Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum hyaluronic acid and laminin as biomarkers in liver fibrosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Non-invasive methods have been proposed as surrogate markers for liver biopsy. It was shown that serum hyaluronic acid (HA) and laminin (LN) levels increase with the development of liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to determine serum HA and LN levels cut-off points for predicting liver fibrosis, highlighting their diagnostic value and their changes during treatment. METHODS Serum HA and LN levels in chronic hepatitis patients (n=62) and controls (n=20) were assessed by ELISA and liver histopathological parameters were evaluated by the modified Knodell score. RESULTS Mean serum HA (113.4 +/- 59.2 ng/ml) and LN (91.9 +/- 20.9 ng/ml) concentrations in patients were greater than in controls (46.6 +/- 10.5 and 46.1 +/- 10.1 ng/ml, p < 0.001). A strong correlation between serum HA and LN concentrations with hepatic necroinflammatory lesions was found (p < 0.001). A cut-off point of 59.5 ng/ml HA and 52.0 ng/ml LN for the discrimination of patients with liver fibrosis from healthy controls and 102.0 ng/ml HA and 92.5 ng/ml LN for the discrimination of patients with mild from severe fibrosis showed acceptable AUC, sensitivity and specificity. After six months of treatment, a gradual decrease in serum HA and LN levels was observed, however the levels were still higher than those of the controls (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Serum hyaluronic acid and laminin concentrations increase in liver fibrosis and could be used as a noninvasive biomarker to discriminate between patients with liver fibrosis and healthy individuals.
A review of the evidence for the use of antipsychotics in the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorders

Antipsychotic agents have long had a place in the clinical treatment of bipolar disorder, in both acute and maintenance phases. Recent clinical research conducted with the new generation of antipsychotic agents has contributed enormously to the data available on antipsychotic agents in bipolar disorder. Even now, however, the clinical trial data relates principally to the short-term treatment of acute mania. With the exception of recent data generated during the clinical trial programme for olanzapine, studies of maintenance treatment, conducted with antipsychotic agents, both established and newly-introduced, have generally been small and prone to methodological weakness. As a result, many important clinical questions, concerning the utility of antipsychotic agents in bipolar maintenance, can not be answered by reference to the data. Taken together, the findings of the clinical trials in bipolar maintenance, conducted with antipsychotic agents other than olanzapine, can be regarded only as tentative. As was conducted with olanzapine, larger, more rigorously designed studies are required to provide definitive evidence of efficacy in longer-term treatment. Due to the logistical complexity and expense of these sorts of study, it is likely that, for many antipsychotic agents with a potential role in long-term treatment in bipolar disorder, the definitive studies will never be undertaken.
Functional and Bioactive Properties of Quinoa Seed Protein Hydrolysates

ABSTRACT: Quinoa protein concentrate was hydrolyzed with alcalase to obtain a hydrolysate that was fractionated by ultrafiltration using 10000- and 5000-molecular-weight cutoff membranes. Functional properties of the protein concentrate, protein hydrolysate, and membrane permeates were compared at different pH values. Protein solubility of the hydrolysate and membrane permeates were significantly higher (P= 0.05) than that of the protein concentrate. The protein concentrate had a significantly higher (P= 0.05) emulsifying activity index than the protein hydrolysate and membrane permeates. Membrane fractionation of the protein hydrolysate into lower-molecular-weight pep tides significantly reduced (P= 0.05) foaming properties, but it improved radical scavenging activity and the ability to inhibit the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme.
Efficacy of Thymoquinone against Vaginal Candidiasis in Prednisolone-induced Immunosuppressed Mice

Vaginal candidiasis is a disease that results from the over growth of Candida sp. Thymoquinone (TQ) is a major constitute of Nigella sativa oil shows wide spectrum antifungal activity. In the present study, the efficacy of TQ was tested against vaginal candidiasis in prednisolone-induced immunosuppressed mice. A cream containing different concentrations of TQ (from 1% to 10%) was used to treat the infected mice and the effectiveness was compared with that treated with miconazole nitrate (2%). The C. albicans cells disappeared from the mice treated with 10% TQ cream, while the miconazole treated mice showed heavy growth of both C. albicans. The histological analysis showed no difference between the mice that were treated with miconazole and TQ containing cream as compared with the normal mice. Through this study we strongly recommended the use of TQ as an active substance in the anti-candidiasis pharmaceutical formulas. [Ahmed Abdel Azeiz, Ahmed H. Saad and Mohammed F. Darweesh Efficacy of Thymoquinone Against Vaginal Candidiasis In Prednisolone-induced Immunosuppressed Mice. J Am Sci 2013;9(4):155-159]. (ISSN: 15451003). http://www.jofamericanscience. org. 21
Acalculous cholecystitis caused by Salmonella virchow

Acalculous cholecystitis secondary to nontyphoidal salmonella is very rare. This report details an episode of acalculous cholecystitis caused by Salmonella virchow in a returned traveller. A 28-year-old woman presented with 2 days of fatigue and fever and 6 h of colicky abdominal pain localizing to the right and associated with nausea and diarrhoea with no blood. A previously well teacher with no sick contacts, she had returned from Fiji 2weeks prior where she had had a short diarrhoeal illness. She was febrile and tachycardic. Her abdomen was generally tender, with maximal tenderness in the right upper quadrant. Overnight, she failed to improve. Ultrasound showed a thickened gall bladder with sludge but no calculi (Fig. 1). A laparoscopic cholecystectomy showed a grossly dilated, oedematous gall bladder with multiple adhesions. The ascending colon was injected with visible mesenteric nodes and a moderate amount of free fluid. Gall bladder and faecal cultures grew S. virchow, which was sensitive to amoxycillin, tetracycline, cotrimoxazole, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone. Histopathology showed an acuteon-chronic cholecystitis. The patient slowly improved on intravenous antibiotics and was discharged on day 7. Only nine reported cases of adult acalculous cholecystitis secondary to nontyphoidal salmonella exist in the English literature. Nontyphoidal salmonellal enterocolitis usually causes only local enterocolitis. McCarron et al. reported three cases of cholecystitis out of 52 patients treated for nontyphoidal enterocolitis; one involved S. virchow.1 Risk factors for invasive infection included age, immunosuppression, reduced gastric acidity and the isolate serotype. No risk factors were identified in our patient. S. virchow has been associated with four adult cases of cholecystitis,1–4 one of which was fatal.2 This is the third case presenting after travel. Despite being considered less invasive, the past 25 years have seen three S. virchow cases out of nine adult nontyphoidal acalculous cholecystitis cases. Management of acalculous nontyphoidal cholecystitis differs. McCarron et al.1 suggested early surgery, whereas Mofredj et al.2 and James et al.4 suggested that antibiotics should generally be sufficient. However, only one reported case has been successfully treated by antibiotics alone. Furthermore, in the three cases of nontyphoidal acalculous cholecystitis described by McCarron et al., all gall bladders appeared close to perforation when removed. This case shows the importance of considering cholecystitis in sick patients with symptoms of gastroenteritis and considering early surgery, despite acalculous gall bladders, to reduce possible morbidity and mortality.
Determinantes do risco de pobreza urbana no Brasil durante a década de 90

Para colaborar com o desenho de um perfil da populacao pobre no Brasil, este artigo tem o objetivo de estimar fatores determinantes do risco de pobreza entre as familias urbanas atraves de um modelo de regressao logit, aplicado a uma amostra cross-section de tres periodos empilhados. Foi observado que a pobreza relativa era maior no inicio da decada de noventa e que essa reducao deve-se muito a mudancas na composicao das familias e nas caracteristicas de seus chefes. Apesar disso, constata-se que familias chefiadas por individuos mais jovens sao as que trazem consigo os aspectos mais desfavoraveis a sua condicao de vida, provavelmente porque esses chefes sofreram, em media, uma insercao relativamente precaria no mercado de trabalho. Alem de salientar a importância das condicoes ocupacionais do chefe, uma maior dependencia da renda provinda de outras fontes, que nao as de trabalho, possui um efeito de reducao no risco de pobreza da familia maior que qualquer outro tipo de ocupacao que o chefe venha a ter. Por fim, confirma-se que o tamanho da familia tem reflexos negativos sobre a determinacao de sua renda. No entanto, os efeitos variam de acordo com a faixa etaria dos membros. No caso, a presenca de aposentados reduz o risco de pobreza, enquanto um maior numero de criancas o aumenta significativamente. Palavras-chaves: Linha de Pobreza Relativa, Renda Equivalente, Sensibilidade dos Parâmetros
Evidence for Urban Walling in the Third Millennium bc

A tradition of enclosure walls developed in Egypt very early on. Until recently the evidence was primarily artistic, in the shape of depictions on several late prehistoric palettes of symbols representing enclosed areas of square layout with rounded corners and numerous external buttresses. These images seem to depict walled inhabited settlements, and they belong to artistic compositions that also portray fighting and other violence; and together such scenes are often seen as reflecting local struggles along the road of state formation.
Peripheral and spinal mechanisms of nociception in a rat reserpine-induced pain model

Abstract Chronic widespread pain is a serious medical problem, yet the mechanisms of nociception and pain are poorly understood. Using a reserpine-induced pain model originally reported as a putative animal model for fibromyalgia, this study was undertaken to examine the following: (1) expression of several ion channels responsible for pain, mechanotransduction, and generation/propagation of action potentials in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), (2) activities of peripheral nociceptive afferents, and (3) alterations in spinal microglial cells. A significant increase in mRNA expression of the acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC)-3 was detected in the DRG, and the behavioral mechanical hyperalgesia was significantly reversed by subcutaneous injection of APETx2, a selective blocker of ASIC3. Single-fiber recordings in vitro revealed facilitated mechanical responses of mechanoresponsive C-fibers both in the skin and muscle although the proportion of mechanoresponsive C-nociceptors was paradoxically decreased. In the spinal dorsal horn, microglial cells labeled with Iba1 immunoreactivity was activated, especially in laminae I-II where the nociceptive input is mainly processed compared with the other laminae. The activated microglia and behavioral hyperalgesia were significantly tranquilized by intraperitoneal injection of minocycline. These results suggest that the increase in ASIC3 in the DRG facilitated mechanical response of the remaining C-nociceptors and that activated spinal microglia may direct to intensify pain in this model. Pain may be further amplified by reserpine-induced dysfunction of the descending pain inhibitory system and by the decrease in peripheral drive to this system resulting from a reduced proportion of mechanoresponsive C-nociceptors.
A bedside ultrasound sign ruling out pneumothorax in the critically ill. Lung sliding.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To describe and evaluate an ultrasound pattern useful in the diagnosis of pneumothorax. DESIGN Ultrasound examination of "lung sliding," a respiratory movement visible when investigating the chest wall. SETTING The medical ICU of a university-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS The study group included 43 proved pneumothoraces, either by chest radiograph (n = 40) or by CT (n = 3). The control group included 68 hemithoraces in which the absence of pneumothorax was proved by CT. INTERVENTION Analysis of anterior chest wall in supine patients. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Feasibility was 98.1%. Disappearance of "lung sliding" was observed in 100% of 41 analyzable cases of pneumothorax vs 8.8% of the hemithorax without pneumothorax (6 of 68). In this series, sensitivity was 95.3%, specificity 91.1%, and negative predictive value 100% (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Ultrasound was a sensitive test for detection of pneumothorax, although false-positive cases were noted. The principal value of this test was that it could immediately exclude anterior pneumothorax.
Evaluation of nasolacrimal fluorescein transit time in ophthalmically normal dogs and nonbrachycephalic cats.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate fluorescein nasolacrimal transit (NLT) times in ophthalmically normal dogs and nonbrachycephalic cats by use of 2 methods of the Jones test. ANIMALS 73 dogs and 36 cats. PROCEDURES Fluorescein dye was applied to the ocular surface of both eyes by means of a wetted fluorescein strip and, in a subsequent test, by administration of a drop of 0.2% fluorescein solution. During each test, the nares were monitored for the appearance of fluorescein for up to 30 minutes after application. Time of fluorescein appearance at the nares was recorded as NLT time. Recorded variables for all study animals included age, reproductive status, body weight, and Schirmer tear test values. For dogs, skull index, snout length, and cephalic conformation were also recorded. Data were grouped for statistical comparisons according to test results. RESULTS In both dogs and cats, NLT was faster when the fluorescein solution versus fluorescein strip was used. In cats, none of the recorded variables had a significant effect on NLT, irrespective of the testing method used. In dogs, several variables had a significant effect on NLT, including cephalic conformation, snout length, age, and reproductive status, but these findings varied with testing method and testing group. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE NLT was highly variable in dogs and cats, regardless of testing method used. Assessment of nasolacrimal patency in brachycephalic dogs by use of either method evaluated here is not likely to be clinically useful. In cats, assessment of nasolacrimal patency with the fluorescein drop method was faster and more conclusive than with the fluorescein strip method.
Use of medication by adolescents for the management of menstrual discomfort.

OBJECTIVE To determine how adolescents use medication to manage menstrual discomfort. DESIGN Survey. SETTING Public high school. PARTICIPANTS Convenience sample of 386 adolescent girls (80% return rate: 10 refusals and 8 exclusions). Two hundred and ninety-one cases were used for analyses (16.26+/-1.00 years [mean+/-SD]; range, 14-21 years), distributed equivalently across grades 10 through 12. Parent's socioeconomic status was predominately class III or lower on Hollingshead's Two-Factor Index of Social Status. Eighty-five percent of the subjects were English Canadian. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The Menstrual Distress Management Questionnaire (designed for our study to measure disability and medication use) and the Symptom Severity Scale. RESULTS Ninety-three percent reported menstrual discomfort during the last 3 menstruations and 70% of these had used over-the-counter (OTC) medications to manage the discomfort. Users of OTC medications reported greater symptom severity and disability than non-OTC users. Seventy-five percent of the OTC medication users took within the recommended dose of 1 to 2 pills, but 57% took medication less often than the maximum daily frequency. The size of a single dose of OTC medication was correlated with how often OTC medication was taken (r[s]=0.40, P<.001). Seventeen percent used prescription medication and reported significantly greater symptom severity and disability than nonprescription medication users. Seventy-one percent of the prescription drug users took the prescribed amount, 13% took less, and 16% took more. CONCLUSIONS Adolescent girls frequently suffer from menstrual discomfort and use OTC medications to manage the discomfort, but they may not be using OTC medications effectively. There are possible explanations for medicating behavior and future research directions should be considered.
Developmental hyperbilirubinemia and CNS toxicity in mice humanized with the UDP glucuronosyltransferase 1 (UGT1) locus

High levels of unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) in newborn children is associated with a reduction in hepatic UDP glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A1 activity that can lead to CNS toxicity, brain damage, and even death. Little is known regarding those events that lead to UCB accumulation in brain tissue, and therefore, we sought to duplicate this condition in mice. The human UGT1 locus, encoding all 9-UGT1A genes including UGT1A1, was expressed in Ugt1−/− mice. Because the most common clinical condition associated with jaundice in adults is Gilbert’s syndrome, which is characterized by an allelic polymorphism in the UGT1A1 promoter, hyperbilirubinemia was monitored in humanized UGT1 mice that expressed either the Gilbert’s UGT1A1*28 allele [Tg(UGT1A1*28)Ugt1−/− mice] or the normal UGT1A1*1 allele [Tg(UGT1A1*1)Ugt1−/− mice]. Adult Tg(UGT1A1*28)Ugt1−/− mice expressed elevated levels of total bilirubin (TB) compared with Tg(UGT1A1*1)Ugt1−/− mice, confirming that the promoter polymorphism associated with the UGT1A1*28 allele contributes to hyperbilirubinemia in mice. However, TB accumulated to near toxic levels during neonatal development, a finding that is independent of the Gilbert’s UGT1A1*28 promoter polymorphism. Whereas serum TB levels eventually returned to adult levels, TB clearance in neonatal mice was not associated with hepatic UGT1A1 expression. In ∼10% of the humanized UGT1 mice, peak TB levels culminated in seizures followed by death. UCB deposition in brain tissue and the ensuing seizures were associated with developmental milestones and can be prevented by enhancing regulation of the UGT1A1 gene in neonatal mice.
Combined modality treatments in pancreatic cancer

Introduction: Of all the carcinomas, pancreatic carcinoma (PC) has the highest mortality rate, with a 1- and 5-year survival rate of 25% and less than 5% respectively. This is regardless of the stage at diagnosis. Areas covered: In this review relevant literature assessing the evidence regarding preoperative and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is discussed. Furthermore, new therapeutic approaches are summarized, while the future direction regarding the multimodality approach to PC is also discussed. Expert opinion: The role of combined-modality therapy for PC is continuously evolving. There have been several recent developments, as well as the completion of major, multi-institutional clinical trials. One of the challenges for the busy clinician is to appreciate the variation in staging, surgical expertise, and application of either definitive CRT or neo-adjuvant CRT for local and/or borderline disease.
Invasive Fungal Infections in the ICU: How to Approach, How to Treat

Invasive fungal infections are a growing problem in critically ill patients and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Most of them are due to Candida species, especially Candida albicans. Invasive candidiasis includes candidaemia, disseminated candidiasis with deep organ involvement and chronic disseminated candidiasis. During the last decades rare pathogenic fungi, such as Aspergillus species, Zygomycetes, Fusarium speciesand Scedosporium have also emerged. Timely diagnosis and proper treatment are of paramount importance for a favorable outcome. Besides blood cultures, several laboratory tests have been developed in the hope of facilitating an earlier detection of infection. The antifungal armamentarium has also been expanded allowing a treatment choice tailored to individual patients’ needs. The physician can choose among the old class of polyenes, the older and newer azoles and the echinocandins. Factors related to patient’s clinical situation and present co-morbidities, local epidemiology data and purpose of treatment (prophylactic, pre-emptive, empiric or definitive) should be taken into account for the appropriate choice of antifungal agent.
Azathioprine allows glucocorticoid withdrawal – post hoc results of a prospective study in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases

Abstract Background Azathioprine is recommended as first-line immunosuppressant in patients with steroid-dependent inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). However, data on steroid withdrawal after induction therapy in IBD patients are sparse. Methods In this post-hoc analysis of a prospective multicenter study, we analyzed the proportion and clinical characteristics of 324 azathioprine-tolerant patients as to whether they could terminate the glucocorticoid therapy after initiation of treatment with azathioprine. Results Systemic steroid therapy was required in 190 patients (58.6 %) at baseline and in 40 patients (12.3 %) at the end of the follow-up period (p < 0.001). The median daily dose was 30 mg at baseline and 10 mg at follow-up. At baseline, only 122 patients (37.2 %) were advised to take at least the lowest recommended dose of 2 mg/kg per day. At follow-up, 221 patients (68.2 %) were prescribed at least the recommended maintenance dosage. Conclusion The majority of patients with thiopurine-naïve IBDs that needed systemic steroids at baseline were able to discontinue steroids after 3 – 6 months of azathioprine therapy. These data support the continued high value of azathioprine in the immunosuppressive therapy of IBD.
Extended Mie Theory for a Gyrotropic-Coated Conducting Sphere: An Analytical Approach

Based on the extended Mie theory with Fourier transform, the electromagnetic field in homogeneous gyrotropic media, for the first time, can be analytically obtained in spectral domain in terms of spherical eigen-vectors with their associated coefficients. The coefficients of electromagnetic fields in the gyrotropic shell and the isotropic host medium are thus exactly solved in a recursive manner. Our analytical extended Mie scattering theory have been numerically validated. Using this analytical approach, results of the scattering by the general gyrotropic coated conducting sphere are obtained.