Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical indicators of depression among ambulatory cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate clinical indicators of depression among randomly selected ambulatory patients with cancer who were receiving chemotherapy. METHODS The patients were asked to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C 30 and an ad hoc questionnaire regarding several additional common chemotherapy-related symptoms. RESULTS Complete data were available for 211 patients. Of the total, 13.7% patients experienced clinical depression. The presence of clinical depression was significantly associated with patient demographic characteristics (education level) as well as several symptoms such as the presence of pain, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, nausea and fatigue. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that a lower education level and the presence of pain were significantly associated with clinical depression. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that ambulatory cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy and have pain and/or a lower education level have a higher probability of suffering from clinical depression; these factors may be useful for the early identification of depression in cancer patients.
A Comparison of Multiport and Uniport Epidural Catheters in Laboring Patients

The relative incidence of technical difficulties associated with multiport (three lateral ports) and uniport (single distal port) epidural catheters remains controversial.As part of a continuing institutional evaluation of epidural catheter insertion, 500 parturients were randomized to have either a multiport or a uniport epidural catheter inserted 6 cm into the epidural space. Multiport epidural catheters were associated with inadequate analgesia less often and required manipulation less often than uniport epidural catheters. The incidences of intravenous cannulation, subsequent catheter dislodgement, and catheter replacement were similar for each catheter type. No multiport epidural catheter was associated with multicompartment placement. We conclude that multiport epidural catheters are preferable for use in laboring patients since they reduce the incidence of inadequate epidural analgesia. (Anesth Analg 1997;84:1276-9)
Level of patient information on antibiotic use

Establishing an effective antimicrobial therapeutic requires choosing the appropriate antibiotic and ensuring compliance with times and doses prescribed. Problems concerning early abandonment and unfinished prescriptions due to lack of information, as well as more resistant microorganisms, have been identified as the major factors responsible for therapeutic failure in bacterial infections. This study aimed to determine the level of information among antibiotic users undergoing treatment with these drugs, and habits related to other therapies. A survey was applied to 403 users and identified great difficulties in understanding prescriptions, especially among users with no formal schooling who understood only 21 to 28% of the prescribed instructions. This same group reported having received the lowest amount of information during the consultation, with only 28.6% receiving verbal information from the prescriber on the length of course with the drug. Additionally, 21% of this group reported a tendency to use the antibiotic until symptoms resolved, without heeding the length of course prescribed. Guidance on antibiotics use should be an integral and fundamental part of effective therapy.
Results of Long‐Term Carcinogenicity Bioassays on Tert‐Amyl‐Methyl‐Ether (TAME) and Di‐Isopropyl‐Ether (DIPE) in Rats

Abstract: Tert‐amyl‐methyl ether (TAME) was administered by gavage in extra virgin olive oil solution at concentrations of 750, 250, or 0 mg/kg bw to groups of 100 male and 100 female Sprague‐Dawley rats 8 weeks old at the start of the experiment. Di‐isopropyl ether (DIPE) was administered in the same manner at the doses of 1000, 250, or 0 mg/kg body weight to groups of 100 male and 100 female Sprague‐Dawley rats. TAME and DIPE were each delivered in 1‐mL solution 4 days a week for 78 weeks. Control animals received 1 mL of extra virgin olive oil without TAME or DIPE. At the end of the treatment period, all animals were kept under observation until spontaneous death. Under these test conditions, TAME and DIPE were found to be potential carcinogenic agents for various organs and tissues.
Cytomegalovirus seropositivity and incident ischaemic heart disease in the Caerphilly prospective heart disease study

OBJECTIVE To assess the role of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in primary ischaemic heart disease. METHODS Plasma specimens collected during 1979–83 from men in Caerphilly, south Wales, were analysed for IgG antibodies to CMV by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and latex tests. Incident ischaemic heart disease events were ascertained after five and 10 years from death certificates, hospital records, and ECG changes; 195 incident ischaemic heart disease cases were compared with 216 controls of a similar age drawn from the rest of the cohort. RESULTS 164 cases (84%) and 180 controls (83%) were seropositive for CMV. Optical density, an indicator of CMV antibody titre, was similar for cases and controls. Among controls, seropositivity was not associated with age, socioeconomic status currently or in childhood, smoking, height, body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, fibrinogen, plasma viscosity, or leucocyte count. The unadjusted odds ratio relating CMV seropositivity to incident ischaemic heart disease was 1.06 (95% confidence interval 0.63 to 1.79) and was little changed (1.11, 0.63 to 1.97) after adjustment for age, smoking, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and socioeconomic status currently and in childhood. CONCLUSIONS CMV infection is unlikely to be a strong risk factor for development of myocardial infarction in middle aged men.
Comparative analysis of gender involvement in agricultural production in Nigeria

Agricultural sector is still the leading sector in Nigeria’s ailing economy as it provides direct employment to about 75% of the population. This paper examines gender involvement in agricultural production as a means towards increased food sufficiency and consequently curbing food crisis. It critically identified the specific gender involvement in agriculture and gender inequality is noticed in the sector and this constitutes a bottleneck to development, calling for a review of government policies on agriculture to all the elements that place women farmers at a disadvantage. The study made use of secondary data which was analyzed by simple descriptive statistics. The result revealed that involvement of both sexes in various field activities may be sex specific, but they are complimentary and reciprocal. The study further revealed that the involvement of women was on the increase (from 32 to 36%), while that of men declined relatively (from 68 to 64%). It was suggested that to curb food crisis and increase the participation of gender in agriculture, there is the need for advocacy for equitable integration of both men and women in agriculture. Key words: Nigeria, gender, agriculture, food crisis.
A Capacitative Calcium Current in Cultured Skeletal Muscle Cells Is Mediated by the Calcium-specific Leak Channel and Inhibited by Dihydropyridine Compounds*

Calcium stores from cultured skeletal muscle cells were depleted using cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), a reversible inhibitor of Ca2+-ATPases at the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Store depletion led to activation of the calcium-specific leak channel, as assayed using single-channel patch clamp analysis and rates of manganese influx and quenching of fura-2 fluorescence. Two novel dihydropyridine compounds inhibited this single-channel leak channel activity, the resting and depletion-induced manganese influx, and refilling of the CPA-depleted intracellular calcium store. These compounds represent the first antagonists for a calcium leak channel and for a channel that mediates a capacitative current. The development of the skeletal muscle capacitative current was inhibited by genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, but was not affected by okadaic acid, a phosphatase inhibitor, or econazole. Thus, the capacitative current in cultured skeletal muscle cells was mediated by the calcium leak channel and was inhibited by pharmacological antagonists and may provide a model system for uncovering the complete set of signals leading from store depletion to channel activation.
Degradation of Cry1Ac Protein Within Transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis Rice Tissues Under Field and Laboratory Conditions

Abstract To clarify the environmental fate of the Cry1Ac protein from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (Bt) contained in transgenic rice plant stubble after harvest, degradation was monitored under field conditions using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In stalks, Cry1Ac protein concentration decreased rapidly to 50% of the initial amount during the first month after harvest; subsequently, the degradation decreased gradually reaching 21.3% when the experiment was terminated after 7 mo. A similar degradation pattern of the Cry1Ac protein was observed in rice roots. However, when the temperature increased in April of the following spring, protein degradation resumed, and no protein could be detected by the end of the experiment. In addition, a laboratory experiment was conducted to study the persistence of Cry1Ac protein released from rice tissue in water and paddy soil. The protein released from leaves degraded rapidly in paddy soil under flooded conditions during the first 20 d and plateaued until the termination of this trial at 135 d, when 15.3% of the initial amount was still detectable. In water, the Cry1Ac protein degraded more slowly than in soil but never entered a relatively stable phase as in soil. The degradation rate of Cry1Ac protein was significantly faster in nonsterile water than in sterile water. These results indicate that the soil environment can increase the degradation of Bt protein contained in plant residues. Therefore, plowing a field immediately after harvest could be an effective method for decreasing the persistence of Bt protein in transgenic rice fields.
Prognostic value of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in patients with pulmonary embolism

Preliminary evidence suggests that inflammation plays a role in the development and prognosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). We used the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a measure of systemic inflammation and investigated its association with PE. Materials and methods: A total of 266 patients who were diagnosed with PE and a control group of 124 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were included in this study. We further classified the PE patients into 2 groups: those who survived and those who died in the first 30 days. Baseline NLR was measured by dividing neutrophil count to lymphocyte count and was compared between the groups. Results: Median NLR was significantly higher among patients with PE compared to the healthy control group (3.9 (interquartile range (IQR): 5.0) vs. 1.9 (IQR: 0.6), P 2.565 and >5.465, 70.3% and 75.0%, and 92.7% and 67.6%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that NLR values of >5.465 could define those patients with a mortal clinical course independently (odds ratio: 13.446, 95% confidence interval: 3.141–57.566, P < 0.001). Conclusion: A higher NLR, as an emerging marker of inflammation, may be beneficial in determining prognosis in PE patients.
The Effect of Family Relationships on Technology-Assisted Supplemental Work and Work-Life Conflict among Academics

There is a rising trend in the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) by academics to work after regular working hours. The dual nature of ICTs enhances work flexibility and also encourages academics to use ICTs to engage in supplemental work practices. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of family relationships on technology-assisted supplemental work and Work-Life Conflict (WLC) experienced by academics in a higher education institution in South Africa. Specifically, the moderating roles of marital status and children were taken into consideration in investigating the relationship between TASW and WLC. A quantitative research approach was adopted and an online survey was used collect data. The WLC scale and the TASW scale were as well used. The sample consisted of academics from a higher education in South Africa (n = 216). The results of the research revealed a significant relationship between TASW and WLC. TASW is a significant predictor of WLC. Furthermore, the results revealed that marital status and children significantly moderated the relationship between TASW and WLC. This study contributes further knowledge to the emerging field of research relating to TASW in a South African context. This study also emphasises the implications of using ICTs and their potential to encourage academics to extend their working hours. In particular, this study outlines the important role of marital status and children in influencing the relationship between TASW and WLC. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014. v5n10p516
Why Is Type 1 Diabetes Uncommon in Asia?

Abstract: T1D (type 1 diabetes) incidence rates are extremely low in Asian populations. The prevalences of islet‐specific autoantibodies are reported to be low compared with Caucasians. Although the clinical and immunologic characteristics of T1D in Asians appear to be different from those of Caucasians, if we apply correct patient definition and standardized methods, the typical T1D patients are very similar, in the immunologic as well as genetic perspectives. Although the association of individual allele seems to be different between populations, if we compare the identical DR‐DQ haplotypes, the association and transmission to diabetic offspring were similar for Asians and Caucasians. The high‐risk HLA genotypes/haplotypes were found to be independent determinants of diabetes in the first‐degree relatives of individuals with T1D, particularly in the presence of autoantibodies. A different genetic susceptibility including a low frequency of high‐risk HLA alleles could explain the lower prevalence of islet‐specific autoantibodies and the low incidence of T1D, or different genetic and environmental interactions might be involved in the etiology of T1D. It is certain that DR‐DQ linkage disequilibrium (LD) is an important factor explaining the difference in T1D incidence in different countries. LD between highly susceptible DRB1 alleles and protective DQB1 alleles, and vice versa, is the major contributing factor to the low incidence of T1D in Asians. We also suggested that different genetic/environmental interactions might operate in the etiology of T1D between Caucasians and Asians. It would be of great help for primary prevention to investigate to what degree genetic determinants influence the well‐known regional differences in incidences, since we can identify environmental risk factors that may either initiate the autoimmune process or promote already ongoing β cell damage in different countries. For this, population‐based epidemiological studies are necessary to identify risk determinants that may be useful for primary prevention strategies.
Assessment of the correlation of platelet morphology with in vivo recovery and survival

BACKGROUND: There is continuing interest in the development of in vitro tests evaluating the in vivo function, recovery, and survival of platelets stored for transfusion. A recent forum concluded that no completely reliable test exists, although discoid morphology indicates a platelet's good health. We evaluated a novel device, the NAPSAC (Noninvasive Assessment of Platelet Shape and Concentration), designed to determine noninvasively the proportion of discoid platelets in a stored concentrate, as well as platelet concentration.
Intereye Asymmetry Detected by Scheimpflug Imaging in Subjects With Normal Corneas and Keratoconus

Purpose: To report the intereye asymmetry with regard to pachymetry and corneal elevation variables in subjects with normal corneas and in those with keratoconus. Methods: This is a prospective study that included 151 patients who had Pentacam imaging in both eyes: 53 subjects with bilateral normal corneas and 98 with bilateral keratoconus. Central corneal thickness (CCT), pachymetry at the thinnest point (TP), posterior elevation at the thinnest point of the cornea (PETP), distance, volume, and differential pachymetry were measured. Intereye asymmetry was determined by subtracting the lowest value from the highest value for each variable. The degree of asymmetry between each subject’s eyes was calculated with intraclass correlation coefficients for all the variables. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine predictive accuracy and to identify optimal cutoffs of these values. Results: In the normal subjects, the mean intereye asymmetries in CCT, TP, and PETP were 10.28, 11.04, and 3.75 &mgr;m, respectively. In the keratoconic patients, the mean intereye asymmetries in CCT, TP, and PETP were 25.89, 30.15, and 20.08 &mgr;m, respectively. Normal eyes demonstrated the smallest difference between eyes, compared with the keratoconic eyes, in all of the variables analyzed (P < 0.05). A cutoff value of 6.5 &mgr;m in the mean intereye asymmetry at the posterior elevation had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.91. Conclusions: There is a greater intereye asymmetry in pachymetry and posterior corneal elevation variables in keratoconic patients than in subjects with normal corneas.
Intracellular neuronal calcium sensor (NCS) protein VILIP‐1 modulates cGMP signalling pathways in transfected neural cells and cerebellar granule neurones

The family of intracellular neuronal calcium‐sensors (NCS) belongs to the superfamily of EF‐hand proteins. Family members have been shown by in vitro assays to regulate signal cascades in retinal photoreceptor cells. To study the functions of NCS proteins not expressed in photoreceptor cells we examined Visinin‐like protein‐1 (VILIP‐1) effects on signalling pathways in living neural cells. Visinin‐like protein‐1 expression increased cGMP levels in transfected C6 and PC12 cells. Interestingly, in transfected PC12 cells stimulation was dependent on the subcellular localization of VILIP‐1. In cells transfected with membrane‐associated wild‐type VILIP‐1 particulate guanylyl cyclase (GC) was stimulated more strongly than soluble GC. In contrast, deletion of the N‐terminal myristoylation site resulted in cytosolic localization of VILIP‐1 and enhanced stimulation of soluble GC. To study the molecular mechanisms underlying GC stimulation VILIP‐1 was examined to see if it can physically interact with GCs. A direct physical interaction of VILIP‐1 with the recombinant catalytic domain of particulate GCs‐A, B and with native GCs enriched from rat brain was observed in GST pull‐down as well as in surface plasmon resonance interaction studies. Furthermore, following trituration of recombinant VILIP‐1 protein into cerebellar granule cells the protein influenced only signalling by GC‐B. Together with the observed colocalization of GC‐B, but not GC‐A, with VILIP‐1 in cerebellar granule cells, these results suggest that VILIP‐1 may be a physiological regulator of GC‐B.
Evaluation of Zinc-&agr;-2-Glycoprotein and Proteasome Subunit &bgr;-Type 6 Expression in Prostate Cancer Using Tissue Microarray Technology

Prostate cancer (CaP) is a significant cause of illness and death in males. Current detection strategies do not reliably detect the disease at an early stage and cannot distinguish aggressive versus nonaggressive CaP leading to potential overtreatment of the disease and associated morbidity. Zinc-&agr;-2-glycoprotein (ZAG) and proteasome subunit &bgr;-Type 6 (PSMB-6) were found to be up-regulated in the serum of CaP patients with higher grade tumors after 2-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis analysis. The aim of this study was to investigate if ZAG and PSMB-6 were also overexpressed in prostatic tumor tissue of CaP patients. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on CaP tissue microarrays with samples from 199 patients. Confirmatory gene expression profiling for ZAG and PSMB-6 were performed on 4 cases using Laser Capture Microdissection and TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction. ZAG expression in CaP epithelial cells was inversely associated with Gleason grade (benign prostatic hyperplasia>G3>G4/G5). PSMB-6 was not expressed in either tumor or benign epithelium. However, strong PSMB-6 expression was noted in stromal and inflammatory cells. Our results indicate ZAG as a possible predictive marker of Gleason grade. The inverse association between grade and tissue expression with a rising serum protein level is similar to that seen with prostate-specific antigen. In addition, the results for both ZAG and PSMB-6 highlight the challenges in trying to associate the protein levels in serum with tissue expression.
MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) for the palliation of pain in patients with bone metastases--preliminary clinical experience.

BACKGROUND Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is a noninvasive thermal ablation technique, shown to be clinically effective in the treatment of uterine fibroids and is being evaluated as a method of thermal ablation of benign and malignant breast tumors. To evaluate the safety and initial efficacy of MRgFUS for the palliation of pain caused by bone metastases, in patients for whom other treatments are either not effective or not feasible. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirteen patients suffering from symptomatic bone metastases underwent MRgFUS procedure. Treatment safety was evaluated by assessing the incidence and severity of device-related complications up to 6 months after treatment. Effectiveness of pain palliation was evaluated by visual analog scale, pain questionnaires and changes in the patients' medication. RESULTS Fifteen procedures were carried out. Mean follow-up was 59 days. Twelve patients received adequate treatment and were available for follow-up. Two patients died due to disease progression during the first month after treatment. No severe adverse events were recorded. The remaining 10 patients reported prolonged improvement in pain score and/or reduced analgesic dosage. CONCLUSION MRgFUS may provide a safe and effective noninvasive alternative for the palliation of pain, caused by bone metastases.