Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Staphylococcus aureus: the current state of disease, pathophysiology and strategies for prevention

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is both a commensal organism and also an important opportunistic human pathogen, causing a variety of community and hospital-associated pathologies, such as bacteremia-sepsis, endocarditis, pneumonia, osteomyelitis, arthritis and skin diseases. The resurgence of S. aureus during the last decade in many settings has been facilitated not only by bacterial antibiotic resistance mechanisms but also by the emergence of new S. aureus clonal types with increased expression of virulence factors and the capacity to neutralize the host immune response. Prevention of the spread of S. aureus infection relies on the use of contact precautions and adequate procedures for infection control that so far have not been fully effective. Prevention using a prophylactic vaccine would complement these processes, having the potential to bring additional, significant progress toward decreasing invasive disease due to S. aureus.
Incidence of Endophthalmitis after Intravitreal Injections: Risk Factors, Microbiology Profile, and Clinical Outcomes

ABSTRACT Purpose: To report the incidence and characteristics of endophthalmitis after intravitreal injections (IVI) of antivascular endothelial growth factor agents and triamcinolone acetonide. Methods: Patients’ medical records were retrospectively reviewed from January 2009 to June 2016, and the incidence, risk factors, clinical and microbiological characteristics of post-IVI endophthalmitis were evaluated. Results: The total number of intravitreal injections given, which included ranibizumab, bevacizumab, and triamcinolone acetonide, was 20,566, of which 27 cases developed endophthalmitis, giving an overall incidence of 0.131%. Significant reduction (p < 0.003) in incidence of endophthalmitis was observed in patients who received prefilled compounded bevacizumab injections (0.050%) compared to multiple bevacizumab injections from a single vial (0.235%). In the triamcinolone acetonide group, the incidence was 0.26%. Staphylococcus species were isolated from 18 cases (67%), and all strains were sensitive to vancomycin. Conclusions: Adherence to strict aseptic protocols and use of prefilled compounded bevacizumab injections reduces the rate of post-IVI endophthalmitis.
Biomarkers, designs, and interpretations of resting‐state fMRI in translational pharmacological research: A review of state‐of‐the‐Art, challenges, and opportunities for studying brain chemistry

A decade of research and development in resting‐state functional MRI (RSfMRI) has opened new translational and clinical research frontiers. This review aims to bridge between technical and clinical researchers who seek reliable neuroimaging biomarkers for studying drug interactions with the brain. About 85 pharma‐RSfMRI studies using BOLD signal (75% of all) or arterial spin labeling (ASL) were surveyed to investigate the acute effects of psychoactive drugs. Experimental designs and objectives include drug fingerprinting dose‐response evaluation, biomarker validation and calibration, and translational studies. Common biomarkers in these studies include functional connectivity, graph metrics, cerebral blood flow and the amplitude and spectrum of BOLD fluctuations. Overall, RSfMRI‐derived biomarkers seem to be sensitive to spatiotemporal dynamics of drug interactions with the brain. However, drugs cause both central and peripheral effects, thus exacerbate difficulties related to biological confounds, structured noise from motion and physiological confounds, as well as modeling and inference testing. Currently, these issues are not well explored, and heterogeneities in experimental design, data acquisition and preprocessing make comparative or meta‐analysis of existing reports impossible. A unifying collaborative framework for data‐sharing and data‐mining is thus necessary for investigating the commonalities and differences in biomarker sensitivity and specificity, and establishing guidelines. Multimodal datasets including sham‐placebo or active control sessions and repeated measurements of various psychometric, physiological, metabolic and neuroimaging phenotypes are essential for pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling and interpretation of the findings. We provide a list of basic minimum and advanced options that can be considered in design and analyses of future pharma‐RSfMRI studies. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2276–2325, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Morphologic Characteristics of p16INK4a-Positive Cells in Cervical Cytology Samples

OBJECTIVE Overexpression of p16INK4a has been proposed as a biomarker helpful for the identification of dysplastic cervical epithelial cells on histologic slides as well as in cervical smears. Since a few nontransformed cells in the genital tract in some instances may also express p16INK4a, we evaluated whether applying established morphologic criteria for cervical dysplasia allows a distinction of dysplastic from nondysplastic p16INK4a-stained cells in cytologic samples. STUDY DESIGN Liquid-based cytology samples were obtained from a screening population (n=50), and from patients attending a dysplasia clinic (n=40). Slides prepared from these samples were stained with the conventional Papanicolaou stain procedure. From each specimen, a second slide was prepared in parallel and immunostained for p16INK4a. Cytologic diagnoses for most patients attending the dysplasia clinic could be compared to the reported histologic diagnoses on punch biopsy samples taken from the patients at the time of colposcopy. This allowed a comparison of the cytology and p16INK4a immunostaining results with subsequent hematoxylin and eosin-based histologic diagnoses. RESULTS Overall, in 10% of slides obtained from patients with nonsuspicious smears, few p16INK4a-positive cells were found. Using established morphologic criteria and applying these criteria on cells showing any p16INK4a immunoreactivity, p16INK4a-positive normal or metaplastic cells could be discriminated from p16INK4a-expressing dysplastic cells. In 21 of 22 cases (95%) of high grade lesions (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or higher in follow-up histology), easily recognizable p16INK4a-positive dysplastic cells could be detected, with the remaining case lacking dysplastic cells in the thin-layer slide used for p16INK4a immunostaining. CONCLUSION Established morphologic criteria for cervical dysplasia can be readily applied to p16INK4a-immunostained cytologic specimens. Thus, p16INK4a immunostaining may help to avoid ambiguities in the interpretation of cervical cytology samples and facilitate more rapid diagnosis and possibly even automated screening of cytologic slides.
Time-dependent Reduction of Tensile Strength Caused by Interfacial Degradation under Constant Strain Duration in UD-CFRP

The residual strength in UD-CFRP was measured after being subjected to constant strain. In order to quantify the strength reduction, the time-dependent variation of interfacial stress-transfer capacity in a single-fiber composite specimen was quantitatively studied using micro-Raman spectroscopy. The analysis originally included a decrease of interfacial frictional stress due to a relaxation of interfacial radial stress and a time-dependency of an interfacial debonding propagation criterion, based on the conventional viscoelastic shear-lag model. The residual strength in UD-CFRP after enduring long-term loading was then analyzed using the global load sharing model with the results of variation of the interfacial property.
Is Every Life Worth Saving: Does Religion and Religious Beliefs Influence Paramedic's End-of-Life Decision-making? A Prospective Questionnaire-based Investigation

Background: Paramedics, arriving on emergency cases first, have to make end-of-life decisions almost on a daily basis. Faith shapes attitudes toward the meaning and worth of life itself and therefore influences decision-making. Objective: The objective of this study was to detect whether or not religious and spiritual beliefs influence paramedics in their workday life concerning end-of-life decisions, and whether it is legally possible for them to act according to their conscience. Methods and Design: This is a literature review of prior surveys on the topic using five key words and questionnaire-based investigation using a self-administered online survey instrument. Settings/Participants: Paramedics all over Germany were given the opportunity to participate in this online questionnaire-based study. Measurements: Two databases were searched for prior studies for literature review. Participants were asked about their religiosity, how it affects their work, especially in end-of-life situations, how experienced they are, and whether or not they have any legal latitude to withhold resuscitation. Results: A total of 429 paramedics answered the questionnaire. Religious paramedics would rather hospitalize a patient holding an advance directive than leave him/her at home (P = 0.036) and think death is less a part of life than the nonreligious (P = 0.001). Otherwise, the Spearman's rho correlation was statistically insignificant for all tests regarding resuscitation. Conclusions: The paramedic's religiosity is not the prime factor in his/her decision-making regarding resuscitation.
Cooperación Sur-Sur para el desarrollo: las relaciones Brasil-África en la promoción de las políticas públicas (2003-2012)

Unlike the classical development cooperation provided by rich countries (NorthSouth Cooperation-CNS), the South-South Cooperation (CSS) is designed as a horizontal partnership between countries sharing similar problems and development challenges. Once recipient of development aid for decades, Brazil claims it has a better understanding of the needs of poor countries. Since 2003, Brazil has been deepening relations with sub-Saharan Africa both from the projection of their companies as through the internationalization of public policy. Despite the «limitations›› and «tensions›› of this type of embryonic CSS, the article argues that Brazil has contributed substantially to the development of the African continent.
Cytomorphologic correlates of human papillomavirus infection in the "normal" cervicovaginal smear.

OBJECTIVE To determine if cytologic abnormalities less striking than those usually considered diagnostic could predict the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV). STUDY DESIGN Cervical scrapings were obtained from 403 women and examined by conventional Papanicolaou staining and for the presence of low- and high-risk human HPV DNA. The cytologic smears from 63 HPV DNA-positive and 63 matched HPV DNA-negative patients whose smears were initially read as normal or inflammatory were reviewed by a single cytotechnologist and a cytopathologist, who were blind to the HPV result. RESULTS The cytologic diagnosis was upgraded to atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) in nine cases and to low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion in one. All 10 upgraded cases were from the HPV DNA-positive group. A review diagnosis of ASCUS was significantly associated with both HPV in general and the presence of high-risk HPV DNA. Partial koilocytosis and multinucleation were associated with the detection of high-risk HPV DNA, while only partial koilocytosis was associated with the presence of low-risk HPV DNA. CONCLUSION Because infection with high-risk HPV types is associated with cervical neoplasia, partial koilocytosis and multinucleation should be viewed with greater concern and possibly added to the ASCUS definition.
Effects of Vitamin D Deficiency on Incidence Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction Proper nutrition is important for overall health, and it reduces healthcare costs associated with malnutrition. Many studies have investigated vitamin D deficiency and its role in gestational diabetes and controversial data have reported. A comprehensive consideration of articles in this field provides the possibility of a general study of this relationship. This meta-analysis is an evaluation of the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and gestational diabetes. Material and methods Different databases (such as PubMed, Science Information Institute, EmBase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library) were searched for studies and eligible English articles published before February 2017 that have reported the risk of gestational diabetes in relation to vitamin D deficiency. This relationship was measured using odds ratios (ORs) with a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. The influence of each study was measured through sensitivity analysis. Funnel plots, Egger regression tests, and the Begg–Mazumdar correlation test were used to determine bias or publication bias. STATA (version 11.2) was used for all analyses. Results Twenty-six studies were selected as eligible for this research and included in the final analysis. In general, vitamin D deficiency among mothers may be related to an increased risk of gestational diabetes (OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01–1.35; p < 0.001). The serum level of 25(OH)D is less meaningful in people with gestational diabetes than in those who have normal glucose tolerance. Subgroup analysis showed that the results concerning this association may vary with study design but do not change with country of origin. Conclusion Some evidence has shown that vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of gestational diabetes.
Epigenetic effects of metformin: From molecular mechanisms to clinical implications

There is a growing body of evidence that links epigenetic modifications to type 2 diabetes. Researchers have more recently investigated effects of commonly used medications, including those prescribed for diabetes, on epigenetic processes. This work reviews the influence of the widely used antidiabetic drug metformin on epigenomics, microRNA levels and subsequent gene expression, and potential clinical implications. Metformin may influence the activity of numerous epigenetic modifying enzymes, mostly by modulating the activation of AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK). Activated AMPK can phosphorylate numerous substrates, including epigenetic enzymes such as histone acetyltransferases (HATs), class II histone deacetylases (HDACs) and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), usually resulting in their inhibition; however, HAT1 activity may be increased. Metformin has also been reported to decrease expression of multiple histone methyltransferases, to increase the activity of the class III HDAC SIRT1 and to decrease the influence of DNMT inhibitors. There is evidence that these alterations influence the epigenome and gene expression, and may contribute to the antidiabetic properties of metformin and, potentially, may protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and aging. The expression levels of numerous microRNAs are also reportedly influenced by metformin treatment and may confer antidiabetic and anticancer activities. However, as the reported effects of metformin on epigenetic enzymes act to both increase and decrease histone acetylation, histone and DNA methylation, and gene expression, a significant degree of uncertainty exists concerning the overall effect of metformin on the epigenome, on gene expression, and on the subsequent effect on the health of metformin users.
Mucosal Healing at 14 Weeks Predicts better Outcome in Low‐dose Infliximab Treatment for Chinese Patients with Active Intestinal Behcet's Disease

Aims. To compare the efficacy and the safety of low‐dose (3.5 mg/kg) or standard‐dose (5 mg/kg) of infliximab (IFX) for induction and maintenance treatment in Chinese patients with intestinal Behcet's disease (BD), and to identify potential predictors to corticosteroid‐free clinical remission at week 30. Methods. A prospective trial was conducted in 20 patients with moderate‐to‐severe active intestinal BD, followed up for 30 weeks. Ileocolonoscopic examinations were done at baseline and week 14. A logistic regression model was used to assess the predictors of corticosteroid‐free remission at week 30. Results. As the primary end point, steroid‐free remission at week 30 was observed in 40% and 60% of patients who received low and standard doses of IFX, respectively (P>0.371). As the secondary end point, the mucosal healing (MH) rates at week 14 were found to be 60% for both low and standard doses of IFX. The clinical response rates at week 14 and 30 were also similar in both groups. Only MH at week 14 predicted steroidfree clinical remission at week 30. Conclusions. Low‐dose of IFX is effective and safe for induction and maintenance therapy in patients with active intestinal BD. MH at week 14 predicted clinical remission at week 30.
Fuel Evaporation in an Atmospheric Premixed Burner: Sensitivity Analysis and Spray Vaporization

Calculation of evaporation requires accurate thermophysical properties of the liquid. Such data are well-known for conventional fossil fuels. In contrast, e.g., thermal conductivity or dynamic viscosity of the fuel vapor are rarely available for modern liquid fuels. To overcome this problem, molecular models can be used. Currently, the measurement-based properties of n-heptane and diesel oil are compared with estimated values, using the state-of-the-art molecular models to derive the temperature-dependent material properties. Then their effect on droplet evaporation was evaluated. The critical parameters were liquid density, latent heat of vaporization, boiling temperature, and vapor thermal conductivity where the estimation affected the evaporation time notably. Besides a general sensitivity analysis, evaporation modeling in a practical burner ended up with similar results. By calculating droplet motion, the evaporation number, the evaporation-to-residence time ratio can be derived. An empirical cumulative distribution function is used for the spray of the analyzed burner to evaluate evaporation in the mixing tube. Evaporation number did not exceed 0.4, meaning a full evaporation prior to reaching the burner lip in all cases. As droplet inertia depends upon its size, the residence time has a minimum value due to the phenomenon of overshooting.
Modeling General and Specific Abilities

The present study examined issues related to structural modeling of abilities by the use of simulated data as well as analysis of the standardization data from the Woodcock–Johnson-III. In both cases, results were evaluated with cross-validation. Simulation results showed that cross-validation with an independent data set was more successful in identifying the model that was used to generate test scores than were several fit indices. Analysis of the Woodcock–Johnson-III standardization data with cross-validation showed that bifactor models provided better fit than hierarchical or correlated factor models. This was true considering both fit indices and cross-validation. General and specific factors shared a considerable amount of variance as evaluated by using the bifactor models to partition variance. The results of the present study suggest that there is a certain degree of ambiguity in determining the exact amount of covariance in test performance accounted for by general and specific factors. This calls in to question the practice of adjusting or controlling for general abilities when evaluating measures of specific abilities. Evidence for the validity of a construct should not be limited to factor analysis of tests purported to measure that construct.
Construction of Fullerenes and Pogorelov Polytopes with 5-, 6- and one 7-Gonal Face

A Pogorelov polytope is a combinatorial simple 3-polytope realizable in the Lobachevsky (hyperbolic) space as a bounded right-angled polytope. These polytopes are exactly simple 3-polytopes with cyclically 5-edge connected graphs. A Pogorelov polytope has no 3- and 4-gons and may have any prescribed numbers of k-gons, k ≥ 7 . Any simple polytope with only 5-, 6- and at most one 7-gon is Pogorelov. For any other prescribed numbers of k-gons, k ≥ 7 , we give an explicit construction of a Pogorelov and a non-Pogorelov polytope. Any Pogorelov polytope different from k-barrels (also known as Lobel polytopes, whose graphs are biladders on 2 k vertices) can be constructed from the 5- or the 6-barrel by cutting off pairs of adjacent edges and connected sums with the 5-barrel along a 5-gon with the intermediate polytopes being Pogorelov. For fullerenes, there is a stronger result. Any fullerene different from the 5-barrel and the ( 5 , 0 ) -nanotubes can be constructed by only cutting off adjacent edges from the 6-barrel with all the intermediate polytopes having 5-, 6- and at most one additional 7-gon adjacent to a 5-gon. This result cannot be literally extended to the latter class of polytopes. We prove that it becomes valid if we additionally allow connected sums with the 5-barrel and 3 new operations, which are compositions of cutting off adjacent edges. We generalize this result to the case when the 7-gon may be isolated from 5-gons.
Suppression of microRNA‐144‐3p attenuates oxygen–glucose deprivation/reoxygenation‐induced neuronal injury by promoting Brg1/Nrf2/ARE signaling

Accumulating evidence has reported that microRNA‐144‐3p (miR‐144‐3p) is highly related to oxidative stress and apoptosis. However, little is known regarding its role in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion‐induced neuronal injury. Herein, our results showed that miR‐144‐3p expression was significantly downregulated in neurons following oxygen–glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) treatment. Overexpression of miR‐144‐3p markedly reduced cell viability, promoted cell apoptosis, and increased oxidative stress in neurons with OGD/R treatment, whereas downregulation of miR‐144‐3p protected neurons against OGD/R‐induced injury. Brahma‐related gene 1 (Brg1) was identified as a potential target gene of miR‐144‐3p. Moreover, downregulation of miR‐144‐3p promoted the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) and increased antioxidant response element (ARE) activity. However, knockdown of Brg1 significantly abrogated the neuroprotective effects of miR‐144‐3p downregulation. Overall, our results suggest that miR‐144‐3p contributes to OGD/R‐induced neuronal injury in vitro through negatively regulating Brg1/Nrf2/ARE signaling.
Antimacrofouling Efficacy of Innovative Inorganic Nanomaterials Loaded with Booster Biocides

The application of nano-structured compounds has been increasing rapidly in recent years, in several fields. The use of engineered nano-materials as carriers of antifouling compounds is just beginning and already reveals clear advantages compared to bulk active compounds, such as slowed and controlled release, novel functionality, and high loading capacity. This present study assesses the antifouling efficacy of two nanostructured materials, spherical mesoporous silica nanocapsules (SiNC) and Zn-Al layered double hydroxides (LDH), loaded with two commercial biocides, zinc prithione (ZnPT) and copper pyrithione (CuPT). The study used adult mussels from three geographical regions, the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and the Red Sea, to examine the efficacy of the innovative compounds. The efficacy of these compounds on larvae of the bryozoan Bugula neritina from the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea was also examined. The results of this study demonstrated the environmentally friendly properties of unloaded LDH against the two-model systems, adult mussels or bryozoan larvae. ZnPT entrapped in LDH demonstrated the most effective antifouling compound against the two model systems. A comparison of the impact of the two compounds on macrofouling organisms from the different marine habitats examined in this study indicates a distinction associated with the organisms’ different ecosystems. The Red Sea mussels and bryozoans, representing a tropical marine ecosystem, yielded the highest efficacy values among tested Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea mussels and bryozoans.