Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alterations of coagulation and fibrinolytic and kallikrein-kinin systems in the acute and postacute phases in patients with unstable angina pectoris.

BACKGROUND Unstable angina pectoris is frequently associated with intracoronary thrombus formation. In a prospective study, we investigated in 35 patients with unstable angina pectoris markers of coagulation and the kallikrein-kinin and fibrinolytic systems in the acute and postacute phases. METHODS AND RESULTS We determined serially in the patients up to 10 days after admission factor XII and the beta-factor XIIa inhibition, kallikrein-like activity, prekallikrein, C1-esterase inhibitor, kallikrein inhibition, high molecular weight kininogen as indicators of the contact phase and bradykinin generation, thrombin-antithrombin III (TAT) complex as marker of the activated coagulation cascade, fibrinogen, plasminogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tissue-type plasminogen activator (TPA), and D-dimers as indicators of the fibrinolytic system. Data were compared with those from control subjects (n = 25) and from patients with stable angina pectoris (n = 25). In patients with unstable angina pectoris, initially the contact phase and the kallikrein-kinin system were markedly elevated (factor XII, 96 +/- 5% versus 117 +/- 5%; kallikrein-like activity, 35.7 +/- 2.9 versus 27.4 +/- 1.3 U/L; high molecular weight kininogen, 52.7 +/- 5.2% versus 87.7 +/- 3.9%; P < .01 versus control subjects). Contact-phase activation persisted for the following 10 days, whereas the initially enhanced bradykinin generation normalized after 2 days. Furthermore, we had evidence of a hypercoagulative state (TAT, 10.9 +/- 3.1 versus 4.5 +/- 0.7 micrograms/L, P < .05; D-dimer, 474 +/- 81 versus 272 +/- 71 ng/mL) persisting longer than the clinically symptomatic period in association with disturbed fibrinolysis (TPA, 15.9 +/- 1.9 versus 5.1 +/- 0.4 ng/mL; P < .01; PAI-1, 9.9 +/- 2.6 versus 4.6 +/- 1.6 AU/mL; P = NS) in the presence of elevated fibrinogen levels. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that in patients with unstable angina pectoris, intracoronary thrombus formation is associated with a hypercoagulative state, including activation of the contact phase and of the kallikrein system and increased bradykinin generation. The persistence of this hypercoagulative state, together with a disturbed fibrinolysis, might indicate an increased risk for further coronary events.
Deriving Group A Streptococcus Typing Information from Short-Read Whole-Genome Sequencing Data

ABSTRACT Typing of group A Streptococcus (GAS) is crucial for infection control and epidemiology. While whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is revolutionizing the way that bacterial organisms are typed, it is necessary to provide backward compatibility with currently used typing schemas to facilitate comparisons and understanding of epidemiological trends. Here, we sequenced the genomes of 191 GAS isolates representing 42 different emm types and used bioinformatics tools to derive commonly used GAS typing information directly from the short-read WGS data. We show that emm typing and multilocus sequence typing can be achieved rapidly and efficiently using this approach, which also permits the determination of the presence or absence of genes associated with GAS tissue tropism. We also report on how the WGS data analysis was instrumental in identifying ambiguities present in the commonly used emm type database hosted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Behavioural disorders in 6–11-year-old, HIV-infected Indian children

Abstract Background: HIV-infected children are at risk of behaviour problems. The transition of HIV from an acute, lethal disease to survival with sub-acute, chronic disease has enormous implications for the psychosocial development and requirement for support of affected children and families. Aim: To study the behavioural patterns and factors responsible for psychiatric disorders among HIV-infected and uninfected children in the age group 6–11 years. Methods: A prospective, random-sampling study was undertaken to examine the unique and combined influences of HIV and socio-demographic characteristics on the behaviour of 140 infected and 301 age- and income-matched controls. Controls were normal children recruited from government schools. The Child Behaviour Check List was used to assess behaviour patterns. Results: Multivariate analyses comparing HIV-infected children with their uninfected peers from similar backgrounds showed more subjective distress in the HIV-infected group. Behaviour problems in HIV-infected children were reported by 80.7% of primary caregivers compared with 18.3% for controls. Psychiatric behaviour in HIV-infected children as a risk factor for HIV was also identified in a significant proportion (p<0.0001). Conclusions: By analysing behaviour, a psycho-medical team can examine the extent to which psychosocial and demographic factors are involved in causing and exacerbating behaviour problems in HIV-infected children.
Institutional Repository The mechanism of adapting RED parameters to TCP tra

Random Early Detection (RED) can stabilize the queue within a given target range and thus achieve high throughput in the routers. However, the average queue size is quite sensitive to network scenarios and it is difficult to adapt RED parameters to changing network traffic. In this paper we use a previously developed dynamic model of TCP behavior and linear feedback model of TCP/RED to analyze and design a mechanism for RED parameter tuning in response to changing network conditions like traffic load, link capacity and round-trip time. Even though the values of four key RED parameters are determined by varying network conditions, they can be tuned independently without consideration of the interactions among these RED parameters. Simulation results show that this mechanism can stabilize the queue and maintain high link utilization in a wide variety of network conditions. Keywords-RED; Congestion Control; Parameter tuning; Control theory
Shen’s Whole-Layer Tightly Appressed Anastomosis Technique for Duct-to-Mucosa Pancreaticojejunostomy in Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Background Postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPFs) due to anastomotic leaks are always closely related to significant morbidity and mortality following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). A series of modified anastomotic methods have been proposed. The object of our study was to provide a novel anastomotic method for operations involving the Child technique, termed the “whole-layer tightly appressed anastomosis technique”. Material/Methods An improved pancreatic whole-layer suture technique was used when we performed the duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomies; this method ensured the tight joining of the pancreatic stump and jejunum and decreased the pinholes in the pancreatic stump. This new method was used in 41 patients, and was compared with the traditional duct-to-mucosa anastomosis technique that was used in 50 patients as controls. Results The POPF rate was much lower in the new method group than in the control group (6, 14.63% and 20, 40.00%, respectively, P=0.010). There were 5 grade A POPF patients and 1 grade B POPF patient in the study group. In the control group there were 12 grade A POPFs patients, 7 grade B POPFs patients, and 1 grade C POPF patient. The study group exhibited a lower morbidity rate (7, 17.07% vs. 16, 32.00%, P=0.022) and a reduced hospital stay (17.16 d vs. 22.92 d, P=0.001). Conclusions The whole-layer tightly appressed anastomosis technique presented in our study is a safer anastomotic method than the traditional duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy technique. This new technique effectively reduced the incidence of POPF after PD and decreased the postoperative morbidity.
The general anesthetic potency of propofol and its dependence on hydrostatic pressure.

Although plasma concentrations of propofol during anesthesia are well known, the free concentration remains unknown because of uncertainties regarding plasma protein binding, interaction with other protein-bound substances, the level of binding to its lipid carrier, and the use of adjuvants. At elevated surrounding pressure, all general anesthetics require higher concentrations to reach adequate levels of anesthesia. To determine the anesthetic potency of propofol at equilibrium conditions and to study the effects of pressure on propofol-induced anesthesia, Rana pipiens tadpoles were exposed to different concentrations of pure, not emulsified, propofol in aqueous solution. Anesthesia was defined as loss of the righting reflex. Ten animals per concentration were used, and each experiment was conducted twice. Pressure experiments were performed with nonanesthetized tadpoles and urethane-anesthetized tadpoles as control groups. Propofol concentrations were measured spectrophotometrically. At 1 atmosphere absolute (atm abs), a semilogarithmic sigmoidal concentration-response curve was obtained with a half-maximal effect of propofol at 2.2 +/- 0.22 microM (EC50; mean +/- SE). Increased pressure shifted the concentration-response curve to the right. The EC50 increased linearly with increasing pressure up to 121 atm abs (EC50 at 121 atm abs = 4.1 +/- 0.41 microM). For pressure greater than 121 atm abs, an increased excitability of the tadpoles made it difficult to distinguish the righting reflex from involuntary movements. The saturated solubility of propofol in aqueous solution was found to be 1.0 +/- 0.02 mM (mean +/- SD), and the octanol/water partition coefficient was 4,300 +/- 280. Propofol adhered to the correlation between anesthetic potency and octanol/water partition coefficient exhibited by other general anesthetics. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Effects of wax coatings and postharvest storage on sensory quality and aroma volatile composition of 'Mor' mandarins.

BACKGROUND Mandarins suffer from accumulation of off-flavours after harvest. In this study the sensory quality and aroma profile composition of homogenised segments of untreated (control) and wax-coated 'Mor' mandarins after 7 days at 20 degrees C or 3 or 6 weeks of cold storage at 5 degrees C were examined. RESULTS Fruit taste score decreased during storage and following wax coating, and this was attributed to decreases in sourness and mandarin flavour and accumulation of off-flavours. Aroma profiling identified 31 volatiles that decreased by at least 50% during storage and after waxing and thus may be involved in the observed flavour loss. In contrast, 13 volatiles, mostly belonging to ethanol fermentation and fatty acid and amino acid catabolism pathways, significantly increased at least twofold and probably contributed to off-flavour enhancement. CONCLUSION The results showed that after harvest there was a progressive decrease in sensory quality of 'Mor' mandarins. It is proposed that observed decreases in contents of sesqui- and monoterpenes and short-chain oxygenated fatty acids may contribute to the decrease in mandarin flavour, whereas increases in the contents of ethanol fermentation metabolites and derivates of fatty acid and amino acid catabolism are most likely involved in causing the enhanced sensation of off-flavours.
Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling and AXIN1 Regulate Apoptosis Triggered by Inhibition of the Mutant Kinase BRAFV600E in Human Melanoma

The functional crosstalk between Wnt/β-catenin and BRAF signaling may yield more effective therapies for treating melanoma. Death to Melanoma Melanoma is a particularly aggressive form of skin cancer. Although the identification of a specific mutation in the kinase-encoding gene BRAF has facilitated the development of clinical therapies, many melanoma patients with the BRAFV600E mutation fail to exhibit long-term responsiveness to inhibition of this kinase. Biechele et al. found that some melanoma cell lines exhibited an enhanced apoptotic response when BRAFV600E was inhibited simultaneously with activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The susceptibility to this cell death response correlated with the ability of the combination treatment to reduce the abundance of AXIN1, a negative regulator of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and knockdown of AXIN1 abundance caused apoptosis-resistant melanoma cell lines to become susceptible to apoptosis in response to the combined treatment. Thus, exploiting this functional crosstalk between BRAF and Wnt/β-catenin signaling may yield more effective therapies for treating melanoma. Because the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is linked to melanoma pathogenesis and to patient survival, we conducted a kinome small interfering RNA (siRNA) screen in melanoma cells to expand our understanding of the kinases that regulate this pathway. We found that BRAF signaling, which is constitutively activated in many melanomas by the BRAFV600E mutation, inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling in human melanoma cells. Because inhibitors of BRAFV600E show promise in ongoing clinical trials, we investigated whether altering Wnt/β-catenin signaling might enhance the efficacy of the BRAFV600E inhibitor PLX4720. We found that endogenous β-catenin was required for PLX4720-induced apoptosis of melanoma cells and that activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling synergized with PLX4720 to decrease tumor growth in vivo and to increase apoptosis in vitro. This synergistic enhancement of apoptosis correlated with reduced abundance of an endogenous negative regulator of β-catenin, AXIN1. In support of the hypothesis that AXIN1 is a mediator rather than a marker of apoptosis, siRNA directed against AXIN1 rendered resistant melanoma cell lines susceptible to apoptosis in response to treatment with a BRAFV600E inhibitor. Thus, Wnt/β-catenin signaling and AXIN1 may regulate the efficacy of inhibitors of BRAFV600E, suggesting that manipulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway could be combined with BRAF inhibitors to treat melanoma.
Contagious Pustular Dermatitis (Orf Disease) - Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Control and Public Health Concerns

| Contagious pustular dermatitis (CPD), also known as Orf or contagious ecthyma is an important viral disease of sheep and goats. It is mainly seen as a benign disease but malignant form has also been reported from few parts of the world. The rates of morbidity and mortality are higher, particularly in lambs and kids experiencing the disease for the first time. The causative agent of disease is Orf virus, type species of the genus Parapoxvirus belonging to family Poxviridae. The virus produces localized persistent proliferative skin lesions and affected hosts are infected repeatedly owing to its host immune evasive strategy. These viruses have been found uniformly labile to chloroform but resistant to ether and also exhibit antigenic variations among them. Clinically, the disease is enzootic and occurs in three forms viz. labial, genital / mammary and generalized forms. The incubation period in natural cases is 2-3 weeks. The disease outbreaks mostly occur between autumn and spring but its severity is more in autumn and winter than spring. The virus grows well in cell cultures of caprine, ovine and bovine origin. Confounding symptoms impose laboratory affirmation by serological assays or molecular techniques. The disease can be diagnosed by electron microscopy, serological tests and PCR/ quantitative real-time PCR. Virus specific antibody response to structural proteins of capripox and orf viruses in western-blot analysis readily differentiates these two infections. The antibody response to the 32 kDa and 26 kDa proteins of capripox viruses provides a firm basis for differentiation. Although, the role of humoral immunity is well established but probably cell mediated immunity plays a major role in recovery from natural infections. A number of inactivated and live or live modified vaccines have been tried with variable success. The duration of immunity after vaccination is controversial; outbreaks have occurred in vaccinated animals. The disease is also of public health significance as it causes infection in human beings.
Renal safety of intravenous bisphosphonates in the treatment of osteoporosis

Oral bisphosphonates are the mainstay of treatment for osteoporosis but cannot be used in some patients due to gastrointestinal contraindications, gastrointestinal intolerance, malabsorption or the inability to comply with dosing requirements. In such patients, intravenous bisphosphonates are a useful alternative. This review summarises the renal safety issues associated with the use of intravenous bisphosphonates for osteoporosis. Intravenous bisphosphonates are generally well tolerated, which may be a reflection of their selective activity in bone and metabolic stability. Adverse effects on renal function are primarily related to infusion rate and dose. Due to lack of data, no conclusions can be made regarding bisphosphonate safety in patients with intrinsic renal disease or an estimated glomerular filtration rate of < 30 ml/min.
The role of unemployment in parasuicide

SYNOPSIS Sixty-four in-patient cases of deliberate non-fatal self-poisoning were compared for psychosocial problems in a case-control study with a similar number of individually matched community controls. A strongly significant association was found between unemployment and self-poisoning. Further analysis revealed no firm evidence to support the hypotheses that unemployment was causally related to self-poisoning in an indirect manner or that it increased the vulnerability of individuals who self-poison to other stressful life events and difficulties. It is concluded that a possible explanation is that some third factor independently increases the risk of both unemployment and self-poisoning, giving rise to a non-causal relationship between these last two variables.
Interdisciplinary Spiritual Care for Seriously Ill and Dying Patients: A Collaborative Model

Spirituality is essential to healthcare. It is that part of human beings that seeks meaning and purpose in life. Spirituality in the clinical setting can be manifested as spiritual distress or as resources of strength. Patients' spiritual beliefs can impact diagnosis and treatment. Spiritual care involves an intrinsic aspect of care, which underlies compassionate and altruistic caregiving and is an important element of professionalism amongst the various healthcare professionals. It also involves an extrinsic element, which includes spiritual history, assessment of spiritual issues, as well as resources of strength and incorporation of patients' spiritual beliefs and practices into the treatment or care plan. Spiritual care is interdisciplinary care—each member of the interdisciplinary team has responsibilities to provide spiritual care. The chaplain is the trained spiritual care expert on the team. Optimally, all healthcare professionals, including the chaplain, on the team interact with each other to develop and implement the spiritual care plan for the patient in a fully collaborative model.
Isolated and reversible impairment of ventricular relaxation in patients with septic shock*

Objective:Many patients with septic shock and increased cardiac troponin I (cTnI) do not exhibit significant left ventricular systolic dysfunction. We hypothesized that an isolated and reversible impairment of ventricular relaxation may be associated with the increase in cTnI. Design:Prospective, observational study. Setting:Surgical intensive care unit in a university hospital. Patients:Total of 54 patients with septic shock. Interventions:Fractional area change, early diastolic velocity of mitral annulus, flow propagation velocity of early diastolic mitral inflow, cTnI, tumor necrosis factor-&agr;, interleukin (IL)-6, -1&bgr;, -8, and -10 were measured at days 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 10 after onset of septic shock. Patients were classified into three groups: normal cTnI (group 1), increased cTnI and fractional area change <50% (group 2), and increased cTnI and fractional area change >50% (group 3). Measurements and Main Results:A total of 22 patients had an increase in cTnI, 11 with both systolic and diastolic dysfunctions and 11 with isolated impairment of left ventricular relaxation. At day 1, early diastolic velocity of mitral annulus and flow propagation velocity of early diastolic mitral inflow were significantly lower and tumor necrosis factor-&agr;, IL-8, and IL-10 significantly higher in groups 2 and 3 compared with group 1. With resolution of septic shock, early diastolic velocity of mitral annulus and flow propagation velocity of early diastolic mitral inflow measured in patients of groups 2 and 3 returned progressively to values observed in group 1, with a parallel normalization of tumor necrosis factor-&agr;, IL-8, and IL-10. Conclusions:Isolated and reversible impairment of left ventricular relaxation, associated with transient increases in cTnI, tumor necrosis factor-&agr;, IL-8, and IL-10, was observed in 20% of patients with septic shock.
China Compared with the US: Cultural Differences and the Impacts on Advertising Appeals

An important first step to successful global marketing is to understand the similarities and dissimilarities of values between cultures. This task is particularly daunting for companies trying to do business with China because of the scarcity of research-based information. This study uses updated values of Hofstede’s (1980) cultural model to compare the effectiveness of Pollay’s advertising appeals between the U.S. and China. Nine of the twenty hypotheses predicting effective appeals based on cultural dimensions were supported. An additional hypothesis was significant, but in the opposite direction as predicted. These findings suggest that it would be unwise to use Hofstede’s cultural dimensions as a sole predictor for effective advertising appeals. The Hofstede dimensions may lack the currency and fine grain necessary to effectively predict the success of the various advertising appeals. Further, the effectiveness of advertising appeals may be moderated by other factors, such as age, societal trends, political-legal environment and product usage.