Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The pediatric microbiome and the lung

Purpose of review Many pediatric lung diseases are characterized by infection. These infections are generally diagnosed, studied, and treated using standard culture methods to identify ‘traditional pathogens’. Based on these techniques, healthy lungs have generally been thought to be sterile. However, recent advances in culture-independent microbiological techniques challenged this paradigm by identifying diverse microbes in respiratory specimens (respiratory microbiomes) from both healthy people and those with diverse lung diseases. In addition, growing evidence suggests a link between gastrointestinal microbiomes and inflammatory diseases of various mucosal surfaces, including airways. Recent findings This article reviews the rapidly developing field of respiratory microbiome research, emphasizing recent progress made employing increasingly sophisticated technologies. Although many of the relevant studies have focused on adults with cystic fibrosis, recent research has included children and adults with other respiratory diseases, as well as healthy individuals. These studies suggest that even healthy children have airway microbiomes, and that both respiratory and gastrointestinal microbiomes often differ between healthy people and those with different types and severities of airway disease. The causal relationships between microbiomes, disease type and progression, and treatments such as antibiotics must now be defined. Summary The advent of culture-independent microbiological techniques has transformed how we think about the relationship between microbes and airway disease. More research is required to translate these findings to improved therapies and preventive strategies.
Consequences and Determinants of Adherence to Antiretroviral Medication: Results from Adult Aids Clinical Trials Group Protocol 370

Objectives (1) To document rates and patterns of adherence from enrollment until week 24 of an AIDS clinical trial; (2) to examine the association of adherence to clinical end-points including plasma HIV-1 RNA level and CD4 cell count; and (3) to identify predictors of adherence from clinical, behavioural, psychosocial and demographic factors. Design Sub-study of a multicentre, randomised, open-label, comparison-controlled trial; 21 collaborating units of the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group. Observational, prospective analysis. Methods Ninety-three subjects with baseline plasma HIV-1 RNA levels >500 copies/ml, who completed clinical assessment, plasma HIV-1 RNA titres and CD4 cell counts at study entry, weeks 2, 4 and every 4 weeks thereafter until week 24. All patients were antiretroviral-experienced but were naive to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors. Self-reported adherence to antiretroviral therapies prescribed as part of the trial was assessed every 4 weeks from trial, week 4 until week 24. Results Average adherence was high, with 63% of subjects reporting >95% adherence across the trial. However, there was a significant decline in adherence over time on trial. After controlling for potential confounding variables, patients who were less than 95% adherent to medications were 3.5-times more likely to have treatment failure (HIV-1 RNA >50 copies/ml) than subjects with adherence rates of 95–100%. The strongest predictor of adherence was adverse clinical events (for example, dermatological, gastrointestinal symptoms): patients with adverse events were 12.8-times less likely to have 95–100% adherence. Other clinical, demographic, psychosocial and behavioural factors were also significant predictors of adherence. Conclusions Adherence influences virological outcome even in AIDS clinical trials where overall adherence rates are high and should therefore be monitored in future trials. Intervention may be warranted to enhance adherence for subjects who have early toxicities, express concern about taking medications as directed, and for women and minorities.
A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of treatment as usual plus exogenous slow-release melatonin (6 mg) or placebo for sleep disturbance and depressed mood

Sleep disturbance is common in major depressive disorder (MDD), and is often characterized by early-morning waking. Melatonin is a hypnotic and synchronizes circadian rhythms. It may also be an antidepressant. The melatonin agonists, ramelteon and agomelatine, have hypnotic and antidepressant properties, but there is a dearth of trials investigating the use of melatonin in MDD. This randomized, controlled trial aimed to determine whether exogenous melatonin is a sleep promoter and antidepressant. Thirty-three participants with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fourth edition) diagnosis of MDD and early-morning waking were selected for a 4-week, randomized, double-blind trial of slow-release melatonin (6 mg; vs. placebo) given at bedtime over 4 weeks. Sleep was measured subjectively using sleep diaries and the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire and objectively using wrist actigraphy. Of the 33 participants, 31 completed the trial. General Linear Modelling showed significant improvements in depression and sleep over time, but this was not specific to melatonin. However, there was a trend towards an improvement in mood with melatonin, and no adverse side effects were observed. In conclusion, melatonin may be beneficial for treating MDD, it seems to be safe and well tolerated, but its potential for treating depression in people who do not wish to take antidepressants requires further evaluation.
Donor hepatitis C virus status does not adversely affect short-term outcomes in HCV+ recipients in renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND Recipient hepatitis C virus (HCV) seropositivity has been associated with inferior outcomes in renal transplantation (RTx). We sought to determine whether donor HCV+ status influenced the incidence of rejection, liver dysfunction, and graft survival in HCV+ recipients. METHODS We reviewed 44 HCV+ recipients (R+) receiving RTx from HCV+ (D+) and HCV- (D-) donors between February 1991 and September 1996. All patients were followed to the end of the study period (mean=36 months, range=12-60 months). We compared the R+ group with a demographically matched cohort of 44 HCV- recipients (R-). RESULTS Of the 44 R+, 25 (57%) had a total of 48 rejection episodes. Among the 44 R-, 32 (73%) had 58 rejection episodes (P>0.1). Within the R+ group, 28 were D+/R+; of these 14 (50%) had 27 rejection episodes, whereas among the 16 D-/R+, 11 (68%) had 21 rejection episodes (P>0.3). Graft and patient survival was similar in both the groups (86.4% and 91%, respectively). Liver dysfunction was slightly increased in the R+ group (4/44 vs. 0/44, P>0.1), with one death due to liver failure in this group. CONCLUSION Donor HCV+ status had no influence on outcomes in HCV+ recipients after kidney transplantation in the short term. The incidence of rejection, graft loss, and mortality was comparable between the D+/R+ and D-/R+ groups. Furthermore, rejection, graft loss, and death were identical in R+ and R-groups throughout the 5-year study period. We therefore conclude that HCV+ recipients can safely receive kidney transplants without concern about donor HCV status or fear of adverse events from their own HCV+ status.
Socioeconomic status and body size among women in Honduran Miskito communities

Background: This study investigates evidence of the nutrition transition among women in Miskito communities on the northeastern coast of Honduras. Aim: The hypothesis that socioeconomic status (SES) is positively associated with body size and fatness is tested; and dietary and physical activity patterns are examined among SES groups. Subjects and methods: An anthropometric survey was conducted with 200 non-pregnant women following standard procedures. Dietary intake and physical activity data were collected using 24-hour recall methods. Women were categorized into three SES groups (high, medium and low) based on economic and social attributes. Differences in anthropometric measures, diet and physical activity among SES groups were analysed. Results: More than 70% (n = 142) of women in the sample were overweight or obese. Mean height, weight, skin-fold thicknesses, arm and calf circumferences, percentage body fat and upper-arm fat area were significantly greater among high SES women than low SES women. Women with high SES had lower rates of physical activity and higher rates of obesity, perceived food sufficiency, meat consumption, milk/dairy intake and general dietary diversity. Conclusion: High SES women were significantly fatter than low SES women; and variation observed among groups is likely related to different patterns of dietary intake and physical activity.
Real-time convolutional networks for sonar image classification in low-power embedded systems

Deep Neural Networks have impressive classification performance, but this comes at the expense of significant computational resources at inference time. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles use low-power embedded systems for sonar image perception, and cannot execute large neural networks in real-time. We propose the use of max-pooling aggressively, and we demonstrate it with a Fire-based module and a new Tiny module that includes max-pooling in each module. By stacking them we build networks that achieve the same accuracy as bigger ones, while reducing the number of parameters and considerably increasing computational performance. Our networks can classify a 96x96 sonar image with 98.8 - 99.7 accuracy on only 41 to 61 milliseconds on a Raspberry Pi 2, which corresponds to speedups of 28.6 - 19.7.
Synaptic input from CA3 pyramidal cells to dentate basket cells in rat hippocampus.

1. Excitatory inputs from CA3 pyramidal cells to dentate basket cells were examined using the whole‐cell recording technique in neonatal (10‐16 days) rat hippocampal slices to characterize this unexpected feedback pathway. 2. Minimal electrical stimulation of the CA3 pyramidal layer evoked in basket cells short latency (5.2 +/‐ 0.4 ms) glutamate receptor‐mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) with fast rise times (at ‐70 mV, 0.9 +/‐ 0.2 ms), fast decay time constants (3.6 +/‐ 0.6 ms), and small amplitudes (‐14 +/‐ 3.4 pA). Minimal electrical stimulation evoked monosynaptic EPSCs in only 48 +/‐ 9.2% of the trials suggesting that the CA3 pyramidal cell to basket cell pathway was unreliable. 3. CA3 pyramidal cell layer stimulation did not antidromically or synaptically activate granule cells but did evoke polysynaptic IPSCs in granule cells, suggesting that the net effect of CA3 pyramidal cell firing on the dentate gyrus was granule cell inhibition. 4. Stimulation of the CA3 pyramidal cell layer evoked both monosynaptic and polysynaptic EPSCs in basket cells, which were eliminated by a knife lesion separating CA3 from the dentate gyrus. The latencies of the EPSCs evoked in 0.6 mM extracellular calcium were the same as the earliest latencies of EPSCs in 1.5 mM calcium, suggesting that those EPSCs were monosynaptic. The polysynaptic input was more prominent in the presence of 10 microM bicuculline, implying that inhibitory GABAergic circuits normally limit this feedback from CA3 to basket cells. 5. In recordings from 103 pairs of CA3 pyramidal cells and dentate basket cells from 11 slices, two polysynaptic connections were found that were active only when the presynaptic CA3 pyramidal neuron fired in bursts. No monosynaptic connections between CA3 pyramidal cells and basket cells were identified indicating that connections between the two cell types may be sparse. 6. Raising the external potassium concentration from 3.5 to 8.5 mM, which elicited burst firing in CA3 pyramidal cells, resulted in a barrage of EPSCs and action potentials in basket cells. In contrast, granule cells neither fired action potentials nor exhibited increased EPSC frequency in elevated potassium but instead received a higher frequency of bicuculline‐sensitive IPSCs, consistent with interneuron firing. The CA3 pyramidal cell to basket cell monosynaptic pathway exhibited paired‐pulse facilitation as manifested by an increased probability of release, which supports the idea that basket cells were better activated by short trains of action potentials than by single inputs. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Influence of cultivation time on xanthan biosynthesis on effluents from white wine production

In this study, the influence of cultivation time on xanthan biosynthesis by usingXanthomonascampestris ATCC 13951 on effluents from different stages of white wine production was examined in order to determine the critical bioprocess parameters. The obtained results show that after 96h of cultivation there is no significant change in the concentration of sugar components in all investigated media, and consequently there is no significant production of biopolymer, which indicates that the reduction of cultivation time for 24 h is possible without negative effect on the yield of desired product. It has also been found that the consumption of total nitrogen was noticeably higher in relation to the amount of ammonia and amino compounds, indicating that the wastewaters generated during the white wine production contain other nitrogen components that the applied producing strain can metabolize.
[Nosologic aspects of personality change due to head trauma].

INTRODUCTION Personality change due to head injury is one of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric posttraumatic disorders and causes significant impairment in familial, social or occupational functioning. OBJECTIVES To study the prevalence and clinical characteristics of personality changes secondary to severe closed head injuries, according to DSM-IV criteria. PATIENTS AND METHODS Fifty-five patients (aged 15-65 years) with severe head trauma were studied during the chronic stage (11-3 months) with the following instruments: the Revised Iowa Collateral Head Injury Interview for the assessment of posttraumatic frontal symptoms, the Standardized Polyvalent Psychiatric Interview of Lobo et al, assessment of premorbid personality and its exacerbation, and the Scale of Aggressiveness of Yudofsky. RESULTS Thirty-three patients (60% of the sample) fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for personality change due to head injury; two thirds of them were combined or mixed type, which consists in the association of two or more types specified in the DSM-IV. The most prevalent types were apathic, unstable, disinhibited, aggressive, which are related with lesions in prefrontal cortex. There were nine patients with 'unspecified' symptoms, such as 'inappropriate euphoria' and 'poor insight', and other symptoms related to executive dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS One third of cases of personality changes were related to premorbid features; this fact argues against the exclusion of the criterium 'excerbation of premorbid personality traits' in DSM-IV. Only one third of posttraumatic personality changes can be classified according to DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria. The high prevalence of symptoms related to deficit in self-awareness and executive dysfunction suggest the need of further investigations about nosology in this field.
Amino Acid Repetitions in the Dihydropteroate Synthase of Streptococcus pneumoniae Lead to Sulfonamide Resistance with Limited Effects on SubstrateKm

ABSTRACT Sulfonamide resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae is due to changes in the chromosomal folP (sulA) gene coding for dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS). The first reported laboratory-selected sulfonamide-resistant S. pneumoniaeisolate had a 6-bp repetition, the sul-d mutation, leading to a repetition of the amino acids Ile66 and Glu67 in the gene product DHPS. More recently, clinical isolates showing this and other repetitions have been reported. WA-5, a clinical isolate from Washington State, contains a 6-bp repetition in the folP gene, identical to the sul-d mutation. The repetition was deleted by site-directed mutagenesis. Enzyme kinetic measurements showed that the deletion was associated with a 35-fold difference in Ki for sulfathiazole but changed the Km for p-aminobenzoic acid only 2.5-fold and did not significantly change theKm for 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropteridine pyrophosphate. The enzyme characteristics of the deletion variant were identical to those of DHPS from a sulfonamide-susceptible strain. DHPS from clinical isolates with repetitions of Ser61 had very similar enzyme characteristics to the DHPS from WA-5. The results confirm that the repetitions are sufficient for development of a resistant enzyme and suggest that the fitness cost to the organism of developing resistance may be very low.
The Effects of Romantic Love on Mentalizing Abilities

The effects of the human pair-bonded state of “romantic love” on cognitive function remain relatively unexplored. Theories on cognitive priming suggest that a state of love may activate love-relevant schemas, such as mentalizing about the beliefs of another individual, and may thus improve mentalizing abilities. On the other hand, recent functional MRI (fMRI) research on individuals who are in love suggests that several brain regions associated with mentalizing may be “deactivated” during the presentation of a love prime, potentially affecting mentalizing cognitions and behaviors. The current study aimed to investigate experimentally the effect of a love prime on a constituent aspect of mentalizing—the attribution of emotional states to others. Ninety-one participants who stated they were “deeply in love” with their romantic partner completed a cognitive task involving the assessment of emotional content of facial stimuli (the Reading the Mind in the Eyes task) immediately after the presentation of either a love prime or a neutral prime. Individuals were significantly better at interpreting the emotional states of others after a love prime than after a neutral prime, particularly males assessing negative emotional stimuli. These results suggest that presentation of a love stimulus can prime love-relevant networks and enhance subsequent performance on conceptually related mentalizing tasks.
Novel and preclinical treatment strategies in pneumococcal meningitis

Purpose of review Pneumococcal meningitis is the most frequent form of bacterial meningitis in Europe and the United States. Although early antimicrobial and adjuvant therapy with dexamethasone have helped to improve disease outcome in adults, mortality and morbidity rates remain unsatisfactorily high, emphasizing the need for additional treatment options. Promising targets for adjuvant therapy have been identified recently and will be the focus of this review. Recent findings Brain disease in pneumococcal meningitis is caused by direct bacterial toxicity and excessive meningeal inflammation. Accordingly, promising targets for adjuvant therapy comprise limiting the release of toxic bacterial products and suppressing inflammation in a way that maximally protects against tissue injury without hampering pathogen eradication by antibiotics. Among the agents tested so far in experimental models, complement inhibitors, matrix-metalloproteinase inhibitors, and nonbacteriolytic antibiotics or a combination of the above have the potential to more efficiently protect the brain either alone (e.g., in children and outside the high-income settings) or in addition to adjuvant dexamethasone. Additionally, new protein-based pneumococcal vaccines are being developed that promise to improve disease prevention, namely by addressing the increasing problem of serotype replacement seen with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Summary Pneumococcal meningitis remains a life-threatening disease requiring early antibiotic and targeted anti-inflammatory therapy. New adjuvant therapies showed promising results in animal models but need systematic clinical testing.
A test result of a 50kW switched reluctance motor designed for a Hybrid Electric Vehicle

This paper shows a test result of a 50kW Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) designed for a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). The SRM is designed with competitive dimensions, weight, voltage and current with respect to a HEV IPM motors. However, experimental results have not yet presented. In this paper, a test result is briefly presented within the power and speed range of 50kW and 6000r/min. The test machine is found to have an output of 50kW and the best efficiency of more than 95%, which are competitive to the HEV IPM motors.
Glucocorticoid Receptor-mediated Protection from Apoptosis Is Associated with Induction of the Serine/Threonine Survival Kinase Gene, sgk-1 *

We previously demonstrated that activation of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) initiates an antiapoptotic signal in the immortalized human mammary epithelial cell line MCF10A that is dependent on the GR's transcriptional activity. In this study, we show that the survival role of GR activation extends to protecting human breast cancer cells undergoing apoptosis after growth factor deprivation. Serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase-1 (sgk), a gene previously identified as a direct transcriptional target of the activated GR in a rat mammary tumor cell line, was rapidly induced after GR activation in human mammary epithelial cells. Furthermore, in the absence of all growth factors, ectopic sgk expression inhibited apoptosis, suggesting that SGK is a survival kinase. Finally, kinase-dead SGK expression inhibited the protection from apoptosis usually seen after GR activation. These findings suggest that SGK is an important downstream target of GR-mediated survival signaling and that it is distinct from other survival kinases because it can be primarily regulated at the level of transcription.
Assessment of quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Oman.

OBJECTIVE To measure quality of life of type 2 diabetes patients in Oman, and examine which patients' socio-demographic and diabetes-related clinical characteristics are associated with better quality of life. METHODS This cross-sectional study of 200 diabetic subjects was conducted in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Al-Khod, Oman between April and September 2009. A short form of the diabetes quality of life questionnaire (DQoL) was used to elicit indices of quality of life on subjects (n=200) seeking consultation at the diabetic outpatient clinic. Socio-demographic variables, body mass index (kg/m) and clinical parameters relevant for the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, including glycated hemoglobin A1c level, (HbA1c), were also sought. RESULTS The results show that patients with less than 5 years of disease duration and HbA1c less than 8% reported significantly better overall DQoL. Patients with HbA1c less than 8% showed significantly higher glycemic control satisfaction score. The same trend was observed in patients with less than 5 years duration of diabetes. Patients with ages less than 40 years have significantly better self care adherence scores and total score of QoL. CONCLUSION Patients' reported moderate DQoL, which appears to be related to demographics, medical history, and management regimens. Patients with HbA1c less than 8% showed significantly higher glycemic control satisfaction score. Furthermore, patients who are less than 40 years of age have significantly better quality of life compared to other age groups.