Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oral antibiotic prescribing during pregnancy in primary care: UK population-based study.

OBJECTIVES To examine patterns of prescribing of oral antibiotics during pregnancy and to determine whether women were more or less likely to receive specific types of antibiotics in pregnancy than in the years before and after pregnancy. Finally, to identify socio-demographic factors associated with antibiotic prescribing in pregnancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS We identified 114 999 women who gave live birth between 1992 and 2007 in The Health Improvement Network (THIN) UK primary care database. Antibiotic prescribing during pregnancy was estimated for each calendar year between 1992 and 2007. Self-controlled case series (SCCS) methodology was used to compare antibiotic prescribing during pregnancy with the years before and after pregnancy, and Poisson regression to examine association between demographic factors and antibiotic prescribing. RESULTS A third of pregnant women received at least one antibiotic prescription during pregnancy. In each trimester, 14% of women received at least one antibiotic. Prescribing of antibiotics was lower in pregnancy than during a comparable period 1 year earlier [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.91 (95% CI 0.90-0.93)], but some antibiotics were prescribed more frequently in pregnancy: broad-spectrum penicillins [IRR 1.46 (1.42-1.49)]; cephalosporins [IRR 2.22 (2.13-2.31)]; and antibiotics for urinary tract infections [IRR 2.29 (2.01-2.61)]. Respiratory, urinary, skin and ear infections were the commonest indications. Urinary indications increased and respiratory, skin and ear infection indications declined during pregnancy, although a large proportion were prescribed without indication. Young age and social deprivation were associated with increased antibiotic prescribing during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS Antibiotic prescribing is widespread in pregnancy although marginally reduced compared with the year before pregnancy. There were substantial changes in types of antibiotics as well as in their indications during pregnancy. This may be explained by changes in threshold for treatment, diseases, detection and recording. Younger women and women from deprived areas were most likely to receive antibiotics in pregnancy.
Metabolism and disposition of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1- butanone (NNK) in rhesus monkeys.

Metabolism and disposition of the tobacco-specific N-nitrosamine, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), a potent rodent lung carcinogen, were studied in rhesus monkeys. In three males receiving a single i.v. dose of [5-3H]NNK (0.72 mCi; 4.6-9.8 microg/kg), urine was collected for 10 days. Within the first 24 h, 86.0 +/- 0.7% of the dose was excreted. NNK-derived radioactivity was still detectable in urine 10 days after dosing (total excretion, 92.7 +/- 0.7%). Decay of urinary radioactivity was biexponential with half-lives of 1.7 and 42 h. Metabolite patterns in urine from the first 6 h closely resembled those reported previously for patas monkeys; end products of metabolic NNK activation represented more than 50% of total radioactivity. At later time points, the pattern shifted in favor of NNK detoxification products (60-70% of total radioactivity in urine), mainly 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and its O-glucuronide conjugates. One female rhesus monkey received a single i.v. dose of [5-3H]NNK (1.72 mCi; 28.4 microg/kg) under isoflurane anesthesia; biliary excretion over 6 h (0.6% of the dose) was 10 times less than predicted by our previously reported rat model. No preferential excretion of NNAL glucuronide was observed in monkey bile. Collectively, these results suggest that the rhesus monkey could be a useful model for NNK metabolism and disposition in humans.
Discrete movements in the horizontal plane as a function of their length and direction.

One of the motor reactions commonly involved in the operation of both military and civilian equipment is that of moving a limb (or limbs) as quickly as possible from one position in space to another. Normally, it is desired to terminate the movement at exactly the aimed-for point with a minimum of error and oscillation. The aerial gunner, for example, in tracking a moving target, is often called upon to make quick discrete movements of this sort. Thus when an attacking aircraft is suddenly perceived the guns must be slewed around to the target with the least possible delay. Similarly, during the course of actually tracking the target, observed displacements between the reticle and the target must be quickly and accurately corrected. Previous studies of discrete movements, such as those of Craik (i), Householder (3), and Vince (5), have been oriented rather directly toward the solution of problems arising out of the gunnery tracking situation. In these experiments, the subjects were required to react as quickly as possible, by movements of the hand and arm, to sudden, visually perceived displacements of a target in space. Usually neither the direction in which the movement was to be made nor its
Neurotrophic factor receptor RET: structure, cell biology, and inherited diseases

RET (REarranged during Transfection) is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that is activated by a complex consisting of a soluble glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family ligand (GFL) and a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol‐anchored co‐receptor, GDNF family receptors α (GFRα). RET signalling is crucial for the development of the enteric nervous system. RET also regulates the development of sympathetic, parasympathetic, motor, and sensory neurons, and is necessary for the postnatal maintenance of dopaminergic neurons. The effect of GFLs on sensory, motor, and dopaminergic neurons has raised clinical interest towards these ligands. Outside the nervous system, RET is crucial for development of the kidney and plays a key role in spermatogenesis. Inactivating mutations in RET cause the Hirschsprung's disease characterized by megacolon aganglionosis. In contrast, activating mutations give rise to different types of cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A and type 2B, familial medullary thyroid carcinoma, and papillary thyroid carcinoma. The multiple disease phenotypes correlate with differences in the molecular and cell biological functions of different oncogenic RET proteins. In this review we summarize how the different domains of the RET protein contribute to its normal function and how mutations in these domains affect the function of the receptor.
Specific systemic IgG1, IgG2 and IgM responses in pigs immunized with infective eggs or selected antigens of Ascaris suum

A total of 35 pigs aged 15 weeks old, and 21 pigs aged 8 weeks old were divided into 7 groups. Groups 1 and 2 were uninfected and challenge control groups, respectively. Groups 3 and 4 were infected weekly with 6 increasing doses of Ascaris suum eggs, and group 4 was additionally treated with pyrantel. Groups 5, 6, and 7 were immunized weekly with the 14, 42, or 97 kDa fractions from adult worms, respectively. Animals of groups 2–7 were challenged with 10 000 A. suum eggs 7 days after the last infection/immunization. Serum was sampled weekly and specific IgG1, IgG2, and IgM responses were measured. Pigs of groups 5, 6, and 7 showed high IgG1 and IgG2 responses especially against adult worms antigens, while infected groups had high IgG1 and IgM responses, especially against larva. The IgG1 responses were negatively correlated to the numbers of larvae in the lungs, and positively associated with the liver white spot numbers. There was a positive correlation between IgG2 and the numbers of white spots and lung larvae, while IgM was negatively correlated with these parasitological measures. These findings are discussed and it is suggested that acquired resistance against A. suum larvae is correlated with the induction of IgG1 and IgM, and not with IgG2, and that future vaccination protocols may focus on inducing the Th2 activity.
Evaluation of attachment of Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia to soil particles.

Transport of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and Giardia lamblia cysts in the aquatic environment is poorly understood. Information about their transport is essential for actual risk assessment and development of effective control practices. Several studies have suggested that attachment to soil particles is not likely to occur, but the hypothesis has not been well tested, partly because enumeration of C. parvum oocysts or G. lamblia cysts [written as (oo)cysts] in the presence of soil has been difficult. In this paper, a combination of flow cytometry, and epifluorescence and confocal microscopy was successfully used to enumerate (oo)cysts in the presence of soil and determine whether (oo)cysts travel freely in water or attached to soil particles. The maximum soil concentration in water samples for reliable enumeration of (oo)cysts was 2 mg/L. Particle attachment experiments detected attached pairs of oppositely charged beads and (oo)cysts, while no attachment was observed between like charged beads, (oo)cysts, and soil particles. These results support the hypothesis that electrostatic forces govern the interaction between (oo)cysts and soil particles. Batch experiments further confirmed the null hypothesis (p > 0.05) that (oo)cysts do not attach to natural soil particles. These findings suggest that, when (oo)cysts have been entrained in overland flow (i.e., runoff), they will travel freely in the water and not as part of the particulate sediment load.
Analysis of ducting effects on air-to-ground propagation channel over sea surface at C-band

This paper reports a further investigation into the ducting effects (evaporation duct and elevated duct) on air-to-ground over-sea radio-wave propagations at C-band (5.7 GHz) with airborne altitudes of 0.37–1.83 km. In this study, the measured propagation loss is used to estimate the possible signal enhancement due to ducting effects. Statistical analysis of the signal enhancement is carried out, and the results are found to be Gaussian distributed. The observations from the measurements results show that the evaporation duct and the elevated duct over the sea surface are important effects that can significantly improve the over-sea air-to-ground radio-wave propagation.
A double-blind study of the effectiveness and specificity of injecton therapy in ragweed hay fever.

INJECTIONS of allergenic extracts as a means of mitigating the effects of seasonal exposure to pollens, to be referred to as injection therapy, has been practiced for over fifty years. The number of patients in this country receiving injection therapy is unknown, but it must be very large — probably of the order of 1,000,000. The mere magnitude of this medical enterprise might suffice as evidence for its efficacy except that objective criteria for success or failure are lacking and that factors other than injection treatment may profoundly influence the course of pollenosis and the opinion of both patient and .
The prognostic value of a seven-microRNA classifier as a novel biomarker for the prediction and detection of recurrence in glioma patients

Glioma is often diagnosed at a later stage, and the high risk of recurrence remains a major challenge. We hypothesized that the microRNA expression profile may serve as a biomarker for the prognosis and prediction of glioblastoma recurrence. We defined microRNAs that were associated with good and poor prognosis in 300 specimens of glioblastoma from the Cancer Genome Atlas. By analyzing microarray gene expression data and clinical information from three random groups, we identified 7 microRNAs that have prognostic and prognostic accuracy: microRNA-124a, microRNA-129, microRNA-139, microRNA-15b, microRNA-21, microRNA-218 and microRNA-7. The differential expression of these miRNAs was verified using an independent set of glioma samples from the Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University. We used the log-rank test and the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate correlations between the miRNA signature and disease-free survival/overall survival. Using the LASSO model, we observed a uniform significant difference in disease-free survival and overall survival between patients with high-risk and low-risk miRNA signature scores. Furthermore, the prognostic capability of the seven-miRNA signature was demonstrated by receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. A Circos plot was generated to examine the network of genes and pathways predicted to be targeted by the seven-miRNA signature. The seven-miRNA-based classifier should be useful in the stratification and individualized management of patients with glioma.
The Ontology of the Gene Ontology

The rapidly increasing wealth of genomic data has driven the development of tools to assist in the task of representing and processing information about genes, their products and their functions. One of the most important of these tools is the Gene Ontology (GO), which is being developed in tandem with work on a variety of bioinformatics databases. An examination of the structure of GO, however, reveals a number of problems, which we believe can be resolved by taking account of certain organizing principles drawn from philosophical ontology. We shall explore the results of applying such principles to GO with a view to improving GO's consistency and coherence and thus its future applicability in the automated processing of biological data.
Monoterpenoids induce agonist-specific desensitization of transient receptor potential vanilloid-3 (TRPV3) ion channels.

PURPOSE Transient receptor potential vanilloid-3 (TRPV3) is a thermo-sensitive ion channel expressed in skin keratinocytes and in a variety of neural cells. It is activated by warmth as well as monoterpenoids including camphor, menthol, dihydrocarveol and 1,8-cineol. TRPV3 is described as a putative nociceptor and previous studies revealed sensitization of the channel during repeated short-term stimulation with different agonists. In the present investigation TRPV3 was transiently expressed in either Xenopus oocytes or HEK293 cells. Whole-cell voltage-clamp techniques were used to characterize the behavior of TRPV3 when challenged with different agonists. METHODS Similarly, a human keratinocyte-derived cell line (HaCaT cells) was used to monitor the behavior of native TRPV3 when challenged with different agonists. RESULTS We report here that prolonged exposure (5-15 minutes) of monoterpenoids results in agonist-specific desensitization of TRPV3. Long-term exposure to camphor and 1,8-cineol elicits desensitizing currents in TRPV3 expressing oocytes, whereas the non-terpenoid agonist 2-APB induces sustained currents. Agonist-specific desensitization of endogenous TRPV3 was also found in HaCaT cells, which may be taken as a representative for the native system. Terpenoids have a long history of use in therapeutics, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics but knowledge about underpinning molecular mechanisms is incomplete. Our finding on agonist-induced desensitization of TRPV3 by some monoterpenoids displays a novel mechanism through which TRP channels could be functionally modulated. CONCLUSION Desensitization of TRPV3 channels might be the molecular basis of action for some of the medicinal properties of camphor and 1,8-cineol.
Middle Ear Barotrauma with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Incidence and the Predictive Value of the Nine-step Inflation/Deflation Test and Otoscopy

We conducted a prospective study to determine the incidence of middle ear barotrauma in patients who were undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). We also investigated the value of the nine-step inflation/deflation test and otoscopic findings before and immediately after the initial HBOT session in predicting barotrauma in an attempt to establish some criteria for prophylaxis. The study was conducted on 36 ears of 18 adults who had no history of eustachian tube dysfunction. Patients were being treated with HBOT for sudden hearingloss, wound-healing complications, or complications of diabetes. After 7 days of HBOT, barotrauma was seen in 12 of the 18 patients (66.7%) and in 18 of the 36 ears (50.0%). The nine-step inflation/deflation tests, which were performed before and immediately after the initial HBOT session, were not predictive of barotrauma (p = 0.095 before and p = 0.099 after). However, otoscopic findings obtained immediately after the first session of HBOT were predictive of barotrauma, with a sensitivity and specificity of 83 and 100%, respectively. We conclude that patients with even minor positive pathologic findings on otoscopy immediately following HBOT are at increased risk of middle ear barotrauma if HBOT is to be continued without prophylaxis.
Amelioration of NaCl-induced alterations on the plasma membrane of Allium cepa L. by ascorbic acid.

The influence of exogenous ascorbic acid (0.5 mM) in counteracting NaCl-induced cellular alteration of onion bulb inner epidermis was investigated. Plasma membrane permeability, protoplasm swelling and cell viability were measured under the effect of 150 mM NaCl in presence and absence of ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid was added simultaneously with salt or before salt treatment. Salt stress at 150 mM NaCl increased PM permeability to urea, the numbers of swollen protoplasm and cell mortality. Ascorbic acid protected NaCl-induced PM alterations and hence maintain its permeability and cell viability. The protective effect of ascorbic acid was more pronounced when added simultaneously with NaCl. The mitigative effect of AA might be via direct interaction with PM components and/or inhibition of lipid peroxidation induced by AOS formed under salinity. It is possible that ascorbic acid counteract the deleterious effect of NaCl on the cell membrane which may lead to increased salt tolerance in plants.
Residential program for long‐term hospitalized persons with mental illness in Japan: Randomized controlled trial

Abstract Research on the merits of long‐term group residences is inconclusive. The purpose of the present paper was to investigate the effects of supported group residence on the symptoms, social function, quality of life, general health quality, and the medical/psychiatric cost in Japan of a large number of psychiatric beds and long average length of stay. Patients were assessed every 6 months for 2 years using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Katz Adjustment Scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHO‐QOL) and General Health Questionnaire 12‐item version. Patients discharged to the supported group residence (SGR) significantly improved with regard to positive symptoms, the level of socially expected activities and free‐time activities. The QOL physical domain of the inpatients was significantly more deteriorated compared to the SGR group. The total psychiatric/medical cost of the SGR group was approximately one‐third that of the inpatient group, while the cost of the SGR to treat physical comorbidity was much higher. The present findings indicate that SGR has advantages for mental and social function but not for physical health. A major limitation of the present study was the high mean age (>60 years) of the subjects who had been hospitalized for a long period (mean, 24 years).
Role of Low Ouabain-Sensitive Isoform of Na+-K+-ATPase in the Regulation of Basal Tone and Agonist-Induced Contractility in Ovine Pulmonary Artery

Although Na+-K+-ATPase plays an important role in vascular smooth muscle function, it is unknown which isoforms of the enzyme are present in the pulmonary vasculature and whether they possess different affinities for ouabain. Unlike rodents, Na+-K+-ATPase in sheep and humans displays greater affinity for ouabain. Thus, the present study examined the presence of various isoforms of the enzyme by Western blot analysis and their sensitivity to inhibition by ouabain (biochemical estimation of enzyme activity/K+-relaxations) in the ovine pulmonary artery. Further, we studied the effect of ouabain on the basal tone and agonist-induced contractions in this vessel. Our results show the presence of both α1 and α2 isoforms of Na+-K+-ATPase in this vessel. The biphasic shape of the ouabain inhibition curve indicates that the α1 and α2 isoforms of the enzyme may possess low and high affinity, respectively, for the cardiac glycoside. Concentrations of ouabain <1 μM had no significant effect on the basal tone of the vessel. At 1 μM concentration, however, there was a significant increase in the basal tension (55% of 5-HT 1 μM contraction). Ouabain (0.1 μM) selectively increased the vasoconstrictor potency of 5-HT (pD2 6.81 ± 0.10 versus control pD2 5.95 ± 0.07), but not that of phenylephrine (pD2 5.80 ± 0.07 versus control pD2 6.05 ± 0.05). Neither endothelium removal nor treatment with PKG inhibitor KT 5823 (2 μM) had any effect on the sodium pump function. These results indicate that the low, but not the high, ouabain-sensitive isoform of Na+-K+-ATPase regulates basal tone and agonist-induced contractility in the ovine pulmonary artery.
Annotation: the neural basis of social impairments in autism: the role of the dorsal medial-frontal cortex and anterior cingulate system.

BACKGROUND The fundamental social disturbance of autism is characterized, in part, by problems in the acquisition of joint attention skills in the first years of life, followed by impairments in the development of social cognition, as assessed on theory of mind (ToM) measures. Recently, studies have indicated that a system involving the dorsal medial-frontal cortex (DMFC), and the anterior cingulate (AC), may contribute to the development of the tendency to initiate joint attention in infancy. Similarly, research has implicated the DMFC/AC system in ToM performance in typical and atypical individuals. These data suggest it may be useful to consider the functions associated with this system in the developmental psychopathology of autism. METHOD A review of the studies of the connections between the DMFC/AC system, joint attention and ToM task performance. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS This review raises the hypothesis that the DMFC/AC may be involved in the basic disturbance in social orienting in autism. The DMFAC/AC may also play a role in the capacity to monitor proprioceptive information concerning self-action and integrate this self-related information with exteroceptive perceptual information about the behavior of other people. A disturbance in these functions of the DMFC/ AC may contribute to the atypical development of intersubjectivity, joint attention and social cognition that may impair the lives of people with autism. Thus, impairment in the development of this system may constitute a neural substrate for socio-cognitive deficits in autism.