Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Progress towards the elimination of onchocerciasis as a public-health problem in Uganda: opportunities, challenges and the way forward

Abstract The national onchocerciasis-control programme in Uganda successfully eliminated Simulium neavei s.s. from the Itwara focus in 1997, by monthly ground spraying with larvicidal temophos (Abate®). Since then, no vectors have been caught in the main Itwara focus or two secondary foci in the same area. After 4 years of intervention, S. neavei s.s. has also been nearly eliminated from the Mpamba-Nkusi focus, and the elimination of this vector from two more foci (West Nile and Wambabya-Rwamarongo) appears quite feasible. There are, however, four isolated foci in Uganda (Budongo, Kashoya-Kitomi, Mount Elgon and Kigezi-Bwindi) which are probably too large and inaccessible to make the elimination of S. neavei s.s. by ground spraying a realistic possibility. Encouragingly, >70% of Ugandans have received an annual dose of ivermectin for at least 10 years, and the national programme of community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) is thought to be progressing towards sustainability. Despite the good treatment coverages, however, many potential vectors are still found infected with Onchocerca volvulus and many Ugandans have O. volvulus in their skin. There is now evidence that adult O. volvulus can be eliminated, within a period of about 6 years, through semiannual treatment with ivermectin. Together, the isolated foci where vector elimination is not considered feasible have a human population of about 700,000, most of whom (595,000) are eligible to receive ivermectin treatment. The estimated cost of each treatment, via the Ugandan CDTI, is U.S.$0.78 if the salaries of the government-employed personnel and the working time lost by the volunteers who act as community-directed drug distributors (CDD) are taken into account. If these 'expenses' are ignored, however, the cost falls to just U.S.$0.17/treatment, and the total costs for the four isolated foci where vector control is not likely to be successful become about U.S.$101,150/year for annual treatment (for an indefinite period of time) or approximately U.S.$202,300/year for semi-annual treatment (for the 6 years needed to eliminate adult O. volvulus), which would be the more cost-effective option. With the necessary financial support and the continued free supply of ivermectin from Merck, the national onchocerciasis-control programme could eliminate human onchocerciasis from Uganda, through a combination of semi-annual treatment with ivermectin in the isolated foci where S. neavei s.s. elimination is not feasible, and vector elimination in all the other foci.
Expression of neuropeptides and their degrading enzymes in ACD

Background. Sensory neuropeptides such as neurokinin A or substance P modulate skin and immune cells the functions of neurokinin receptor activation during neurogenic inflammation. Zinc metalloproteases, such as neutral endopeptidase (NEP) and angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE), effectively control the bioavailability of these neuropeptide mediators, which are released from sensory nerves, immune and skin cells during cutaneous responses to endogenous or exogenous noxious stimuli. Recently, studies have suggested that neuropeptides are one of the major pathogenetic fact in many dermatoses, such as allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.
Transport Costs and Economic Geography: Evidence from Indonesia's Highways

How do road improvements affect the spatial distribution of economic activity? Existing theories of economic geography offer conflicting predictions. In this paper, I study how manufacturing location choices responded to changes in road quality in Indonesia. Using new data, I document massive upgrades to the highway networks of Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi during the 1990s, a period in which national funding for transport infrastructure increased by 83 percent. I first show how these road improvements were accompanied by a significant dispersion of manufacturing activity, away from urban areas. The amount of dispersion varied across industries in predictable ways. Next, I develop a structural model of firm location choice in which firms face a trade off between locating closer to their sources of demand and paying higher factor prices. The model can be estimated with discrete choice techniques, but identifying its parameters is extremely challenging. For instance, many of the location characteristics that firms consider when determining where to operate are themselves affected by the decisions that firms make, creating simultaneity problems. Using techniques to estimate a random coefficients logit model with endogenous choice characteristics, I find significant differences in willingness to pay for market access between different industrial sectors. Counterfactual policy simulations suggest that road improvements cause dispersion, but only to the immediate peripheries of existing urban areas.
Comparison of the Binding of Reversible Inhibitors to Human Butyrylcholinesterase and Acetylcholinesterase: A Crystallographic, Kinetic and Calorimetric Study

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) hydrolyze the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and, thereby, function as coregulators of cholinergic neurotransmission. Although closely related, these enzymes display very different substrate specificities that only partially overlap. This disparity is largely due to differences in the number of aromatic residues lining the active site gorge, which leads to large differences in the shape of the gorge and potentially to distinct interactions with an individual ligand. Considerable structural information is available for the binding of a wide diversity of ligands to AChE. In contrast, structural data on the binding of reversible ligands to BChE are lacking. In a recent effort, an inhibitor competition approach was used to probe the overlap of ligand binding sites in BChE. Here, we extend this study by solving the crystal structures of human BChE in complex with five reversible ligands, namely, decamethonium, thioflavin T, propidium, huprine, and ethopropazine. We compare these structures to equivalent AChE complexes when available in the protein data bank and supplement this comparison with kinetic data and observations from isothermal titration calorimetry. This new information now allows us to define the binding mode of various ligand families and will be of importance in designing specific reversible ligands of BChE that behave as inhibitors or reactivators.
Evidence of oxidative stress in the renal cortex of diabetic rats: favourable effect of vitamin E

The aim of this study was to determine whether there are any disturbances of red/ox balance in the renal cortex of rats during the course of experimental diabetes. In the renal cortex of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoenzymes, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Pox), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GSH-RED) was measured in the 5th, 10th and 15th weeks of diabetes. Free radical cell damage was assessed on the basis of malonyldialdehyde (MDA) concentration. The influence of lipophilic antioxidant vitamin E on these analytes was also studied. An increase in MDA concentration in the 10th and 15th weeks of diabetes correlated significantly with plasma glucose concentration (r = 0.47; p < 0.001). Moreover, MDA concentration was influenced by time (+); p < 0.001, diabetes (+); p < 0.001, vitamin E (-) p < 0.001 (ANOVA). Plasma creatinine concentration in rats was elevated by diabetes (p < 0.001), whereas vitamin E decreased the concentration (p < 0.05). Vitamin E lowered the activity of GSHPox (p < 0.001) and GST (p < 0.01) (ANOVA). Our results indicate that during experimental diabetes, disturbances of red/ox balance lead to disturbance in renal function manifested as increased creatinine blood concentration. We suggest that oral supplementation of vitamin E protects the renal cortex of rats during experimental diabetes.
For a better understanding of scleral contact lens-related pathophysiology.

Scleral contact lens technology had been applied for several years as part of the treatment of ocular surface diseases, as well as for compensation of corneal surface irregularities. In recent years, new scleral lens designs were developed to compensate for current refractive errors. Becoming more widely used, it is crucial to question the long-term effects of their presence on ocular health. One of the key questions raised by the use of scleral lenses on normal corneas is their potential to induce corneal hypoxia, especially if they are fitted with a higher level of fluid-layer thickness. This study by Compañ et al. aims to address this particular issue by defining the theoretical oxygen tension behind modern scleral lenses. It also evaluates the presence of corneal edema, a clinical sign seen in the presence of hypoxia, as a result of scleral lens wear. This work is very important to consider, because it confirms, clinically, the conclusions of the theoretical model developed. This study also confirms the importance of lens material permeability to oxygen, its thickness, and, more importantly, the fluid-layer thickness under scleral lenses as key factors to consider so as to achieve a safe fitting of scleral lenses. This work should be considered a corner stone, and represents a new essential piece in the puzzle to better understand the pathophysiology related to scleral lens wear. It will help eye care practitioners to define the safest ways to prescribe and to adapt scleral lenses, especially at a time when this modality seems to be becoming mainstream.
Heterogeneous credit constraints and smallholder farming productivity in the Senegal River Valley

ABSTRACT Credit constraints come in various forms, to the extent that they translate ex ante into market entry barriers (mostly transaction cost, price, and risk constraints) or ex post into credit application rejection (quantity constraints). This article is concerned with the underlying generating mechanisms of such heterogeneity in credit constraints and the implications for farmers’ productivity in the Senegal River Valley. Results from an endogenous switching regression model based on farm-level data indeed indicate that both pre- and postapplication constraints are holding back farmers’ performance, with differential impact depending on whether the latter is based on the average treatment on the credit beneficiaries or on the nonbeneficiaries and on the productivity measure. This is in addition to significant differences in the generating factors of market entry barriers and credit application outcome. These results are suggestive of various policy options that would not only increase market participation and bring about its beneficial impact, but also contribute to improve smallholder farmers’ credit-worthiness.
Heterocyclic Cationic Gemini Surfactants: A Comparative Overview of Their Synthesis, Self‐assembling, Physicochemical, and Biological Properties

Gemini surfactants (GS) are presently receiving substantial attention due to their special self‐assembling properties and unique interfacial activity. This comprehensive review is focused on positively charged heterocyclic GS, presenting their major synthetic access routes and examining the impact of structural elements on physicochemical and aggregation properties of this class of amphiphiles. Interaction of geminis surfactants with cells and their biological properties as novel transfection agents are emphasized through a detailed structure–activity relationship analysis. Throughout the review we have also presented the properties of selected ammonium GS, simple surfactants and lipid congeners, in order to emphasize the advantages conferred by using heterocyclic polar heads in GS design.
Risk of malignant lymphoma in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: A Dutch nationwide study

Background: Immune suppressant medications such as thiopurines and anti‐tumor necrosis factor agents are important for maintaining disease control in most patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs); however, their use has been associated with the development of malignant lymphoma. The purpose of this Dutch nationwide study was to estimate the relative risk of malignant lymphoma in IBD patients. Methods: IBD patients who developed a lymphoma between 1997 and 2004 were identified using the Dutch National Database of PALGA. Data from confirmed cases were collected from individual hospitals, including data on Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). The age‐adjusted 8‐year incidence of malignant lymphoma in the Netherlands was retrieved from the Central Bureau of Statistics. Results: Forty‐two hospitals were visited and 285 matches evaluated in the total cohort of 17,834 IBD patients. Forty‐four lymphomas were observed, resulting in a relative risk of 1.27 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92–1.68). Only 19 of 44 patients (43%) were exposed to azathioprine/6‐mercaptopurine (AZA/6‐MP). Remarkably, 92% of patients (11/12) with EBV‐positive lymphoma used AZA/6‐MP, in contrast to only 19% patients (4/21) with EBV‐negative lymphoma, suggesting a strong relation between EBV‐positive lymphoma and thiopurine use. Conclusions: This nationwide study does not suggest a significant overall increased risk for lymphoma in IBD patients. A distinct correlation between EBV‐positive lymphoma and AZA/6‐MP use was observed. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2011;)
Phosphorus uptake, partitioning and redistribution during grain filling in rice.

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS In cultivated rice, phosphorus (P) in grains originates from two possible sources, namely exogenous (post-flowering root P uptake from soil) or endogenous (P remobilization from vegetative parts) sources. This study investigates P partitioning and remobilization in rice plants throughout grain filling to resolve contributions of P sources to grain P levels in rice. METHODS Rice plants (Oryza sativa 'IR64') were grown under P-sufficient or P-deficient conditions in the field and in hydroponics. Post-flowering uptake, partitioning and re-partitioning of P was investigated by quantifying tissue P levels over the grain filling period in the field conditions, and by employing 33P isotope as a tracer in the hydroponic study. KEY RESULTS Post-flowering P uptake represented 40-70 % of the aerial plant P accumulation at maturity. The panicle was the main P sink in all studies, and the amount of P potentially remobilized from vegetative tissues to the panicle during grain filling was around 20 % of the total aerial P measured at flowering. In hydroponics, less than 20 % of the P tracer taken up at 9 d after flowering (DAF) was found in the above-ground tissues at 14 DAF and half of it was partitioned to the panicle in both P treatments. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that P uptake from the soil during grain filling is a critical contributor to the P content in grains in irrigated rice. The P tracer study suggests that the mechanism of P loading into grains involves little direct transfer of post-flowering P uptake to the grain but rather substantial mobilization of P that was previously taken up and stored in vegetative tissues.
Methodology for UHF PIFA design in harsh environment

A particular UHF “miniaturized” antenna is presented in this paper. It is a kind of planar inverted F antenna (PIFA) which operates in a metal environment. The return loss of the antenna has been optimized over the ISM european frequency band (868 MHz). To reduce the size of the structure, the resonator has been folded under “itself” and a capacitive load is added in order to decrease the resonance frequency. The result is the achievement of an ISM - UHF Antenna matched at 868 MHz. The simulation results are obtained by the software design package CST Microwave Studio. The effects of various physical parameters are presented and discussed. The goal is to finally design an integrated device which will be able to communicate from a metal box.
Elevating endocannabinoid levels: pharmacological strategies and potential therapeutic applications

The endocannabinoid system consists of cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, of endogenous agonists for these receptors known as ‘endocannabinoids’, and of processes responsible for endocannabinoid biosynthesis, cellular uptake and metabolism. There is strong evidence first, that this system up-regulates in certain disorders as indicated by an increased release of endocannabinoids onto their receptors and/or by increases in the expression levels or coupling efficiency of these receptors, and second, that this up-regulation often appears to reduce or abolish unwanted effects of these disorders or to slow their progression. This discovery has raised the possibility of developing a medicine that enhances up-regulation of the endocannabinoid system associated with these disorders by inhibiting the cellular uptake or intracellular metabolism of an endocannabinoid following its ‘autoprotective’ endogenous release. For inhibition of endocannabinoid metabolism, research has focused particularly on two highly investigated endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, and hence on inhibitors of the main anandamide-metabolising enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), and of the main 2-arachidonoyl glycerol-metabolising enzyme, monoacylglycerol (MAG) lipase. The resulting data have provided strong preclinical evidence that selective FAAH and MAG lipase inhibitors would ameliorate the unwanted effects of several disorders, when administered alone or with a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and that the benefit-to-risk ratio of a FAAH inhibitor would exceed that of a MAG lipase inhibitor or dual inhibitor of FAAH and MAG lipase. Promising preclinical data have also been obtained with inhibitors of endocannabinoid cellular uptake. There is now an urgent need for clinical research with these enzyme and uptake inhibitors.
Association of sleep characteristics and cognition in older community-dwelling men: the MrOS sleep study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To examine the association of objectively and subjectively measured sleep characteristics with cognition in older men. DESIGN A population-based cross-sectional study. SETTING 6 centers in the United States. PARTICIPANTS 3,132 community-dwelling older men (mean age 76.4 ± 5.6 years). INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Objectively measured sleep predictors from wrist actigraphy were total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE), and wake after sleep onset (WASO). Subjective sleep predictors were self-reported poor sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI] > 5), excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS, Epworth Sleepiness Scale Score > 10), and TST. Cognitive outcomes were measured with the Modified Mini-Mental State examination (3MS), the Trails B test, and the Digit Vigilance Test (DVT). After adjustment for multiple potential confounders, WASO was modestly related to poorer cognition. Compared to those with WASO < 90 min, men with WASO ≥ 90 min took 6.1 sec longer to complete the Trails B test and had a 0.9-point worse 3MS score, on average (P<0.05). Actigraphically measured long sleepers had a slightly worse 3MS score compared to those with 7-8 h of sleep, but had similar Trails B and DVT completion times. Compared to those who self-reported sleeping 7-8 h, long sleepers (>8 h) on average took 8.6 sec more to complete the Trails B test, had a 0.6-point worse 3MS score, and took 46 sec longer to complete the DVT (P<0.05). PSQI and EDS were not independently related to cognitive outcomes. CONCLUSIONS There were modest cross-sectional associations of WASO and self-reported long sleep with cognition among older community-dwelling men. EDS and PSQI were not related to cognition.
Parthenotes as a source of embryonic stem cells

Abstract. The derivation and study of human embryonic stem cell lines, despite their potential therapeutic usefulness, raise considerable ethical, religious, legal and political concerns because it inevitably leads to the destruction of viable embryos. In an attempt to bridge the division between ethical questions and potential scientific and medical benefits, considerable efforts have been devoted to the search for alternative sources of pluripotent cell lines. In this review we discuss the use of artificial parthenogenesis as a way to create entities, called parthenotes, that may represent an alternative ethical source for pluripotent cell lines. We describe the biological differences between parthenotes and embryos, in order to provide a rationale for the discussion on whether their use can be acceptable as a source of stem cells. We present data derived from animal models on the extent parthenogenetic stem cells are similar to biparental cell lines and discuss these aspects in the context of their extension to the human species. Finally, we present experiments recently carried out in our laboratory that allowed us to generate human parthenotes through artificial activation of human oocytes and to use them as a source for the derivation of parthenogenetic pluripotent cell lines.
Deficiência, Emprego e Salário no Mercado de Trabalho Brasileiro

Resumo Este estudo pretende analisar o efeito da deficiência no emprego e no salário por hora de trabalho no Brasil. A amostra é da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde de 2013, e foram considerados três grupos: não deficientes, deficientes com limitações das atividades e deficientes sem tais limitações. Utilizou-se como estratégia metodológica a decomposição das diferenças de remuneração entre os grupos nos quantis da distribuição de salários. Os resultados indicaram uma vantagem salarial dos não deficientes e dos deficientes sem limitações em relação aos deficientes com limitações das atividades nos quantis 50° e 90°, que se deve, principalmente, às diferenças nas características observáveis dos indivíduos. Os deficientes sem limitações apresentaram uma vantagem salarial em relação aos não deficientes no quantil 90°. Esse resultado pode ser uma evidência de que os empregadores optam por contratar deficientes sem limitações para cargos de maior remuneração e, assim, cumprem as determinações da política de cotas para pessoas com deficiência, sem que sejam necessários ajustes significativos na infraestrutura ou nas rotinas de trabalho.
The Power of Negative Mood in Predicting Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Abuse Comorbidity

Objective: Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) show a high risk of developing substance use disorders (SUD). Many studies have shown that PTSD often precedes SUD, and some studies have been able to identify factors that might predict which individuals might develop subsequent SUD. Attempts to treat PTSD and SUD comorbidity have proven difficult, but new methods for simultaneous treatment have shown promise for treating PTSD. The ability to identify factors that predict PTSD/SUD comorbidity and the advent of new combined treatment methods warrant investigation of how differences in specific types of PTSD symptoms individuals experience might predict who will go on to develop SUD symptoms and thus benefit from new combined treatments. Method: In this study, we analyzed which clusters of PTSD symptoms predicted whether individuals with PTSD met criteria for alcohol use disorder. Results: Analyses revealed that frequency and intensity of negative alterations in cognition and mood predicted SUD, but re-experiencing symptoms, hyperarousal, and avoidance did not. Conclusions: Our results indicate that those who experience negative alterations in cognition and mood may be at increased risk of developing SUD, and that we may be able to predict which individuals in clinical settings will be strong candidates for new combined PTSD/SUD treatments. Further considerations for our results and for future directions are also discussed.