Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biodegradation of 3-Chlorophenol in a Sequencing Batch Reactor

Abstract The present paper shows the results obtained through a study on the biodegradation of 3-chlorophenol (3-CP) in a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR). To such a purpose a lab-scale SBR was fed a synthetic wastewater containing 3-CP and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) diluted in tap water. The operating strategy, in terms of both the duration of either the cycle or the react phase, was changed throughout the experimental activity in order to find out the optimal one allowing to ensure constant and high removal efficiency despite the increasing 3-chlorophenol concentration in the feed. Biomass collected from a full-scale continuous flow activated sludge facility treating domestic wastewater was used as seed, after being acclimated to 3-CP by means of several batch tests. The results showed that a periodically operated activated sludge system can be successfully used for the biodegradation of chlorophenol compounds, after the needed members of the microbiological consortium are selected and enriched.
Anesthetic considerations in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases.

AIM Increasing age and co-morbidities of patients admitted for surgery impose new challenges on the anesthesiologist. METHODS Review of current literature regarding the perioperative management of patients with chronic pulmonary disease. RESULTS If patients are treated adequately, surgery can be safely performed under regional and general anaesthesia. Major risk factors include type of surgery, type and duration of anesthesia, general health status and smoking history, but not certain lung function parameters. Regional anesthesia remains the first choice for intra- and postoperative care, and if general anesthesia is necessary, early extubation should be achieved. Non-invasive ventilation could be a possible alternative in weaning failure. CONCLUSION Assessing the functional status of patients admitted to surgery remains a difficult task, and in patients identified at risk by clinical examination additional spirometry and blood gases may be helpful. If there are signs of respiratory failure, the anaesthetist should monitor the patient closely and invasively, yet there is no reason to deny any patient a substantially beneficial operation.
Cryptococcus neoformans

Phospholipases have only been detected in a few fungi and yeasts, in particular in Candida albicans. Secreted phospholipases are considered by some researchers to be a potential factor of virulence and pathogenicity in C. albicans. Twenty-three Cryptococcus neoformans strains were tested in order to observe phospholipase production. Twenty-two of the 23 strains tested were able to produce phospholipases, and the ratio diameter of the colony to total diameter of the colony plus zone of precipitation (Pz) ranged between 0.271 and 0.949. C. neoformans, just like C. albicans, can be divided on the basis of the Pz into different strains according to their virulence and pathogenicity. There also appeared to be a correlation between the phospholipase production and the size of the capsule in the strains isolated from AIDS patients. For this reason, further studies on C. neoformans phospholipase activity would be useful in evaluating the virulence of different strains.
Managing hypertension in diabetic patients – focus on trandolapril/verapamil combination

Hypertensive diabetes individuals are at higher risk for cardiovascular events and progression to end stage renal disease. Several well conducted clinical trials indicate that aggressive treatment of hypertension in individual with diabetes reduces these complications. Combinations of two or more antihypertensive drugs are frequently required to reach the target blood pressure and to improve the cardiovascular and renal outcomes in these patients. There are physiological and clinical rationales for renin-angiotensin system blockade in hypertensive diabetics. Trandolapril/verapamil sustained released (SR) is a fixed-dose combination of trandolapril and a sustained release formulation of verapamil and indicated in treatment of hypertension in patients who require more than one drug to reach target blood pressure. The antihypertensive efficacy of trandolapril/verapamil SR has been evaluated extensively in large trials. In the INVEST trial, a verapamil SR-based treatment strategy that included trandolapril in most patients was effective in reducing the primary outcome in hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease. The new onset of diabetes was also significantly lower in the verapamil SR/trandolapril treatment group in comparison with those on the atenolol/hydroclorothiazide treatment group. The BErgamo NEphrologic DIabetes Complications Trial (BENEDICT) documented that in hypertensive diabetes and normoalbuminuria, trandolapril plus verapamil or trandolapril alone delayed the onset of microalbuminuria independent of their blood pressure-reducing effect. Thus, trandolapril/verapamil is an effective option for treatment of hypertensive diabetes patients requiring more than one agent to achieve target blood pressure.
Anxiolytic effect of midazolam premedication assessed by clinical and platelet aggregation profiles.

BACKGROUND It is well documented that surgery is associated with increased anxiety, which has an adverse impact on patient's outcome. This study was designed to assess the anxiolytic effect of midazolam in pre-anaesthetic medication by using clinical and platelet aggregation profiles. METHODS Sixty ASA I and II female patients aged between 35 and 60 years undergoing elective abdominal hysterectomy were randomly divided into two equal groups. Group I received placebo as pre-medication while group II received 0.15 mg/kg midazolam as pre-medication 1 hour preoperatively. They were monitored for visual analogue scale (VAS) for anxiety, observer's anxiety criteria, sedation score, blood pressure, heart rate and platelet aggregation profile immediately before and 1 hour after pre-medication. RESULTS There was statistically significant difference with respect to VAS of anxiety, observer's anxiety criteria, sedation scores, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.05). Heart rate was higher in the midazolam group but this was not statistically significant. There was no statistical significant difference in platelet aggregation profile in the two groups. CONCLUSION Findings of the study suggest midazolam is a good anxiolytic for pre-medication and its effect on platelet aggregation profile needs to be further evaluated.
Group representations and high-resolution central limit theorems for subordinated spherical random fields

We study the weak convergence (in the high-frequency limit) of the frequency components associated with Gaussian-subordinated, spherical and isotropic random fields. In particular, we provide conditions for asymptotic Gaussianity and establish a new connection with random walks on the hypergroup ŜO(3) (the dual of the group of rotations SO(3)), which mirrors analogous results previously established for fields defined on Abelian groups (see Marinucci and Peccati [Stochastic Process. Appl. 118 (2008) 585–613]). Our work is motivated by applications to cosmological data analysis.
Everolimus: an mTOR inhibitor for the treatment of tuberous sclerosis

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a devastating disease affecting virtually all organ systems of the body and is characterized by multiple hamartomas and neurodevelopmental disorders. The majority of patients with TSC have mutations in TSC1 or TSC2, resulting in constitutive activation of mTOR. Because the pathogenesis of the disease is mTOR hyperactivity, mTOR inhibitors have the potential to treat the underlying cause in TSC patients. Everolimus is the first mTOR inhibitor approved in the USA for the treatment of patients with subependymal giant-cell astrocytomas (SEGAs) associated with TSC. Evidence supports and ongoing studies are evaluating the role of mTOR inhibitors in the treatment of a wide spectrum of disease manifestations, including reduction in tumor volume (SEGAs, renal angiomyolipoma) and improvement in epilepsy, lung function and skin manifestations, including facial angiofibromas. In time, the use of mTOR inhibitors in patients with TSC will likely be very well established.
Prenatal Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (m TORC1) Inhibition by Rapamycin Treatment of Pregnant Mice Causes Intrauterine Growth Restriction and Alters Postnatal Cardiac Growth, Morphology, and Function

Background Fetal growth impacts cardiovascular health throughout postnatal life in humans. Various animal models of intrauterine growth restriction exhibit reduced heart size at birth, which negatively influences cardiac function in adulthood. The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) integrates nutrient and growth factor availability with cell growth, thereby regulating organ size. This study aimed at elucidating a possible involvement of mTORC1 in intrauterine growth restriction and prenatal heart growth. Methods and Results We inhibited mTORC1 in fetal mice by rapamycin treatment of pregnant dams in late gestation. Prenatal rapamycin treatment reduces mTORC1 activity in various organs at birth, which is fully restored by postnatal day 3. Rapamycin‐treated neonates exhibit a 16% reduction in body weight compared with vehicle‐treated controls. Heart weight decreases by 35%, resulting in a significantly reduced heart weight/body weight ratio, smaller left ventricular dimensions, and reduced cardiac output in rapamycin‐ versus vehicle‐treated mice at birth. Although proliferation rates in neonatal rapamycin‐treated hearts are unaffected, cardiomyocyte size is reduced, and apoptosis increased compared with vehicle‐treated neonates. Rapamycin‐treated mice exhibit postnatal catch‐up growth, but body weight and left ventricular mass remain reduced in adulthood. Prenatal mTORC1 inhibition causes a reduction in cardiomyocyte number in adult hearts compared with controls, which is partially compensated for by an increased cardiomyocyte volume, resulting in normal cardiac function without maladaptive left ventricular remodeling. Conclusions Prenatal rapamycin treatment of pregnant dams represents a new mouse model of intrauterine growth restriction and identifies an important role of mTORC1 in perinatal cardiac growth.
Effect of educational intervention based on Self- Efficacy Theory (SET) on behavior of prevention of HIV/ AIDS in high risk women

Introduction: Today, Epidemic of HIV / AIDS is one of the most important health, social, economic problems of human and one of the biggest problems and concerns in many countries of the world that its scope and size is still increasing. This study was performed with aim to determine the effect of educational intervention based on SET on behaviors of prevention of HIV/ AIDS in high risk and vulnerable women in the city of Neka. Methods: This Quasi- experimental (case-control) study was performed on 70 high risk and vulnerable women referred to Drop-In Centers (DIC) in Sari and Neka. Data was gathered using a researcher-made along with completing questionnaire. According to the results obtained from primary completing of the questionnaire, educational intervention was designed based on the SET and was performed in intervention group. After 3 months of intervention, data of both groups was collected and analyzed using SPSS software (version 16) and Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, independent t, and paired t tests. PResults: After educational intervention, use of condom was increased at intervention group (45,7) compared to control group (5,7). The difference between before and after of self- efficacy was significant in intervention group (9.83±0.05) and control group (1.50±2.67) and performance in the intervention group with median and interquartile range of 2.0 (3.0) and control group 0.0 (0.0). In intervention group, there was a significant relation between increase of self-efficacy and increase in performance (P<0,001). Conclusion: Behaviors of prevention of AIDS and self-efficacy is insufficient in the studied women and educational intervention based on the SET can be effective on promotion of self-efficacy and use of condom to prevent from AIDS in these women.
The Interplay between Myc and CTP Synthase in Drosophila

CTP synthase (CTPsyn) is essential for the biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. It has been shown that CTPsyn is incorporated into a novel cytoplasmic structure which has been termed the cytoophidium. Here, we report that Myc regulates cytoophidium formation during Drosophila oogenesis. We have found that Myc protein levels correlate with cytoophidium abundance in follicle epithelia. Reducing Myc levels results in cytoophidium loss and small nuclear size in follicle cells, while overexpression of Myc increases the length of cytoophidia and the nuclear size of follicle cells. Ectopic expression of Myc induces cytoophidium formation in late stage follicle cells. Furthermore, knock-down of CTPsyn is sufficient to suppress the overgrowth phenotype induced by Myc overexpression, suggesting CTPsyn acts downstream of Myc and is required for Myc-mediated cell size control. Taken together, our data suggest a functional link between Myc, a renowned oncogene, and the essential nucleotide biosynthetic enzyme CTPsyn.
In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of 28DAP010, a Novel Diamidine for Treatment of Second-Stage African Sleeping Sickness

ABSTRACT African sleeping sickness is a neglected tropical disease transmitted by tsetse flies. New and better drugs are still needed especially for its second stage, which is fatal if untreated. 28DAP010, a dipyridylbenzene analogue of DB829, is the second simple diamidine found to cure mice with central nervous system infections by a parenteral route of administration. 28DAP010 showed efficacy similar to that of DB829 in dose-response studies in mouse models of first- and second-stage African sleeping sickness. The in vitro time to kill, determined by microcalorimetry, and the parasite clearance time in mice were shorter for 28DAP010 than for DB829. No cross-resistance was observed between 28DAP010 and pentamidine on the tested Trypanosoma brucei gambiense isolates from melarsoprol-refractory patients. 28DAP010 is the second promising preclinical candidate among the diamidines for the treatment of second-stage African sleeping sickness.
Comparative Study of Flavor Precursors, Volatile Compounds and Sensory between Malaysian and Ghanaian Cocoa Beans

The aim of this work was to compare quantitatively the flavor precursor constituents between unroasted Ghanaian and Malaysian cocoa beans. Furthermore, the effect of roasting on the flavor development was also characterized based on the volatile compounds and sensory analysis. Sensory analysis results showed a significant difference (p 0.05) between samples. Effects of flavor pre-cursors such as organic acids (citric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid), sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose), free amino acids (asidic, bases, hydrophobic, polyphenols), and volatile compounds (alcohol, ketones, aldehydes, esters, pyrazine, acetic acid) are presented. Ghanaian cocoa beans were found to be much more acceptable in term of taste and flavors. Importantly, the amount of organic acids found in the beans could be a potential marker, contributed to the overall acceptability level for cocoa beans.
Physical Illness, the Individual and the Coping Processes

Growing interest in the psychological and social aspects of physical illness and disability has extended to all facets of the behavior of patients. The ways in which people cope with the stress and challenges of disease is the subject of this paper. The writer presents a tentative framework for conceptualization of this aspect of illness behavior. A brief discussion of the major determinants of coping is given. The latter include intrapersonal, disease-related and environmental variables. Coping behavior is a resultant of multiple factors reflecting a patient's specific dispositions as well as characteristics of his total situation during a given episode of illness and its different phases. The way in which the patient copes with his illness spells the difference between optimum recovery or psychological invalidism. It is the doctor's task to recognize his patient's mode of coping and help him employ the most adaptive and effective coping strategies.
ICT and Health System Performance in Africa: A Multi-Method Approach

For the past two decades, the discussion regarding the effect of ICT on health systems is becoming apparent. However, past studies have mainly focused on ICT impact on specific social-economic phenomena. Little empirical research on ICT and health systems exists. Many African countries have invested in ICT and there is a need to examine if such investments have impacted on health system of these countries. Using a multi-method approach, data for 27 African countries were analysed. We employed Data Envelopment Analysis, Cluster Analysis and Partial Least Squares to examine the impact. The findings indicate that the 27 countries can be grouped into three clusters based on their relative efficiency scores of ICT and health systems. More compelling, the findings indicate that countries that performed efficiently in ICT inputs also do so in their health systems. Further, findings indicate that ICT significantly improves life expectancy at birth and reduces infant mortality rate. African countries must significantly invest in ICT to improve their health systems so as to achieve socio-economic development. The current study has theoretical, methodological and policy implications.
CREB-Dependent Transcriptional Control and Quantal Changes in Persistent Long-Term Potentiation in Hippocampal Interneurons

Mounting evidence indicates an important role of long-term synaptic plasticity in hippocampal inhibitory interneurons in learning and memory. The cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie such persistent changes in synaptic function in interneurons remain, however, largely undetermined. A transcription- and translation-dependent form of long-term potentiation was uncovered at excitatory synapses onto hippocampal interneurons in oriens-alveus (OA-INs) which is induced by activation of type 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (cL-LTPmGluR1). Here, we use (1) a combination of pharmacological siRNA knock-down and overexpression approaches to reveal the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional control via cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) during induction, and (2) quantal analysis to identify synaptic changes during maintenance of cL-LTPmGluR1 in rat hippocampus. Induction stimulated CREB phosphorylation in OA-INs via extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) signaling. Also, CREB knockdown impaired cL-LTPmGluR1, whereas CREB overexpression facilitated the induction, demonstrating a necessary and permissive role of CREB via ERK signaling in transcriptional control in cL-LTPmGluR1. Quantal analysis of synaptic responses during cL-LTPmGluR1 maintenance revealed an increased number of quanta released, corresponding to enhanced transmitter release and a larger quantal size, indicating enhanced responsiveness to individual quanta. Fluctuation analysis of synaptic currents uncovered an increase in conductance and number of functional postsynaptic receptors contributing to single quanta. Our findings indicate that CREB-dependent transcription is a necessary permissive switch for eliciting persistent presynaptic and postsynaptic quantal changes at excitatory synapses in inhibitory local circuits, uncovering cell type-specific coupling of induction and expression mechanisms during persistent synaptic plasticity which may contribute to hippocampal long-term memory processes.
Efficacy of two praziquantel treatments among primary school children in an area of high Schistosoma mansoni endemicity, Nile Delta, Egypt

SUMMARY Praziquantel is the cornerstone of schistosomiasis control. A number of reports from endemic areas suggest that resistance or tolerance to praziquantel might exist in Schistosoma mansoni. Several explanations were postulated. The present work was designed to test the hypothesis that a low praziquantel (pzq) cure rate in Egypt is due to survival and maturation of immature stages that escaped pzq, which is effective against mature S. mansoni worms only. The study sample included 1351 children attending El Rouse primary school located in El Rouse village, Nile Delta, Egypt. All children received 2 pzq doses (40 mg/kg) 4 weeks apart. Diagnosis of S. mansoni infection and cure assessment were based on examination of 2 Kato slides prepared from a single stool sample collected before and 4 weeks after the first and second treatments. The cure rate was 78·8% after the first treatment and increased significantly to 90·8% after the second treatment. Egg reduction rates were 71·2% and 77·2% after 1 and 2 treatments respectively. Pre-treatment intensity of infection has a great influence on cure and egg reduction rates. Our results confirmed that low praziquantel cure rate, in Egypt, might be attributed, even partially, to survival and maturation of the immature S. mansoni stages that escaped pzq that is effective against mature worms only.
Cosmic shear as a tool for precision cosmology: Minimising intrinsic galaxy alignment-lensing interference

Cosmic shear leads to a correlation of the observed ellipticities of galaxies, an effect which is used to place constraints on cosmological parameters, and to explore the evolution of dark matter and dark energy in the universe. However, a possible systematic contaminant of the lensing signal is intrinsic galaxy alignment, with a correlation length of a few Mpc. Hirata & Seljak (2004, Phys. Rev. D, 70, 063526) have recently demonstrated that for some models of intrinsic distortions, there may also be a cross-correlation between the intrinsic and lensing signals, which may dominate the intrinsic signal, and suppress the lensing power spectrum by several tens of percent. Unlike the pure intrinsic signal, this new term cannot be accounted for by neglecting or down-weighting pairs of galaxies which are physically close. Extending the correlation function tomography method of King & Schneider (2003, A&A, 398, 23) we illustrate how the impact of both intrinsic and cross-correlations can be significantly reduced, in the context of surveys with photometric redshift information. For a ground-based cosmic shear survey of ∼ 100 sq. degrees with photometric redshifts, even in the presence of systematic contaminants at the level considered here, cosmological models degenerate in the Ω m - σ 8 plane can be distinguished well in excess of the 3-σ level.
Lymphocyte homeostasis.

B- and T-lymphocyte populations have an independent homeostatic regulation of resting (B and T) and activated (B) or memory (T) cell compartments. This organization may provide an efficient mechanism to ensure simultaneously a first natural barrier of protection against common pathogens, the maintenance of immunological T-cell memory and a reservoir of repertoire diversity capable of dealing with new antigenic challenges.