg and its mutants. Additionally, we found upregulation of immune response genes by TAg requires the LXCXE motif and some activity mapping to the C-terminus of TAg for their regulation. Significant numbers of genes were found to be regulated independently of the LXCXE motif, J domain and p53 binding domain. This suggests activity independent of these functions.
Developing computational thinking with a module of solved problems

Computational thinking (CT) has been recognized as a collection of understandings and skills required for new generations of students not only proficient at using tools, but also at creating them and understanding the implication of their capabilities and limitations.The objective of this research was to develop a module of solved problems for the development of CT in first‐year computer engineering students at the University of Cienfuegos, Cuba. Students depend on current research to understand the definition, function, and culture of CT and to consider how it can improve their analytical and critical skills. A contextualized definition of the CT method is proposed as a cognitive process executed by humans to solve problems using computational concepts. This method improves CT in terms of decomposition, pattern recognition, algorithm design, abstraction, data representation, problem decomposition, algorithmic thinking, and generalization of patterns, simulation and evaluation. The research carried out is an experimental design with a pretest and a posttest, with a control group and an experimental group to which the intervention was applied, both with 18 students. This article describes a study developing and incorporating CT modules and assessing their effect on the comprehension of CT principles by preservation teachers as well as their computing attitude. The results show that the implementation of analytical thought in education courses will successfully affect the comprehension of CT principles by preservice students.
Mécanismes de la sécrétion régulée des hormones et des neurotransmetteurs : rôle des GTPases Rab3 et Rab27

Les bases moleculaires de la secretion hormonale et de la liberation de neurotransmetteurs dependantes du calcium sont tres semblables. Durant ma these, je me suis interesse a divers aspects du cycle des granules de secretion dans des modeles cellulaires neuroendocriniens. J'ai en particulier etudie la contribution des transporteurs plasmiques de neuromediateurs a la taille du quantum de secretion. Nous avons demontre que la surexpression de SERT (le transporteur plasmique de recapture de la serotonine) au sein de la lignee neuroendocrine PC12 induit une augmentation de la taille des quanta secretes, et que le controle du remplissage vesiculaire etait cinetique plutot que thermodynamique. Ces observations ont permis de developper une methode de mesure de l'activite secretrice d'une sous-population transfectee des cellules PC12. Cette technique permet de quantifier l'effet d'une proteine co-transfectee avec SERT sur l'activite secretrice. Une autre partie de mon travail concerne les petites GTPases Rab. Ces proteines regulent de nombreuses etapes du trafic cellulaire. Rab3 joue un role dans le controle d'etapes tardives de la neurotransmission/secretion d'hormones. Nos resultats, bases sur des analyses electrochimiques et biochimiques, suggerent que Rab3 controlerait l'etape d'amorcage de la fusion. Plus recemment, notre attention s'est portee sur Rab27, une Rab proche de la famille Rab3, ainsi que sur MyRIP (Myosin and Rab Interacting Protein). Nous avons montre que MyRIP est un ligand de Rab27 et que ces deux proteines sont associees aux granules de secretion. MyRIP interagit aussi avec les myosines 7a/5a et avec l'actine. Ainsi, Rab27 et MyRIP lient les granules au cytosquelette d'actine et controlent leur mobilite au voisinage de la membrane plasmique. Nos etudes sur Rab3 et Rab27 ont permis de mieux comprendre les mecanismes moleculaires des processus impliquant ces GTPases, et illustrent la diversite des modes d'action de ces proteines.
Sobrepeso y obesidad en niños de la población indígena Añú de Venezuela. South America

Background: Obesity in childhood is an important predictor of the development of non-transmissible chronic diseases in adulthood. Objective: to describe overweight and obesity in children of the indigenous population Anu in Venezuela. Methodology: A descriptive study was carried out, with a transverse and field type design. The sample consisted of 195 Anu indigenous children of pre-school and school age, masculine and feminine, located in Zulia State, Venezuela. An anthropometric, dietary, socioeconomic evaluation was carried out. Blood biochemical values and anthropological analysis of food were recorded. Results: The anthropometric nutritional analysis according to the combination of indicators was overweight in 22% and 32.3% of the children presented low height with adequate weight for height; Mean values of energy intake and macronutrients were low with significant differences between the two groups (p <0.005). A significant number of children presented altered concentrations of the lipid profile. Conclusion: a significant number of indigenous children are overweight and have a nutritional deficit, which warrants immediate attention in order to guarantee the adequate growth and development of these indigenous children.
Incidence of snake bite and utilization of antivenom in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin City, Nigeria

Background: Bite resulting from animals seems to be a neglected disease. Since there were cases reported as emergency our institution, there is need to assess the incidence and drug utilization. Objective: To assess the incidence of snake bite and utilization of antivenom over 12 years in the Accident and Emergency Centre of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Data from medical record of snake bite and antivenom utilization between the year 2000 and 2011 were assessed from the centre after obtaining permission. Results: One hundred and thirty-six vials of polyvalent antivenom were utilized in the management of 129 patients that reported with snake bite. The victims were 103 (79.9%) males and 26 (20.2%) females within range of 2 years to 68 years (median, 34 years). The incidence was significantly higher among young adult males aged between 29 and 36 years. Limbs were the most common sites of bite and farmers were the most vulnerable which constituted larger proportion of 75 (58.14%) of unskilled workers. On arrival at the hospital, 90 (69.8%) of the victims had local tourniquet applied above the bitten sites. Their only description of snake was in color and size. Thirty-four patients visited herbalist before reporting to hospital. Oral quinolone (ciprofloxacin) and diclofenac were the most frequently used antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents. Maximum duration of hospitalization was (102 ± 0.61 h). No death was recorded following snake envenomation and no adverse drug reaction during therapy. Conclusion: Adequate stocking of antivenom is strongly recommended during drug procurement because snake bite complications can be fatal if not promptly treated.
Identifying key developers in software projects using code authorship metrics

Code authorship is a key information in software projects. However, its practical usage in such projects is not widely explored. Therefore, in this thesis, we first define several authorship-centric concepts, which we use to investigate the development teams of 115 open source projects, including an in-depth analysis of the Linux kernel. After, we use code authorship metrics to address two well-known software engineering problems: (1) to assess knowledge concentration in software projects and (2) to identify skilled developers to maintain specific source code files. To address the first problem, we propose an algorithm to estimate truck factors (TF), a concept widely used by practitioners to reveal key project members. We use this algorithm to detect TF events in 1,932 projects and to reveal the practices that help them to overcome such events. Finally, to address the second problem, we investigate the effectiveness of authorship metrics to identify skilled maintainers in 10 projects.
Incidence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Among Young Children of Bandar Abbas, Southern Iran

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a lower respiratory tract infection in infants and children younger than five years old. This disease is an important factor for hospitalization during the winter months. Methods: To determine the percentage of RSV infection in infants younger than 60 months old in different seasons, the current study was performed during 12 months in 2014 in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran. Overall, 182 children aged less than five years with clinical symptoms of tachydyspnea, fever, cold/cough, sore throat, and aches (examined by one specialist pediatrician) were consecutively selected from inpatient or outdoor patients of the children’s hospital in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Children’s throat swabs were collected and RSV infection was detected by real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: In total, 57.14% of all children were male and 42.86% were female. Respiratory syncytial virus infection was found in 46 out of 182 patients (25.3%). Among the 46 children with RSV infection, 22 patients (47.83%) were male and 24 patients (52.17%) were female with no significant difference between males and females. Most RSV infections were found in infants younger than 36 months old. There were significant differences between RSV positivity in winter and summer as 86.96% of positive RSV was during winter and 13.04% was during summer. Conclusions: This study indicates that RSV is an important cause of respiratory tract infection in winter time in infants less than 36 months old in Bandar Abbas.
A review of Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) in Great Lakes salmonids. Relationship with thiamine deficiency

Early mortality syndrome or EMS that affects salmonids in the Great Lakes exhibits many of the same clinical signs as Cayuga syndrome, that affects Atlantic salmon (Salmo salai) in the New York Finger Lakes and the M74 syndrome that affects Atlantic salmon from the Baltic Sea. These similarities may reflect their shared characteristics of associated low thiamine concentrations in eggs and therapeutic responsiveness to exogenous thiamine treatment. When egg thiamine levels fall below a speciesspecific threshold clinical signs include loss of equilibrium, depression of respiration and reduced heart rate. Although feeding studies with thiamine deficient diets have yet to confirm a thiamine cause-effect relationship, EMS-like symptoms can be induced with thiamine antagonists. Patterns of temporal variability of EMS among Great Lakes' salmonids over the last 3 decades have been similar. In coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), EMS was negatively correlated with alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) abundance in Lake Michigan. We hypothesize that this may reflect quantitative or qualitative changes in the alewives eaten because despite their fluctuating abundance they have remained the preferred diet item. The limited data available for other salmonids suggest similar trends.
A Systematic Literature Review on Antecedents of Workarounds related to Information Systems in Hospitals

The use of digital technology in the healthcare sector, and in hospitals in particular, has an impact on daily routine and on the quality of patient care. In dynamic organizations like hospitals, where urgent needs have to be met, employees develop workarounds for different reasons, which in turn can have a negative impact on the quality of patient care. While the existing literature focusses mainly on the consequences of IT mismatch to work practices in hospitals and classifications thereof, a holistic understanding of the underlying reasons for workers’ deviating behavior is missing. This article begins to close this research gap with a systematic literature review on antecedents of workarounds. The analysis provides a valuable contribution for both research and practice, as measuring root causes for behavior enables organizations to understand and develop control mechanisms.
Cefazolin or nafcillin? —a commentary on the optimal treatment of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemias: a meta-analysis of cefazolin versus antistaphylococcal penicillins

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia represents significant burden on the healthcare system with early mortality rates as high as 60% and more recent studies suggesting mortality rates of 10–30% (1,2). While methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has garnered much of the attention due to higher mortality rates and treatment difficulties, the optimal treatment of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) is still in question (1).
Bifidobacterium - Human Host Interaction: Role of Human Plasminogen

Bifidobacterium is an important genus of the human gastrointestinal microbiota, affecting several host physiological features. Despite the numerous Bifidobacterium related health-promoting activities, there is still a dearth of information about the molecular mechanisms at the basis of the interaction between this microorganism and the host. Bacterial surface associated proteins may play an important role in this interaction because of their ability to intervene with host molecules, as recently reported for the host protein plasminogen. Plasminogen is the zymogen of the trypsin-like serine protease plasmin, an enzyme with a broad substrate specificity. Aim of this thesis is to deepen the knowledge about the interaction between Bifidobacterium and the human plasminogen system and its role in the Bifidobacterium-host interaction process. As a bifidobacterial model, B. animalis subsp. lactis BI07 has been used because of its large usage in dairy and pharmaceutical preparations. We started from the molecular characterization of the interaction between plasminogen and one bifidobacterial plasminogen receptor, DnaK, a cell wall protein showing high affinity for plasminogen, and went on with the study of the impact of intestinal environmental factors, such as bile salts and inflammation, on the plasminogen-mediated Bifidobacterium-host interaction. According to our in vitro findings, by enhancing the activation of the bifidobacterial bound plasminogen to plasmin, the host inflammatory response results in the decrease of the bifidobacterial adhesion to the host enterocytes, favouring bacterial migration to the luminal compartment. Conversely, in the absence of inflammation, plasminogen acts as a molecular bridge between host enterocytes and bifidobacteria, enhancing Bifidobacterium adhesion. Furthermore, adaptation to physiological concentrations of bile salts enhances the capability of this microorganism to interact with the host plasminogen system. The host plasminogen system thus represents an important and flexible tool used by bifidobacteria in the cross-talk with the host.
Web Image re-ranking using Attribute Assisted Hypergraph

An internet is a massive storage of digital images, so the web image re-ranking is an effective approach to capture the relevant image by one click. The existing system works on low level visual features and based on attribute classification and categorization. These strategies are already used by the commercial search engine such as Google, Bing and Yahoo. In this paper, we proposed novel approach for web image re-ranking based on Attribute assisted hypergraph. Every image in a pool contains an predefine attribute features depending on feature attribute , the image can easily captured by user but many images having the same feature attribute. Hence the re- ranking is done by integrating low level visual features and attribute features.
Investigating the role of the cytoskeleton and signalling in the self-incompatibility response of Papaver rhoeas.

Many flowering plants are hermaphrodite, which poses the problem of self-fertilisation and the subsequent loss of genetic fitness in the offspring. To prevent this, plants have developed a genetically controlled mechanism called self-incompatibility (SI) which allows self (incompatible) pollen to be recognised and rejected before fertilisation can occur. The SI response of Papaver rhoeas (field poppy) has been extensively studied at the molecular and cellular level. Rejection of incompatible pollen occurs on the stigma surface when the pollen S-determinant PrpS, a transmembrane protein, interacts with the stigmatic S-determinant, secreted S-proteins. This triggers a calcium-mediated signalling cascade that targets the cytoskeleton and results in programmed cell death (PCD) of incompatible pollen. Work presented in this thesis investigated the localisation of PrpS and S-proteins. Other studies investigated the role of the cytoskeleton in SI. These demonstrated the involvement of the microtubule cytoskeleton for the first time. Microtubules were rapidly depolymerised and this was implicated in signalling to PCD. The actin cytoskeleton has previously been shown to exhibit biphasic alterations during SI involving depolymerisation, followed by formation of F-actin foci. Studies described here represent the first steps toward characterisation of the F-actin foci. Their potential involvement in PCD and signalling is discussed.
Re-centering computer science

The recent enrollments drop (60% since 2002) has stimulated broad concern about the viability of academic programs in computing, and a variety of initiatives to rebuild the external image of the computing field. The current external image is that “computer science = programming”. While our internal view of programming is broad, the external view is narrow. Most outsiders and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics use the term “programmer” to mean something like “coder”. This external view does not stimulate an appreciation of the full depth and breadth of computing, and it is not attractive to prospective students. The Education Board is interested in recommending ways to make computing curricula more attractive to prospective students. Attractive themes include organizing around innovation, experimental science, and cross-discipline connections. We will discuss these themes, and we will solicit feedback from the audience.
Autonomic Nervous System and Neurocardiac Physiopathology

The autonomic nervous system regulates multiple physiological functions; how distinct neurons in peripheral autonomic and intrathoracic ganglia communicate remains to be established. Increasing focus is being paid to functionality of the neurocardiac axis and crosstalk between the intrinsic nervous system and diverse organ systems. Current find ings indicate that progression of cardiovascular disease comprises peripheral and central aspects of the cardiac nervous system hierarchy. Indeed, autonomic neuronal dysfunction is known to participate in arrhythmogenesis and sudden cardiac death; diverse interventions (pharmacological, non-pharmacological) that affect neuronal remodeling in the heart following injury caused by cardiovascular disease (congestive heart failure, etc.) or acute myocardial infarction are being investigated. Herein we examine recent findings from clinical and animal studies on the role of the intrinsic cardiac nervous sys - tem on regulation of myocardial perfusion and the consequences of cardiac injury. We also discuss different interventions that target the autonomic nervous system, stimulate neuronal remodeling and adaptation, and thereby optimize patient outcomes.