Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tracheostomy in children with severe neurological impairment : A single-centre review

Objective: To determine the characteristics and the clinical course of the children with severe neurological impairment who require tracheostomy and long-term in-patient care. Design: Retrospective case series. Patients: 36 patients with severe neurological impairment and tracheostomy, having received in-patient care from Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Caritas Medical Centre, from 1 January 2010 to 30 September 2015. Main outcome measures: Post-tracheostomy survival time and rate, complications and mortality related to tracheostomy, decannulation rate, types of bacteria found in the lower respiratory tract specimens after tracheostomy creation. Results: The mean age at which their tracheostomy was created is 6.9 years (range 4 weeks to 18 years). The indications for their tracheostomy include upper airway obstruction (58%), recurrent pneumonia (33%), and prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (31%). Twenty-six (72%) patients were still alive at the end of the study. Their mean age is 13.8 years, and the mean duration of time elapsed since their tracheostomy was created is 8.2 years. Ten (28%) patients had passed away at the end of the study. Their mean age at death is 15.1 years, and their mean post-tracheostomy survival time is 5.0 years. The overall 1-year and 5-year post-tracheostomy survival rates are 100% and 81.2% respectively. None of them had decannulation, or tracheostomy-related death. The 3 most prevalent bacteria found in the lower respiratory tract specimens after tracheostomy creation are Pseudomonas aeroginosa, non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis. Conclusion: Although tracheostomy is an invasive procedure and carries risk of complication, it can facilitate better care of the children with severe neurological impairment, physical disability and respiratory complications, including upper airway obstruction, recurrent pneumonia, and respiratory failure requiring prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation. They can have long survival after tracheostomy. The decannulation rate is extremely low in them.
ENDOTHELIAL PROGENITOR CELLS OF DIABETIC PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROMES : EFFECTS OF ANTIDIABETIC AND LIPID LOWERING DRUGS 2014

1 Resumo . 3 Publications arising from this thesis . 5 Thesis outline . 7 List of Abbreviations . 9 PART I – Introduction . 13 1. Acute coronary syndromes and myocardial regeneration . 16 2. EPCs and postnatal neovascularization . 16 3. Phenotypical characterization of EPCs . 18 4. EPCs biology and type 2 diabetes mellitus . 20 5. EPCs as a target for pharmacological stimulation . 21 PART II – Aims . 33 PART III – Publications . 37 Chapter I: Stimulation of endothelial progenitor cells: a new putative effect of several cardiovascular drugs . 39 Chapter II: Challenges in vascular repair by endothelial progenitor cells in diabetic patients . 53 Chapter III: Reduced levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in acute myocardial infarction patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes: accompanying the glycemic continuum . 61 Chapter IV: Impact of prior chronic statin therapy and high intensity statin therapy at discharge on circulating endothelial progenitor cells levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a prospective observational study . 81 Chapter V: Endothelial progenitor cells in diabetic patients with myocardial infarction – – can statins improve their function? 97 PART IV – Conclusions and Future Perspectives . 111
Uremic Versus Idiopathic Restless Legs Syndrome: Impact on Aspects Related to Quality of Life

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) affects both the general population and patients with chronic renal failure. Even though it has been suggested that all forms of RLS share a common pathophysiology, not much evidence exists on how RLS of different etiology could affect aspects related to quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to investigate whether patients with uremic RLS (uRLS) experience lower QoL, mental health, and sleep quality, compared with their idiopathic RLS (iRLS) counterparts. Fifteen iRLS patients, 26 uRLS patients, and 15 age-matched healthy individuals participated in the study. The RLS diagnosis and severity, the depression levels, the perception of sleep, and perceived health-related QoL levels were assessed through validated questionnaires. Sleep status was not different between the two RLS groups. In contrast, the uRLS patients scored higher in RLS symptoms severity, depression, while they scored lower in QoL levels compared with iRLS patients. QoL levels were significantly lower in both RLS groups compared with healthy individuals. In conclusion, the uRLS patients experienced lower QoL levels and more severe RLS symptoms, compared with the idiopathic group, possibly leading to the observed higher depression symptoms score.
Photophysics of sunscreen molecules in the gas phase: a stepwise approach towards understanding and developing next-generation sunscreens

The relationship between exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and skin cancer urges the need for extra photoprotection, which is presently provided by widespread commercially available sunscreen lotions. Apart from having a large absorption cross section in the UVA and UVB regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, the chemical absorbers in these photoprotective products should also be able to dissipate the excess energy in a safe way, i.e. without releasing photoproducts or inducing any further, harmful, photochemistry. While sunscreens are tested for both their photoprotective capability and dermatological compatibility, phenomena occurring at the molecular level upon absorption of UV radiation are largely overlooked. To date, there is only a limited amount of information regarding the photochemistry and photophysics of these sunscreen molecules. However, a thorough understanding of the intrinsic mechanisms by which popular sunscreen molecular constituents dissipate excess energy has the potential to aid in the design of more efficient, safer sunscreens. In this review, we explore the potential of using gas-phase frequency- and time-resolved spectroscopies in an effort to better understand the photoinduced excited-state dynamics, or photodynamics, of sunscreen molecules. Complementary computational studies are also briefly discussed. Finally, the future outlook of expanding these gas-phase studies into the solution phase is considered.
Spatial navigation deficit in amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) frequently have difficulties with spatial orientation in their day-to-day life. Although AD is typically preceded by amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), spatial navigation has not yet been studied in MCI. Sixty-five patients were divided into five groups: probable AD (n = 21); MCI, further classified as amnestic MCI single domain (n = 11); amnestic MCI multiple domain (n = 18), or nonamnestic MCI (n = 7), and subjective memory complaints (n = 8). These patients, together with a group of healthy control subjects (n = 26), were tested by using a four-subtests task that required them to locate an invisible goal inside a circular arena. Each subtest began with an overhead view of the arena showed on a computer monitor. This was followed by a real navigation inside of the actual space, an enclosed arena 2.9 m in diameter. Depending on the subtest, the subjects could use the starting position and/or cues on the wall for navigation. The subtests thus were focused on allocentric and egocentric navigation. The AD group and amnestic MCI multiple-domain group were impaired in all subtests. The amnestic MCI single-domain group was impaired significantly in subtests focused on allocentric orientation and at the beginning of the real space egocentric subtest, suggesting impaired memory for allocentric and real space configurations. Our results suggest that spatial navigation impairment occurs early in the development of AD and can be used for monitoring of the disease progression or for evaluation of presymptomiatic AD.
Decomposition of Used Tyre Rubber by Pyrolysis: Enhancement of the Physical Properties of the Liquid Fraction Using a Hydrogen Stream

The disposal of discarded tyres represents an environmental challenge for solid waste management entities. The need to reduce solid waste in urban areas along with the depletion of natural resources have made it necessary to reincorporate used materials into productive processes, giving value to what is considered waste, and minimizing the requirement of natural resources. In this study, pyrolysis was selected to thermally decompose used ground waste vulcanized rubber from automobile tyres. This rubber was exposed to the pyrolytic process in an indirectly heated batch reactor at three different temperatures. Three fractions (i.e., gas, liquid and solid) were obtained during the process. The effect of a hydrogen stream on the properties of the liquid fraction was analysed and characterized following the American Society for Testing and Materials procedures (ASTM) for the pyrolysis of liquid fuels. A multifactorial statistical analysis was used to evaluate the experimental data and thermographs of the process were recorded. Differences in thermographs suggest a different degradation pathway for the rubber exposed to 600 °C compared to the rubber exposed to lower temperatures. Temperatures in the range of 450 to 500 °C favored the production of carbon black regardless of the use of a hydrogen stream. In contrast, high temperatures favored the production of liquid and gas fractions. The highest production of liquid fraction was obtained at 550 °C, where 37% of the rubber was turned into liquid. Results also showed that a constant flow of hydrogen improves the appearance of the pyrolysis liquid. Furthermore, the hydrogen atmosphere reduces the sulphur content, water and sediments; and increases the values for the heat of combustion and the liquid fraction.
Expression and Purification of Functionally Active Recombinant Human Alpha 1-Antitrypsin in Methylotrophic Yeast Pichia pastoris

Human alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) cDNA was obtained from HepG2 cell lines. After PCR and construction of expression vector pPICZα-AAT, human AAT was expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris (P.pastoris) in a secretary manner and under the control of inducible alcohol oxidase 1 (AOX1) promoter. The amount of AAT protein in medium was measured as 60 mg/l 72 hr after induction with methanol. Results indicated the presence of protease inhibitory function of the protein against elastase. Purification was done using His-tag affinity chromatography. Due to the different patterns of glycosylation in yeast and human, the recombinant AAT showed different SDS-PAGE patterns compared to that of serum-derived AAT while pI shifted from 4.9 in native AAT compared to 5.2 in recombinant AAT constructed in this study.
Educational Knowledge and Perception of Medical Students towards Practice of Monitoring the Safety of Drugs

DOI: 10.21276/sjams.2017. 5.12. 57 Abstract: The purpose of pharmacovigilance is to improve patient safety but underreporting is the main problem which is due to lack of adequate knowledge, attitude and practice among healthcare professionals towards ADR reporting. Therefore present questionnaire based study was conducted in medical students for assessing the knowledge, attitude, and practice related to pharmacovigilance. A total of 250 medical students participated in the study. A self-administered pre‐ validated,semi‐ structured questionnaire 14-item questionnaire was used to understand student’s familiarity with regard to pharmacovigilance. Mean score of completeness of the questionnaire was 19.04 out of 20.During the study it was found that most of the students (80%) were aware of the definition of pharmacovigilance and 85% participants were of the view that ADRs should be reported by only doctors. Only 60% participants know about the location of international ADR monitoring centre and 90% participants know about institutional ADR centre. Whereas 74% opined that only serious ADR with any medicine should be reported and only 20% participants felt that ADR reporting is a professional obligation for doctors. 95% participants were of the view that pharmacovigilance should be taught in detail to healthcare professionals. Out of 81% of those seen ADR, only 20% of them reported it. We conclude that to improve the adverse drug reaction reporting in India, pharmacovigilance should be taught in details during undergraduate. During internship, students should be motivated to fill the case report form and participate in pharmacovigilance program and for students should be awarded to motivate them. It has been advised that medical students should be trained properly on ADR reporting to improve the pharmacovigilance program of the country.
Mechanics of the Toxoplasma gondii oocyst wall

The ability of microorganisms to survive under extreme conditions is closely related to the physicochemical properties of their wall. In the ubiquitous protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, the oocyst stage possesses a bilayered wall that protects the dormant but potentially infective parasites from harsh environmental conditions until their ingestion by the host. None of the common disinfectants are effective in killing the parasite because the oocyst wall acts as a primary barrier to physical and chemical attacks. Here, we address the structure and chemistry of the wall of the T. gondii oocyst by combining wall surface treatments, fluorescence imaging, EM, and measurements of its mechanical characteristics by using atomic force microscopy. Elasticity and indentation measurements indicated that the oocyst wall resembles common plastic materials, based on the Young moduli, E, evaluated by atomic force microscopy. Our study demonstrates that the inner layer is as robust as the bilayered wall itself. Besides wall mechanics, our results suggest important differences regarding the nonspecific adhesive properties of each layer. All together, these findings suggest a key biological role for the oocyst wall mechanics in maintaining the integrity of the T. gondii oocysts in the environment or after exposure to disinfectants, and therefore their potential infectivity to humans and animals.
Chapter 8 S 6 Kinase : A Compelling Prospect for Therapeutic Interventions

S6 kinase, a member of AGC family of protein kinases and a downstream effector of mTORC1 pathway has over the years found much relevance in maintaining a normal cellular state by virtue of its established role in regulation of cell growth and proliferation. S6 kinase activity has been linked to different cellular processes like glucose homeostasis, translational and transcriptional regulation. Hence any dysregulation in S6K1 leads to the emergence of various pathological conditions like diabetes, cancer and obesity. It is as such S6 kinase has emerged as a potential target for therapeutic interventions employed in curing such diseases. The Present Chapter reviews the regulation of S6K1, its structural organization and functions, besides highlighting its potential to act as an alternative therapeutic target for various cancerous situations exhibiting deranged mTOR signaling so as to overcome the possibility of relapses observed otherwise while using conventional drugs
The Innovativeness and Self-Efficacy Predict the Acceptance of Using iPad2 as a Green Behavior by the Government's Top Administrators.

Apple released the first iPad in 2010, and since then various operating systems have emerged. Many corporations have adopted the use of tablets in efforts toward organizational innovation. Innovation is the motivation for organizations to move forward and it is a key in the maintenance of their competitive advantage. The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) of Taiwan started to use the iPad 2 in 2010. In subsequent years, they wrote a new operating system for an innovative plan to input all meeting materials into the system. The present study used a technology acceptance model (TAM), and its innovativeness, to elucidate the rationale for the use of the iPad 2 by top administrators (most of who were more than 50 years of age and were conditioned to having secretaries handle the work of document processing). We also investigated the factors that predict the use of the iPad 2 in a business-meeting setting, and the acceptance of the iPad 2 by EPA participants. The results of this study revealed the following points. 1. ) Innovativeness and iPad self-efficacy had a significant positive influence on each participant’s perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU) of the iPad 2, as well as on its usefulness in creating a paperless meeting environment. 2. ) The PEU had a significant positive influence on participants’ PU of the iPad 2 in creating a paperless meeting environment. 3. ) PEU and PU had a positive influence on user satisfaction. 4. ) User satisfaction had a positive influence on user’s will to continue using the iPad 2.
Examining the Results of Podcast Relaxation Techniques in Higher Education.

College students face many stressors such as academic course work, finances, living away from home, and planning for the future. Knowledge of stress management techniques can assist students in coping with such stressors, especially when disseminated through convenient technologies which are increasingly common in their personal and academic lives. This study examined students’ responses to stress management techniques provided via podcasts in health and stress classes. Seven techniques were each practiced for seven days, with statistically significant increases in relaxation reported from day one to day seven in five of the seven techniques. Self-reported outcomes were positive and included perceptions of decreased stress symptoms after practicing the strategies. Podcasts on stress management techniques could be used with students, faculty, or staff at other learning institutions because of their effectiveness in reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
Effects of Ambient Ozone Exposure on Mail Carriers’ Peak Expiratory Flow Rates

The extent to which occupational exposure to ozone in ambient air can affect lung function remains unclear. We conducted a panel study in 43 mail carriers by measuring their peak expiratory flow rates (PEFRs) twice daily for 6 weeks in 2001. The daily exposure of each mail carrier to O3, particulate matter < 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), and nitrogen dioxide was estimated by one air monitoring station in the center of the mail carrier’s delivery area. Hourly concentrations of air pollutants during their exposure periods were 6–96 ppb for O3, 11–249 μg/m3 for PM10, and 14–92 ppb for NO2. Linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate the association between air pollution exposures and PEFR after adjusting for subject’s sex, age, and disease status and for temperature and humidity. We found that night PEFR and the deviation in night PEFR were significantly decreased in association with 8-hr O3 exposures with a lag 0–2 days and by daily maximum O3 exposures with a lag of 0–1 day in our multipollutant models. By contrast, neither PM10 nor NO2 was associated with a PEFR reduction. Daily 8-hr mean concentrations of O3 had greater reduction effects on PEFR than did daily maximum concentrations. For a 10-ppb increase in the 8-hr average O3 concentration, the night PEFR was decreased by 0.54% for a 0-day lag, 0.69% for a 1-day lag, and 0.52% for a 2-day lag. We found that an acute lung function reduction occurs in mail carriers exposed to O3 concentrations below current ambient air quality standards and occupational exposure limits.
Quantitative analysis of the nutritional components in leaves and seeds of the Persian Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori

Background: Moringa peregrina (M. peregrina) is an important tropical tree recognized for its nutritional and medicinal properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional component in the leaves and seeds of the Persian M. peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori. Materials and Methods: The M. peregrina leaves and seeds of wild cultivated trees were collected from the areas of arid environment located in the South-East of the Iran. The leaves and seeds of M. peregrina were dried and grounded to a fine powder and kept in dark for the day of experiment. The acidic digested leaves and seeds were analyzed for Vitamins C and A, calcium, and potassium using atomic adsorption and flame emission spectrophotometer. Results: The analytical data revealed that the leaves and seeds of the Persian M. peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori contain sufficient amounts of Vitamin C: 83 ± 0.5 and 14 ± 0.6 mg/100 g/DW; and Vitamin A: 6.8 ± 0.7 and 24.8 ± 0.7 mg/100 g/DW, respectively. The elemental analysis in the leaves and seeds showed that the calcium content are 764.8 ± 1.6 and 1164.8 ± 43.4 mg/100 g/DW and for potassium content are 900.2 ± 14 and 572 ± 10 mg/100 g/DW, respectively. Conclusions: The nutritional characteristics of the Persian M. peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori, investigated in this study revealed that, daily use of leaves and seeds of this plant could significantly provide the recommended dietary allowance for the Vitamins C and A, and minerals, such as calcium and potassium.
Chemical and archaeological evidence for the earliest cacao beverages

Chemical analyses of residues extracted from pottery vessels from Puerto Escondido in what is now Honduras show that cacao beverages were being made there before 1000 B.C., extending the confirmed use of cacao back at least 500 years. The famous chocolate beverage served on special occasions in later times in Mesoamerica, especially by elites, was made from cacao seeds. The earliest cacao beverages consumed at Puerto Escondido were likely produced by fermenting the sweet pulp surrounding the seeds.
Avian Incubation Inhibits Growth and Diversification of Bacterial Assemblages on Eggs

Microbial infection is a critical source of mortality for early life stages of oviparous vertebrates, but parental defenses against infection are less well known. Avian incubation has been hypothesized to reduce the risk of trans-shell infection by limiting microbial growth of pathogenic bacteria on eggshells, while enhancing growth of commensal or beneficial bacteria that inhibit or competitively exclude pathogens. We tested this hypothesis by comparing bacterial assemblages on naturally incubated and experimentally unincubated eggs at laying and late incubation using a universal 16S rRNA microarray containing probes for over 8000 bacterial taxa. Before treatment, bacterial assemblages on individual eggs from both treatment groups were dissimilar to one another, as measured by clustering in non-metric dimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination space. After treatment, assemblages of unincubated eggs were similar to one another, but those of incubated eggs were not. Furthermore, assemblages of unincubated eggs were characterized by high abundance of six indicator species while incubated eggs had no indicator species. Bacterial taxon richness remained static on incubated eggs, but increased significantly on unincubated eggs, especially in several families of Gram-negative bacteria. The relative abundance of individual bacterial taxa did not change on incubated eggs, but that of 82 bacterial taxa, including some known to infect the interior of eggs, increased on unincubated eggs. Thus, incubation inhibits all of the relatively few bacteria that grow on eggshells, and does not appear to promote growth of any bacteria.