Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, Malondialdehyde and their association with Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)in type 2 diabetes patients

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a major public health problem worldwide and accompanied by enduring vascular complications, which leads to morbidity and mortality. Inflammation play major role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. High sensitivity C-reactive protein is an acute phase protein synthesized by the liver and has been revealed as sensitive, systemic inflammatory marker. Oxidative stress, low grade systemic inflammation contributes to insulin resistance and is linked to the characteristics of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Objectives: The present study was to evaluate hs - CRP, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in type 2 diabetic patients compare with healthy controls and correlate these levels with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) and insulin resistance Materials and Methods: Fifty type 2 diabetic patients with age group of 35 to 45 years were selected for this study and 50 age matched healthy subjects were selected as controls. Ser um hs- CRP and insulin was assessed by ELISA, malondialdehyde (MDA) was assessed by Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) method and other routine investigations were carried out by standardized protocols with ERBA EM-360 fully automated analyzer. Results: The mean serum hs - CRP and MDA levels were significantly increa sed in type 2 diabetic patients com pared with healthy controls. Hs-CRP and MDA levels w ere shown significant positive correlation with glyc osylated hemoglobin (HbA1C), insulin resistance, triglycerides and negative correlation with HDL cholesterol. Conclusion: Elevated hs - CRP, MDA levels are potentially important diagnostic markers for the assessment of endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetic patients. Tight blood glucose control, regular monitoring of hs-CRP, MDA levels within normal range might be useful for reduction of vascular complications in type 2 diabetic patients. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), High sensitivity C- reactive protein (hs-CRP),
Compliance with Standard Precautions Among Hospital Nurses in Ozamiz City, Philippines

Ozamiz City is the center for health and people from neighboring places choose to access its health services because of the available amenities for life-threatening conditions. With the increasing incidence of infectious diseases, compliance of nurses to standard precautions (SP) is necessary to control healthcare-associated infections. This study assessed the compliance with standard precautions among 100 nurses in two tertiary hospitals in Ozamiz City using a modified structured questionnaire. The study utilized the Kruskal-Wallis Test, Mann-Whitney U Test, and Pearson’s correlation statistical models. Findings revealed a very high compliance among nurses in 65.2% of the standard precautions. The study further revealed that majority of the nurses had very high compliance with handwashing protocols. However, the compliance of nurses on the use of gloves during intramuscular or hypodermal injection and the venous puncture was not very high. Compliance was not also very high on the wearing of the eye patch, goggles, gown, cap, and shoe shade, and on managing injured skin. Older and men nurses with more hospital experience showed a higher compliance. Findings were similar to nurses assigned in pedia ward, exposed to needlestick injury, not exposed to patient's body fluids, vaccinated with Hepatitis-B virus, and attended the SP training. There was a discrepancy between the compliance of nurses and knowledge. The difference in compliance among nurses as to the variables examined was not statistically significant ( p <0.05). The correlation between knowledge and compliance was not also significant. The findings of this study may help improve the nosocomial infection control system. Keywords: gloves, handwashing, health, hospitals, nosocomial
Pathways to mental health improvement in a community-led area-based empowerment initiative: evidence from the Big Local 'Communities in Control' study, England.

BACKGROUND Area-based initiatives that include a focus on community empowerment are increasingly being seen as potentially an important way of improving health and reducing inequalities. However, there is little empirical evidence on the pathways between communities having more control and health outcomes. PURPOSE To identify pathways to health improvement in a community-led area-based community empowerment initiative. METHODS Longitudinal data on mental health, community control, area belonging, satisfaction, social cohesion and safety were collected over two time points, 6 months apart from 48 participants engaged in the Big Local programme, England. Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) was used to explore pathways to health improvement. RESULTS There was no clear single pathway that led to mental health improvement but positive changes in 'neighbourhood belonging' featured in 4/5 health improvement configurations. Further, where respondents experienced no improvement in key social participation/control factors, they experienced no health improvement. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates a potential pathway between an improvement in 'neighbourhood belonging' and improved mental health outcomes in a community empowerment initiative. Increasing neighbourhood belonging could be a key target for mental health improvement interventions.
Electrical and Photovoltaic Properties of Layered Composite Films of Covalently Bonded Graphene and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

In this paper, we present the results of a computational study of the electrical and photovoltaic properties of a perspective composite material; that is, layered composite films of covalently bonded graphene and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The purpose of the study is to identify the topological patterns in controlling the electrical and photovoltaic properties of mono- and bilayer graphene/CNT composite films with a covalent bonding of a nanotube and graphene sheet, using in silico methods. This in silico study was carried out for the super-cells of mono- and bilayer graphene/CNT composite films with the CNTs (10,0) and (12,0) at distances between the nanotubes of 10 and 12 hexagons. This found that the type of conductivity of the nanotubes does not fundamentally affect the patterns of current flow in the graphene/CNT composite films. This control of the diameter of the nanotubes and the distance between them allows us to control the profile of the absorption spectrum of the electromagnetic waves in the range of 20–2000 nm. The control of the distance between the SWCNTs allows one to control the absorption intensity without a significant peak shift. This revealed that there is no obvious dependence of the integrated photocurrent on the distance between the nanotubes, and the photocurrent varies between 3%–4%.
Xylem Plasticity in Pinus pinaster and Quercus ilex Growing at Sites with Different Water Availability in the Mediterranean Region: Relations between Intra-Annual Density Fluctuations and Environmental Conditions

Fluctuations in climatic conditions during the growing season are recorded in Mediterranean tree-rings and often result in intra-annual density fluctuations (IADFs). Dendroecology and quantitative wood anatomy analyses were used to characterize the relations between the variability of IADF traits and climatic drivers in Pinus pinaster Aiton and Quercus ilex L. growing at sites with different water availability on the Elba island in Central Italy. Our results showed that both species present high xylem plasticity resulting in the formation of L-type IADFs (L-IADFs), consisting of earlywood-like cells in latewood. The occurrence of such IADFs was linked to rain events following periods of summer drought. The formation of L-IADFs in both species increased the hydraulic conductivity late in the growing season, due to their larger lumen area in comparison to “true latewood”. The two species expressed greater similarity under arid conditions, as unfavorable climates constrained trait variation. Wood density, measured as the percentage of cell walls over total xylem area, IADF frequency, as well as conduit lumen area and vessel frequency, specifically in the hardwood species, proved to be efficient proxies to encode climate signals recorded in the xylem. The response of these anatomical traits to climatic variations was found to be species- and site-specific.
Disinfecting Water with the Carbon Fiber-Based Flow-Through Electrode System (FES): Towards Axial Dispersion and Velocity Profile

Electrochemical technology for the killing of pathogens has been largely investigated. Lately, Ni et al. [1] published excellent research on the disinfection efficiency of a carbon fiber-based flow-through electrode system (FES) versus Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and fecal coliform) and Gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis and Bacillus subtilis) in normal saline over a large span of applied voltages (1 - 5 V) and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) (1 - 10 s). They established that the Gram-negative microbes were more susceptible to FES for their thinner cell walls and over 6.5 log reduction (no live bacteria found) was obtained at the applied voltage of 2 V and HRT of 2 s; however, Gram-positive microbes were demobilized at slightly bigger voltages (3 V, 2 s) or longer HRTs (2 V, 5 s). Demobilizing microorganisms was related to the alteration and laceration of cell membranes mostly via anode direct oxidation in the absence of bacterial regrowth. Further, the disregarding formation of the free chlorine at low voltages (≤2 V) could avert the production of possible chlorinated disinfection by-products. Therefore, FES could furnish an undeveloped substitute to traditional disinfection processes for eliminating pathogens in water. This work concludes that focusing on axial dispersion and velocity profile inside anode will be very useful in comprehending the transport phenomena and proposing a fresh model that merges the axial dispersion and velocity profile for the FES. Such a research trend will more encourage the FES implementation at the large industrial level for disinfecting water.
From Novelty to Normalization? How Journalists Use the Term “Fake News” in their Reporting

ABSTRACT During recent years, worries about fake news have been a salient aspect of mediated debates. However, the ubiquitous and fuzzy usage of the term in news reporting has led more and more scholars and other public actors to call for its abandonment in public discourse altogether. Given this status as a controversial but arguably effective buzzword in news coverage, we know surprisingly little about exactly how journalists use the term in their reporting. By means of a quantitative content analysis, this study offers empirical evidence on this question. Using the case of Austria, where discussions around fake news have been ubiquitous during recent years, we analyzed all news articles mentioning the term “fake news” in major daily newspapers between 2015 and 2018 (N = 2,967). We find that journalistic reporting on fake news shifts over time from mainly describing the threat of disinformation online, to a more normalized and broad usage of the term in relation to attacks on legacy news media. Furthermore, news reports increasingly use the term in contexts completely unrelated to disinformation or media attacks. In using the term this way, journalists arguably contribute not only to term salience but also to a questionable normalization process.
Transformação de negócios: análise sob a perspectiva da metagestão

This theoretical essay aims to discuss Business Transformation Management (BTM) from the perspective of meta-management, a concept that includes guiding elements and reflection to create an appropriate environment to business transformation to be successful. Metamanagement is not often discussed in the traditional literature, although in this work, with a bibliographical methodology and descriptive nature, the international literature was researched to get theoretical support so that the discussions about the transformation of the businesses in the companies could be articulated. The results show that the meta-management can be compared to the dynamic capacities, as it covers a set of practices needed for the organizations to recombine and revitalize in order to guarantee its effectiveness in a sustainable way.
Water Permeation through Conical Nanopores: Complex Interplay between Surface Roughness and Chemistry

Inspired by biological water channels (e.g., aquaporin with an hourglass shape), there is a growing interest in the use of conical nanopores for water purification; however, the surface roughness of conical nanopores has not been considered in the literature. In this work, a molecular dynamics simulation study is conducted to investigate water permeation through conical nanopores by considering both surface roughness and chemistry. In hydrophilic alumina nanopores, water permeability is found to increase with increasing surface roughness; however, a reverse trend is observed in hydrophobic carbon nanopores. Comprehensive microscopic analysis reveals that surface roughness in the carbon nanopores induces multiple high‐energy barriers and frequent forming/breaking of hydrogen bonding network, which impedes water permeation. In the alumina nanopores, water becomes more bulk‐like with increasing surface roughness, thus enhancing water permeation. The molecular insights from this simulation study provide quantitative understanding of water permeation in hydrophilic and hydrophobic conical nanopores and unravel the complex interplay between surface roughness and chemistry, facilitating the design of new materials for water purification.
Recent developments in keratoconus diagnosis

ABSTRACT Introduction: Keratoconus and ectatic corneal diseases represent a hot area of research. The need to enhance diagnosis in order to recognize milder forms of the disease and identify inherent predisposition for ectasia progression has gained significant importance because of refractive surgery and also due to the development of new treatment modalities to treat ectatic corneal diseases. This article discusses the nomenclature related to the diagnostic tests used to characterize keratoconus and ectatic corneal diseases, providing a prospective discussion on the latest developments for the diagnosis and follow up of these conditions, including imaging modalities, biomechanical assessments, and an outlook in genetics and molecular biology. Areas covered: We performed an extensive Pubmed literature search, considering the latest developments in the diagnosis of keratoconus and additional ectatic corneal diseases. Expert commentary: Corneal ectasia is characterized by biomechanical failure and stromal thinning, causing corneal bulging with subsequent visual impairment due to irregular astigmatism. Moderate and advanced stages are easily recognized, but the identification of mild or subclinical forms remains a challenge.
Relation between posture and spine and pelvis flexibility: a systematic review

Abstract Introduction: Changes in body structure positioning are associated with muscle flexibility and joint mobility, but evidence of this relationship is still incipient. Objective: To identify evidences of correlation between parameters regarding static body posture in orthostasis and spine and pelvis flexibility and/or mobility. Methods: Systematic review guided by the PRISMA Statement and the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration (PROSPERO: CRD42015026298). A search of the BIREME, EMBASE, PubMed and Science Direct databases was carried out, considering the beginning of the databases until January 16, 2017, with the terms and Boolean operators “posture” AND “spine” OR “pelvis” AND “range of motion, articular” OR “movement”. To be included in the review, studies should present observational or clinical trial methodological designs, have sampled healthy individuals, present correlation or association test results between static posture and mobility/flexibility in the sagittal plane, and be published in Spanish, English or Portuguese. The methodological quality was evaluated by the Downs & Black scale and evidence by the GRADE system. Results: A total of 5,326 studies were obtained, seven of which were included after the establishment of the eligibility criteria. All studies presented high methodological quality, although a considerable heterogeneity regarding the choice of instruments and evaluation protocols was noted, reflecting contradictory results. Therefore, the present systematic review presents a moderate strength of evidence. Conclusion: No definitive evidence is yet available concerning the possible relationship between body posture and spine and pelvis flexibility and mobility.
Development and Plasticity of The Retinocollicular Projection

Brain development and function depend on intrinsic and extrinsic factors. In particular, the proper functioning of sensory systems can be altered according to the quality of extrinsic sensory information received during life. In this context, questions concerning neuroplasticity take on special relevance when considering that sensory experience has a big impact on the degree of plasticity of the brain. In this thesis, we have sought to understand how visual deprivation affects the development and maintenance of visual centers in the brain and the role of visual deprivation on plasticity throughout life. We have addressed this question by studying the retinocollicular projection, which is the neuronal pathway that connects the retina with a visual input processing center, the superior colliculus (SC). Unexpectedly, we found that in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) the size of receptive fields (RFs) of neurons in the SC is plastic in adult animals if they have been deprived of a minimum of visual experience when juveniles. Specifically, dark-reared (DR) hamsters refine SC RFs as do their normally-reared counterparts, but they lose RF refinement if they remain in the dark after their RFs get refined. We found that a well defined period and duration of visual experience can stabilize RF size in adulthood. Furthermore, we sought to investigate the mechanisms by which RF size is increased in adult DR hamsters. By testing the strength of intracollicular inhibition using electrophysiological and molecular techniques, we have found that visually-deprived animals have weaker inhibitory circuitry in their SC than normal animals. The quantity of GABA receptors and GABA containing neurons is decreased in the SC of adult DR animals. We propose that these results explain at least in part the RF enlargement we find in visually-deprived animals. Knowledge from this study provides general insight into sensory system plasticity in adulthood and new information about visual system development that is relevant for treatments of diseases. INDEX WORDS: Neural plasticity, Superior colliculus, Visual deprivation, GABA, Inhibitory circuitry DEVELOPMENT AND PLASTICITY OF THE RETINOCOLLICULAR PROJECTION
Biomarkers of Common Childhood Renal Diseases

Novel biomarkers are now used in the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of common kidney diseases in children. The increased scientific interest in these biomarkers is partly due to the remarkable progress in their discovery techniques, and their validation in clinical subjects. However, the wide variation in their sensitivity and specificity is still a major concern. In the identification of biomarkers of kidney injury, an ideal biomarker should be produced after organ injury in concentrations which directly correlates with the degree of injury; should be easily measured in body fluids; and should serve as a potential tool to monitor therapeutic response which is predicated upon a post-injury decrease in its concentration. This book chapter aims to highlight and discuss the novel biomarkers used in the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of common acute diseases of the kidney in children, such as urinary tract infection (UTI) and acute kidney injury (AKI), as well as chronic kidney disease (CKD) secondary to idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) and diabetic nephropathy (DN).
Pharmacological therapies for rhodopsin retinitis pigmentosa

Mutations in the visual pigment protein rod opsin are the most common cause of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP) and the majority of these mutations lead to the misfolding of the protein. Patients with ADRP experience progressive loss of vision leading to blindness and at the moment no effective therapy is available. In this study I have developed a cellular model that can mimic the gain-of function and dominant-negative disease mechanisms in rhodopsin ADRP patients. Whereas wild-type rod opsin translocated to the plasma membrane of the cells, P23H mutant rod opsin misfolded was retained in the ER and accumulated in intracellular inclusions. Several pharmacological compounds were tested in this model. The retinoids 9-c/s-retinal and 11-c/s-retinal reduced inclusion incidence, alleviated cell death and promoted the translocation of the mutant protein to the plasma membrane in cells expressing P23H rod opsin. In cells co-expressing wild-type and P23H rod opsin these compounds restored the normal processing of the wild-type protein, indicating an alleviation of the dominant-negative mechanism of cell death. Chemical chaperones reduced inclusion incidence and cell death but, unlike retinoids, did not to promote the translocation of the mutant protein and did not alleviate the dominant-negative interaction between wild-type and P23H rod opsin. Heat shock protein inducers were also used. Some of these drugs reduced inclusion incidence and cell death in P23H cells. In addition, one partially promoted the translocation of the mutant protein and partially suppressed the dominant-negative mechanism of cell death induced by the mutant protein. Treatment with other compounds such as autophagy inducers also reduced inclusion incidence and cell death in cells expressing P23H rod opsin. These data have identified a range of compounds that demonstrate the 'proof of principle' that some of the gain of function and dominant-negative properties of mutant misfolded rod opsin can be manipulated. The efficacy of these compounds must be established in animal models prior to translation into the clinic.
Gestão do azoto no solo numa rotação hortícola no modo de produção biológico

Realizou-se uma rotacao anual com uma cultura de cobertura de ervilhaca (Vicia sativa L.) e centeio (Secale cereale L.) como adubo verde, seguida por batata (Solanum tuberosum L.) e alface (Lactuca sativa L.) com o objetivo de contribuir para melhorar a gestao do azoto (N) no solo em agricultura biologica. A mineralizacao de N foi determinada atraves de uma incubacao de campo em resposta a aplicacao de adubo verde, compostado (20 e 40 t ha-1) e adubo orgânico (1 e 2 t ha-1) a cultura da batata. A mineralizacao de N no compostado ocorreu durante todo o periodo de desenvolvimento das culturas, enquanto no adubo orgânico uma percentagem elevada de N mineralizou-se logo nos primeiros dias apos incorporacao ao solo, do que resultou uma maior disponibilidade de N e uma producao superior na cultura da batata com 2 t ha-1 de adubo em comparacao com a aplicacao de 20 t ha-1 de compostado e superior na alface com a aplicacao do compostado em comparacao com o adubo orgânico.