Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of sex, age & nontuberculous infection at intake on the efficacy of BCG: re-analysis of 15-year data from a double-blind randomized control trial in South India.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE To estimate the efficacy of BCG in preventing tuberculosis over a 15-year period, and also to assess the impact of infection with nontuberculous environmental mycobacteria in a rural community in Chingleput district in Tamil Nadu in south India. We re-analysed the 15-year follow up data of a large randomized trial conducted earlier. METHODS A double-blind randomized control trial was initiated in 1968, in which over 100,000 uninfected subjects with a normal radiograph were allocated to placebo, BCG in low dose (0.01 mg) or BCG in high dose (1.0 mg); two widely used strains of BCG were employed, each in one half of the vaccinated subjects. Sensitivity to purified protein derivative (PPD-B) was also determined. The study population was followed for 15 yr by radiographic surveys of the total population once every 2.5 yr, selective case finding in suspects once in 10 months, and investigation of those reporting voluntarily with chest symptoms. RESULTS Coverage by radiography was of the order of 80 per cent throughout, while coverage by sputum examination of suspects was usually 90 per cent or above. The annual incidence of culture-positive tuberculosis (irrespective of smear) was estimated to be 55 per 100,000, and neither strain of BCG had any effect. The failure to protect was seen in both males and females, and in children and adults. However, in a subset of over 40,000 subjects who were also nonreactors to PPD-B, BCG had a low level of protection, i.e., 32 per cent (95% CI=3-52%), 29 per cent with the Danish strain and 34 per cent with the French strain. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION Our findings reaffirm that BCG was of little value in preventing sputum-positive cases of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Nursing experience and preference for intuition in decision making.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This article examines the relationship between domain-specific and domain-general intuition among practicing nurses and student nurses to determine the role of intuition in nurses' decision making. BACKGROUND Measures of nursing intuition have not been compared with one another or to measures of general preference for intuition in the psychological literature. Prior research has shown that experienced nurses rely on intuition in clinical judgement, but the various aspects of intuition associated with experience have not been fully explored. DESIGN A correlational design was used to examine the factor structures and interrelationships of self-reported measures of intuition, as well as their relationship to experience. METHOD A web-based survey was given to 175 practicing nurses and student nurses in the fall of 2007 using measures of intuition from the nursing and psychological literatures. Quantitative analyses employed descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS Measures of preference for intuition were combined, resulting in the identification of two independent aspects of nursing intuition uniquely related to general intuition and nursing experience. Results revealed that preference for intuition in nursing was not solely due to general preference for intuition and that use of nursing intuition increased with experience. CONCLUSION These results strengthen the knowledge base of decision making in clinical practice by examining differences in preference for use of intuition among nurses. Further interdisciplinary collaboration is recommended. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Understanding the use of intuition in clinical judgement will promote professional practice and favourable patient outcomes. If experience simply leads to increased self-confidence and preference for the use of intuition, this may not actually be related to accuracy in judgement. However, if experience provides valuable information on associations between patient symptoms and outcomes, then the use of intuition in clinical practice should be encouraged.
Spinal Cord Stimulation and Augmentative Control Strategies for Leg Movement after Spinal Paralysis in Humans

Severe spinal cord injury is a devastating condition, tearing apart long white matter tracts and causing paralysis and disability of body functions below the lesion. But caudal to most injuries, the majority of neurons forming the distributed propriospinal system, the localized gray matter spinal interneuronal circuitry, and spinal motoneuron populations are spared. Epidural spinal cord stimulation can gain access to this neural circuitry. This review focuses on the capability of the human lumbar spinal cord to generate stereotyped motor output underlying standing and stepping, as well as full weight‐bearing standing and rhythmic muscle activation during assisted treadmill stepping in paralyzed individuals in response to spinal cord stimulation. By enhancing the excitability state of the spinal circuitry, the stimulation can have an enabling effect upon otherwise “silent” translesional volitional motor control. Strategies for achieving functional movement in patients with severe injuries based on minimal translesional intentional control, task‐specific proprioceptive feedback, and next‐generation spinal cord stimulation systems will be reviewed. The role of spinal cord stimulation can go well beyond the immediate generation of motor output. With recently developed training paradigms, it can become a major rehabilitation approach in spinal cord injury for augmenting and steering trans‐ and sublesional plasticity for lasting therapeutic benefits.
Describing the Diapause-Preparatory Proteome of the Beetle Colaphellus bowringi and Identifying Candidates Affecting Lipid Accumulation Using Isobaric Tags for Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteome Quantification (iTRAQ)

Prior to entering diapause, insects must prepare themselves physiologically to withstand the stresses of arresting their development for a lengthy period. While studies describing the biochemical and cellular milieu of the maintenance phase of diapause are accumulating, few studies have taken an “omics” approach to describing molecular events during the diapause preparatory phase. We used isobaric tags and mass spectrometry (iTRAQ) to quantitatively compare the expression profiles of proteins identified during the onset of diapause preparation phase in the heads of adult female cabbage beetles, Colaphellus bowringi. A total of 3,175 proteins were identified, 297 of which were differentially expressed between diapause-destined and non-diapause-destined female adults and could therefore be involved in diapause preparation in this species. Comparison of identified proteins with protein function databases shows that many of these differentially expressed proteins enhanced in diapause destined beetles are involved in energy production and conversion, carbohydrate metabolism and transport, and lipid metabolism. Further hand annotation of differentially abundant peptides nominates several associated with stress hardiness, including HSPs and antioxidants, as well as neural development. In contrast, non-diapause destined beetles show substantial increases in cuticle proteins, suggesting additional post-emergence growth. Using RNA interference to silence a fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) that was highly abundant in the head of diapause-destined females prevented the accumulation of lipids in the fat body, a common product of diapause preparation in this species and others. Surprisingly, RNAi against the FABP also affected the transcript abundance of several heat shock proteins. These results suggest that the identified differentially expressed proteins that play vital roles in lipid metabolism may also contribute somehow to enhanced hardiness to environmental stress that is characteristic of diapause.
Auto cannibalism in mental retardation

Mental retardation (MR) deems an individual more vulnerable to psychopathologies. The individual may develop an array of behavioral disturbances manifesting themselves in the form of aggressive and destructive conduct, violent fits of anger, stereotyped, or self-injuring behavior. Self-injurious behavior is heterogeneous in nature ranging from mild to severe variant. We report a case of a 7-year-old boy with MR with self-inflicted severe oral injuries of cannibalistic nature presenting as cleft lip and palate. A more extensive research is needed on the problem behaviors in mentally retarded patients for early detection and effective and timely intervention leading to a better outcome.
Commentary: Defining Hypnosis

The invitation to comment on the new definition of hypnosis published by Division 30 of APA gives me (H.S.) an occasion to express some thoughts that I have had for quite some time. The article, “Forging Ahead: The 2003 APA Division 30 Definition of Hypnosis” (Green, Barabasz, Barrett & Montgomery, 2005), represents a major effort to consolidate various points of view in the field of hypnosis. After reading it, I became concerned that the resulting definition of hypnosis is more confusing than clarifying with its emphasis on various procedures and ceremonies including disagreements about mentioning the word “hypnosis. ” Just as some regard a camel as a horse designed by a committee, I got the impression that the definition seems like a “camelized” version of a hypnotized horse. This led me to crystallize my thinking about our field after more than 50 years of working with trance phenomena during war and peace (Kardiner & H. Spiegel, 1947; H. Spiegel, 2000). During this period, I have engaged in an estimated 50,000 trance inductions. Inevitably, I made some observations and developed some convictions that I would like to share with a special concern for that large population of therapists who are chronically cynical about hypnosis. Then, I asked my wife, Marcia Greenleaf, PhD, to join me in adding her thoughts based on her experience in the field during the last 30 years.
Inhibition of the adipose conversion of BALB/c 3T3 cells by 12‐0‐tetradecanoylphorbol‐13‐acetate: Dependence on pH reduction via lactic acid production

The effect of modifying culture pH on the adipose convesion of BALB/c 3T3 cells was studied. We have previously shown that the tumor promoter 12‐0‐tetradecanoylphorbol‐13‐acetate (TPA) stimulates cellular lactic acid production, lowers the pH of the culture medium, and inhibits differentiation in this system. We now report that addition or organic acids such as D‐ or L‐lactic acid or acetic acid to the culture medium mimicked the effect of TPA by lowering pH, stimulating cellular lactic acid production, and inhibiting the adipose conversion. Lowering the pH by changing the NaHCO3 concentration also inhibited differentiation.
Używanie substancji psychoaktywnych jako przejaw zachowań ryzykownych młodzieży szkolnej

Zachowania ryzykowne są nieodlączną cześcią okresu dojrzewania. Podejmując ryzyko, mlodzi ludzie uczą sie samodzielności oraz zaznaczają swoją niezaleznośc od rodzicow i opiekunow. W ten sposob przygotowują sie do zadan doroslości. Z tych powodow na okres dojrzewania przypada najwieksze nasilenie zachowan zagrazających zdrowiu i bezpieczenstwu mlodych ludzi. Uzywanie substancji psychoaktywnych przez mlodziez wiąze sie z duzym ryzykiem zatruc, wypadkow, urazow, uzaleznien, zaburzen psychicznych, konfliktow z prawem, problemow w relacjach z rodzicami oraz szkod rozwojowych. W Polsce, podobnie jak w innych krajach europejskich, alkohol jest najbardziej rozpowszechnioną substancją psychoaktywną wśrod mlodziezy szkolnej. Na drugim miejscu znajduje sie tyton, na trzecim – marihuana, na czwartym – leki uspokajające i nasenne, a na piątym – substancje wziewne i dopalacze. W ostatnich kilkunastu latach w populacji 15-latkow w Polsce spada nieco rozpowszechnienie wskaźnikow picia alkoholu i palenia papierosow oraz jednocześnie rośnie rozpowszechnienie uzywania marihuany. Na wysokim poziomie od lat znajduje sie uzywanie przez polską mlodziez lekow psychoaktywnych i substancji wziewnych. Te tendencje w trendach uzywania substancji psychoaktywnych odzwierciedlają w duzym stopniu zmiany w spolecznych postawach polskiego spoleczenstwa wobec roznych rodzajow substancji psychoaktywnych.
Glucose Tolerance Test and Pharmacokinetic Study of Kaempferia parviflora Extract in Healthy Subjects

Kaempferia parviflora Wall. ex Baker (KP), Krachaidam in Thai or Thai ginseng, is a herbal medicine that has many potential pharmacological effects. The effect of KP extract on blood glucose level in rodent was reported. This study focused on the oral glucose tolerance test and pharmacokinetic study in healthy volunteers administered with KP extract (90 and 180 mg/day, placebo). The oral glucose tolerance tests were performed at baselines and 28-days of administration. The pharmacokinetics were determined after a single dose administration of the tested products using 3,5,7,3′,4′-pentamethoxyflavone (PMF) and 5,7,4′-trimethoxylflavone (TMF) as markers. The results showed that glucose metabolism via oral glucose tolerance test was not affected by KP extract. Blood glucose levels of volunteers at 120 min after glucose loading were able to be returned to initial levels in placebo, KP 90 mg/day, and KP 180 mg/day groups both at baseline and 28-days of administration. The results of the pharmacokinetic study revealed that only TMF and PMF, but not 5,7-dimethoxyflavone (DMF) levels could be detected in human blood. The given doses of KP extract at 90 and 180 mg/day showed a linear dose-relationship of blood PMF concentration whereas blood TMF was detected only at high given dose (180 mg/day). The half-lives of PMF and TMF were 2–3 h. The maximum concentration (Cmax), area under the curve of blood concentration and time (AUC), and time to maximum concentration (Tmax) values of PMF and TMF estimated for the 180 mg/day dose were 71.2 ± 11.3, 63.0 ± 18.0 ng/mL; 291.9 ± 48.2, 412.2 ± 203.7 ng∙h/mL; and 4.02 ± 0.37, 6.03 ± 0.96 h, respectively. PMF was quickly eliminated with higher Ke and Cl than TMF at the dose of 180 mg/day of KP extract. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that KP extract had no effect on the glucose tolerance test. In addition, this is the first demonstration of the pharmacokinetic parameters of methoxyflavones of KP extract in healthy volunteers. The data suggest the safety of the KP extract and will be of benefit for further clinical trials using KP extract as food and sport supplements as well as a drug in health product development.
Cotton Bollworm Helicoverpa Armigera (Hubner, 1809) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Development of Integrated Pest Management Platform

The cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae),is a polyphagous and adaptive pest that currently attacks several crops including cotton.The present article undertakes the assessment of feeding preference and damage potential of this pest as well as better control options are made. In cotton, all stages of plant growth may be attacked, but reproductive tissue is preferred. Seedlings can be tipped out when terminal buds are eaten, chewing damage to squares and small bolls may cause them to shed, and injury to maturing bolls can prevent normal development and can lead to secondary fungal infections such as boll rot. Consequently, cotton bollworm larvae damage to squares, flowers, green bolls and tender shoots results in significant reduction both in yield and quality of cotton. Third instar larvae prefer to feed more on flowerswhile fifth instars on bolls. In case of H. armigera pest control, the most appropriate alternative to insecticidesis to adopt a system to monitor the pestilence and the level of pesticide control in order to make a proper decision. A direct egg and first instar caterpillar count is recommended for cotton crop for two times per week at the beginning of the plant’s germination and until 30 or 40% of the plants show open buds. The light traps and pheromone traps are sensitive for the detection of initial populations, they are more specific and make counting easier and quicker.Destroy left over material from crop and use resistant materials like genetically modified plants, which expel Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins.Biological control is mentioned as a supporter in the management of H. armigera , wherein more than 15 species of the parasitic Trichogramma , attack to the eggs.Management of beneficial parasites or insects and the use of microbial agents like baculovirus can be encouraged.Chemical pesticides should be used at pest’s levels of action and use selective pesticides, with rotation of the mechanism of action of the products, in order to alleviate the pressure from the selection of active ingredients. The strategy to prevent insecticide resistance includes rotation between chemical groups with different modes of action, limiting the time period during which an insecticide can be used and limiting the number of applications of one particular insecticide. A regional approach is suggested for the management of H. armigera , by taking into consideration the number of generations, migration capacity and its highly polyphagous quality.
Let the deaf understand: Mainstreaming the marginalized in context with personalized digital media services and social needs

This paper presents a pilot study for a personalized media service which aims at creating an intelligent, sentiment-aware, and language-independent access to large archives of audiovisual documents, providing equal services to both mainstream and marginalized users. The proposed multi-modal framework analyzes aural, visual, and human descriptions, integrating them into an automatic content analyzer. Firstly, text is extracted from the aural stream and mapped to American Sign Language (ASL), translating conventional video to content suitable for the deaf. Next, sentiment is estimated from text, aural, and visual contents using two deep convolutional neural networks (CNN), extracting discriminative features from each modality. This provides output predictions for two broad classes: positive and negative sentiments. Preliminary results indicate that the proposed approach is capable of accurately estimating the sentiment of multimedia contents, which is an important step for personalized and intelligent media services.
Mucosally Delivered E1-Deleted Adenoviral Vaccine Carriers Induce Transgene Product-Specific Antibody Responses in Neonatal Mice 1

E1-deleted adenoviral vectors of the human serotype 5 (AdHu5) and the chimpanzee serotype 68 (AdC68) expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein (rab.gp) were tested for induction of transgene product-specific Abs upon intranasal or oral immunization of newborn mice. Both vectors induced Abs to rabies virus that could be detected in serum and from mucosal secretions. Serum rabies virus neutralizing Ab titers sufficed to protect neonatally vaccinated mice against a subsequent challenge with rabies virus. The efficacy of the AdHu5rab.gp vector given orally to newborn mice born to AdHu5 virus-immune dams was not impaired by maternally transferred Abs to the vaccine carrier.
EVALUATION OF RADIO PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF AVERRHOA CARAMBOLA LEAVES EXTRACT IN WISTAR RATS

The present study was designed to investigate the radio protective efficacy of ethanolic extract of leaves of the Averrhoa carambola by studying the following parameters: radioprotective effect before and after radiation, estimating the Total Antioxidant Status, haematological parameters, assessing the histopathology of liver and kidney. Extract was given orally at a dose of 450 mg/kg, orally for 15 days prior to and 15 days after radiation (2 Gy). The rats were kept under observation for 15 days for any sign of radiation sickness, morbidity, behavioural toxicity, urination and defecation pattern or mortality, which showed no changes. The haematological parameters showed a significant decrease in the irradiated rat when compared with the control group. Antioxidant activity revealed from the data obtained in the present study showed that A.carambola leaves ethanolic extract possess good antioxidant activity. Histopathological changes in the irradiated liver and kidney sections showed improved cellular architecture when compared to the normal. The present study suggests that supplementation with Averrhoa carambola has potent antioxidant activity and act as probable radioprotector against gamma radiation induced oxidative damage.
Neuro-fuzzy classification of the new and used bills using acoustic data

The proposed technique is based on an extension concept of an adaptive digital filter (ADF), a neural network (NN) with error back-propagation (BP), and fuzzy inference. Two-stage ADF is used in order to extract the desired bill sound from observation data in which the noise is included. The output signal of two-stage ADFs is transformed into spectral data by the fast Fourier transform (FFT), and it becomes an input pattern of the NN. Then, the discrimination result of the NN is finally judged by the fuzzy inference in a new bill or an exhausted bill. It is shown that the proposed technique is effective for the new and used discrimination of bill money for the experimental results presented.
BEHAVIORAL DISTURBANCES ASSOCIATED WITH ENDOCRINE DISORDERS

Patients with major endocrine disorders frequently experience significant changes in mood and mentation. Similarly, many individuals presenting as psychiatric patients have pathologic alterations in neuroendocrine func­ tion. Although pathognomic behavioral changes are rare, increased recog­ nition of characteristic symptom complexes may lead to earlier diagnosis and improved treatment planning.
Cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma.

Nonmelanoma skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with over 1.3 million cases expected to occur in the year 2001. Approximately 80 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers are basal-cell carcinomas, and 20 percent are squamous-cell carcinomas.1 Squamous-cell carcinoma is the second most common cancer among whites.2 Unlike almost all basal-cell carcinomas, cutaneous squamous-cell carcinomas are associated with a substantial risk of metastasis. Incidence In 1994 in the United States, the lifetime risk of squamous-cell carcinoma was 9 to 14 percent among men and 4 to 9 percent among women.3 Although it is known that this neoplasm .
Grouping e-learners based on clustering

Studying on human personality is an important part of personalized service in e-Learning system. By understanding the personality characteristics of learners, we can provide better services to help learners improve learning efficiency. Grouping learners can help interaction and discussion among learners in e-Learning system. But how to compose groups is a problem. The paper proposes a method based on data mining technology to group e-learners automatically according to their personality characteristics. Five groups, which have distinctive features, are obtained. At last, an empirical study is presented to evaluate the result.