Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum α-1-acid glycoprotein concentrations in 26 dogs with pyometra.

BACKGROUND The acute phase protein, α-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), has been proposed to have a role in immunomodulation and to be a nonspecific antimicrobial agent. We suggest that AGP may be increased in dogs with pyometra and possibly to a greater extent in dogs also manifesting signs of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). OBJECTIVES Our objectives were to evaluate serum AGP concentrations in dogs diagnosed with pyometra compared with clinically healthy female dogs and to determine if AGP concentrations were correlated with severity of disease. METHODS Twenty-six dogs with pyometra and 18 clinically healthy intact female dogs were included in this prospective study. A diagnosis of pyometra was verified by histopathologic examination after ovariohysterectomy in the pyometra group. A commercially available single radial immunodiffusion test was used for AGP analysis. Clinical findings, laboratory variables, and hospitalization times were compared. RESULTS Mean AGP concentration in dogs with pyometra (1943 ± 913 mg/L, mean ± SD), was significantly higher (P<.001) than in healthy dogs (495 ± 204 mg/L). Mean AGP concentration in dogs in the pyometra group with (n=18) or without (n=8) SIRS did not differ. Animals with a prolonged hospital stay had higher AGP concentrations. CONCLUSIONS Pyometra was associated with increased serum concentrations of the acute phase protein AGP. AGP concentrations were associated with severity of disease as measured by duration of hospitalization. As AGP binds basic drugs, further studies of its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic propreties in cases of pyometra may be of clinical interest.
Power consumption trade-offs in short-distance wireless transceivers for sensor nodes

This paper reviews system level considerations for the design of Ultra Low-Power Radio (ULP radio) transceivers with the capability to operate at short distances (∼1m) with a data rate of 1 Mbit/s and with a very low power consumption (∼1mW); the target application is a Sensor Node (SN). It is shown that under practical constraints an Ultra-Wide-Band impulse radio architecture (UWB-IR) is more power efficient than narrow-band modulated carrier approaches for the same bit-error rate (BER) performance.
Evaluation of Retention Forces and Resistance to Fatigue of Attachment Systems for Overdentures: Plastic and Metal Components

Purpose:To compare retention forces of 3 overdenture attachment systems with metal and plastic components. Materials and Methods:Four samples of each system evaluated (Ball-Attachment [metal]; O-Ring, and ERA [plastic]) were prepared and underwent fatigue and retention force in a universal testing machine. Maximum retention force (N) was measured at 6 time points (from 0 to 36 months—0.5 mm/min). Two-way analysis of variance and the Tukey test were used (&agr; = 0.05). Results:The Ball-Attachment group showed the highest retention values, statistically greater than the other systems, without differences during the trial (42.75–44.75). The ERA group had intermediate values and a statistically significant decrease during the trial (20.75–14). The lowest retention forces were found for the O-Ring group (13.75–11.75), with no statistical differences during the trial. Conclusion:Retention forces are significantly affected by abutment type because the metal retainer was more retentive than plastics, possibly providing better fixation of the prosthesis in position, and more difficult to remove. After 6 months of simulation, retentiveness of both plastic components was similar. There was no fracture of any component.
Skin metastases from unknown origin: role of immunohistochemistry in the evaluation of cutaneous metastases of carcinoma of unknown origin

Abstract: Determining the primary origin of skin metastases might be a challenging issue for pathologists, especially when there is no primary history or when this history is unavailable. The poor specificity of morphological appreciation is challenging, emphasizing the need for ancillary studies. We have retrieved 44 cases of skin metastases from our pathology files. Paraffin blocks were collected and homemade tissue arrays were made. We have tried to assess the primary origin based on morphological data alone, and then using 13 antibodies (cytokeratins (CK) 5/6, 7, 19, 20, thyroid transcription factor‐1, carcinoembryonic antigen, PS100, tumor‐associated glycoprotein 72, BerEP4, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), CD10, and E‐cadherin). Most metastases in our series were from breast (13) and colorectal cancers (six) as they are the main clinical activity in our hospital. Only 44% of cases were correctly assessed based on the sole morphology, emphasizing the need for ancillary studies. CK 20, ER, and PR were the most helpful markers to determine the primary origin of skin metastases by highlighting colorectal origin and mammary origin, respectively. By far, clinical information and morphological evaluation are more reliable than the use of ancillary techniques, which have to be used in the absence of the former one and the poor differentiation of the latter ones.
Pathogen‐induced actin filament rearrangement in infectious diseases

Host defence mechanisms involve the establishment and maintenance of numerous barriers to infectious microbes, including skin and mucosal surfaces, connective tissues, and a sophisticated immune system to detect and destroy invaders. Defeating these defence mechanisms and breaching the cell membrane barrier is the ultimate challenge for most pathogens. By invading the host and, moreover, by penetrating into individual host cells, pathogens gain access to a protective niche, not only to avoid immune clearance, but also to replicate and to disseminate from cell to cell within the infected host. Many pathogens are accomplishing these challenges by exploiting the actin cytoskeleton in a highly sophisticated manner as a result of having evolved common as well as unique strategies. Copyright © 2004 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chemical compounds investigation of Cassia auriculata seeds:A potential folklore medicinal plant

Medicinal plants, herbs, spices and herbal remedies are integral components of alternative system of medicine since times immemorial Cassia auriculata Linn. is a potential folklore medicinal plant (Caesalpiniaceae) used for Aurveda and Siddha systems of medicine. In this study, fatty acid esters, fatty acid, triterpene, diterpene alcohols and phytol were identified as the major chemical groups in the methanol fractions of Cassia auriculata seeds extract. Their structures were elucidated, on the basis of GC-MS data . Grape seed oil 31.02%, n-Hexadecanoic acid 21.31%,9-Octadecenoic acid, (E)- 12.60%, E,Z-1,3,12-Nonadecatriene 12.27%, Stearic acid 9.39% these different active phytochemicals have been found to possess a wide range of activities. In conclusion Cassia auriculata contains biologically active compounds that may serve as candidate for the discovery of new drugs in the treatment of antihyperlipidaemic and antidiabetic.
Nurses' pain assessment practices with critically ill adult patients.

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to describe the perceived barriers, enablers and acute pain assessment practices of nurses caring for critically ill adult patients in a resource-limited setting. BACKGROUND Acute pain is a common problem among critically ill adult patients, and nurses' play a central role in its control. Very few studies have examined nurses' acute pain assessment practices in resource-limited settings. METHODS A descriptive and cross-sectional design was used. A total of 170 nurses working in a Ugandan hospital were enrolled. Data were collected using a questionnaire measuring various aspects of pain assessment for critically ill adult patients. RESULTS The majority of nurses had poor pain assessment practices. The most commonly performed pain assessment practices were documenting assessment findings, discussing pain assessment and management during nurse-to-nurse reports, and assessing for analgesics need before wound care. The main barriers to pain assessment were workload; lack of education and familiarity with assessment tools; poor documentation and communication of pain assessment priorities. The only reported enabler was physician's prescriptions for analgesia. Pain assessment practices were significantly associated with perceived workload and priority given to pain assessment. CONCLUSION Pain assessment practices of nurses caring for critically ill adult patients in a resource-limited setting are affected by several barriers. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY Interventions to reduce barriers and enhance enablers of acute pain assessment are needed to improve pain management in critically ill adult patients. To be effective, the interventions have to be holistic and implemented by professional bodies and employers of nurses.
Factors influencing the decision to start renal replacement therapy: results of a survey among European nephrologists.

BACKGROUND Little is known about the criteria nephrologists use in the decision of when to start renal replacement therapy (RRT) in early referred adult patients. We evaluated opinions of European nephrologists on the decision for when to start RRT. STUDY DESIGN European web-based survey. PREDICTORS Patient presentations described as uncomplicated patients, patients with unfavorable clinical and unfavorable social conditions, or patients with specific clinical, social, and logistical factors. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Nephrologists from 11 European countries. OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS We studied opinions of European nephrologists about the influence of clinical, social, and logistical factors on decision making regarding when to start RRT, reflecting practices in place in 2009. Questions included target levels of kidney function at the start of RRT and factors accelerating or postponing RRT initiation. Using linear regression, we studied determinants of target estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at the start of RRT. RESULTS We received 433 completed surveys. The median target eGFR selected to start RRT in uncomplicated patients was 10.0 (25th-75th percentile, 8.0-10.0) mL/min/1.73 m(2). Level of excretory kidney function was considered the most important factor in decision making regarding uncomplicated patients (selected by 54% of respondents); in patients with unfavorable clinical versus social conditions, this factor was selected by 24% versus 32%, respectively. Acute clinical factors such as life-threatening hyperkalemia refractory to medical therapy (100%) and uremic pericarditis (98%) elicited a preference for an immediate start, whereas patient preference (69%) and vascular dementia (66%) postponed the start. Higher target eGFRs were reported by respondents from high- versus low-RRT-incidence countries (10.4 [95% CI, 9.9-10.9] vs 9.1 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) and from for-profit versus not-for-profit centers (10.1 [95% CI, 9.5-10.7] vs 9.5 mL/min/1.73 m(2)). LIMITATIONS We were unable to calculate the exact response rate and examined opinions rather than practice for 433 nephrologists. CONCLUSIONS Only for uncomplicated patients did half the nephrologists consider excretory kidney function as the most important factor. Future studies should assess the weight of each factor affecting decision making.
Ethnic Differences in the Frequency of Prostate Cancer Susceptibility Alleles at SRD5A2 and CYP3A4

Objectives: Ethnic differences in prostate cancer incidence are well documented, with African-Americans having among the highest rates in the world. Ethnic differences in genotypes for genes associated with androgen metabolism including SRD5A2 and CYP3A4 also may exist. The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in these genotypes by ethnicity. Methods: We studied cancer-free controls representative of four groups: 147 African Americans, 410 Caucasian-Americans, 129 Ghanaians, and 178 Senegalese. PCR-based genotype analysis was undertaken to identify two alleles (V89L, A49T) at SRD5A2 and *1B allele at CYP3A4. Results: Differences were observed for V89L (variant frequency of 30% in Caucasians, 27% in African Americans, 19% in Ghanaians, and 18% in Senegalese, p = 0.002) and were observed for CYP3A4*1B (variant frequencies of 8% in Caucasians, 59% in African Americans, 81% in Ghanaians, and 78% in Senegalese, p = 0.0001). Pooled data combining the present data and previously published data from from Asian, Hispanic, and Arab cancer-free controls showed significant ethnic differences for SRD5A2 and CYP3A4 polymorphisms. Overall, Asians were least likely to have alleles associated with increased prostate cancer risk, while Africans were most likely to have those alleles. Conclusions: These results suggest that ethnicity-specific differences in genotype frequencies exist for SRD5A2 and CYP3A4. Africans and African-Americans have the highest frequency of those alleles that have previously been associated with increased prostate cancer risk. Future studies should address whether allele frequency differences in part explain differences in prostate cancer incidence in these populations.
Extremum Seeking With Stochastic Perturbations

Extremum seeking (ES) using deterministic periodic perturbations has been an effective method for non-model based real time optimization when only limited plant knowledge is available. However, periodicity can naturally lead to predictability which is undesirable in some tracking applications and unrepresentative of biological optimization processes such as bacterial chemotaxis. With this in mind, it is useful to investigate employing stochastic perturbations in the context of a typical ES architecture, and to compare the approach with existing stochastic optimization techniques. In this work, we show that convergence towards the extremum of a static map can be guaranteed with a stochastic ES algorithm, and quantify the behavior of a system with Gaussian-distributed perturbations at the extremum in terms of the ES constants and map parameters. We then examine the closed loop system when actuator dynamics are included, as the separation of time scales between the perturbation signal and plant dynamics recommended in periodic ES schemes cannot be guaranteed with stochastic perturbations. Consequently, we investigate how actuator dynamics influence the allowable range of ES parameters and necessitate changes in the closed loop structure. Finally simulation results are presented to demonstrate convergence and to validate predicted behavior about the extremum. For the sake of analogy with the classical methods of stochastic approximation, stochastic ES in this technical note is pursued in discrete time.
Does startup experience matter? Venture capital selection criteria among Israeli entrepreneurs

Abstract In this study we are concerned with understanding Israeli entrepreneurs’ selection criteria in choosing a venture capital (VC) firm. Our primary aim was to investigate how startup experience impacts entrepreneurs’ trade-offs between resource-related criteria and criteria related to the conditions of the deal. Hypotheses are drawn from agency theory, the resource dependence perspective and extant VC research. Data is gleaned from interviews with 144 Israeli entrepreneurs that are either in the process of acquiring VC or have recent experience of raising it. Hypotheses are tested with ordinal logit models. Results demonstrate that there is a negative relationship between startup experience and the importance entrepreneurs attach to valuation, and that the importance attached to a VC firm’s network and reputation moderates this relationship. In addition, the importance attached to a VC firm’s network moderates the relationship between startup experience and the importance assigned to contractual terms. Furthermore, results indicate that while inexperienced entrepreneurs attach more importance to valuation than experienced ones, they tend to emphasize it less when they seek to gain access to a VC firm’s network of contacts. Entrepreneurs are shown to be more concerned about valuation when they approach less reputable VC firms, particularly if the entrepreneur has substantial startup experience.
A Double-Edged Sword: Lactation Consultants’ Perceptions of the Impact of Breast Pumps on the Practice of Breastfeeding

This qualitative descriptive study examined the beliefs and experiences of 12 lactation consultants regarding the impact of breast pumps on breastfeeding practices. Interview topics on breast pumps included types and patterns of use, mothers’ experiences, and advantages and risks. The lactation consultants reported an increase in the use of breast pumps due to improved marketing, a change in society’s view of pumps as a necessity rather than a luxury, and the impact of birthing technology. Reasons given for this increased use were mothers’ need to have greater control over the breastfeeding process and to quantify the amount of breastmilk. Concerns were expressed regarding an overdependency on breastfeeding technology by some lactation consultants and mothers.
Peroxidase activity in the leaf elongation zone of tall fescue : I. Spatial distribution of ionically bound peroxidase activity in genotypes differing in length of the elongation zone.

Cessation of cell expansion has been associated with cell wall cross-linking reactions catalyzed by peroxidase. This study utilized two genotypes of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) that differ in length of the leaf elongation zone to investigate the relationship between ionically bound peroxidase activity and the spatial distribution of leaf elongation. Peroxidase activity was also localized histochemically in transverse sections of the leaf blade using 3,3' -diaminobenzidine. Soluble or soluble plus ionically bound peroxidase activities were extracted from homogenized segments of the elongating leaf blade and assayed spectrophotometrically. Activity of the ionically bound fraction, expressed per milligram fresh weight or per microgram protein, increased as cells were displaced through the distal half of the elongation zone, corresponding to the region in which the elongation rate declined. In both genotypes, the initial increase in activity preceded the onset of growth deceleration by about 10 hours. In the basal region where elongation began, histochemical localization showed that peroxidase activity was found only in vascular tissues. As cells were displaced farther through the elongation zone, peroxidase activity appeared in walls of other longitudinally continuous tissues such as the epidermis and bundle sheaths. Increase in ionically bound peroxidase activity and changes in localization of peroxidase activity occurred at comparable developmental stages in the two genotypes. The results indicate that cessation of elongation followed an increase in cell wall peroxidase activity.
Colchicine for Recurrent Pericarditis (CORP)

BACKGROUND Recurrence is the most common complication of pericarditis, affecting 10% to 50% of patients. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of colchicine for the secondary prevention of recurrent pericarditis. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00128414) SETTING: 4 general hospitals in urban areas of Italy. PATIENTS 120 patients with a first recurrence of pericarditis. INTERVENTION In addition to conventional treatment, patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or colchicine, 1.0 to 2.0 mg on the first day followed by a maintenance dose of 0.5 to 1.0 mg/d, for 6 months. MEASUREMENTS The primary study end point was the recurrence rate at 18 months. Secondary end points were symptom persistence at 72 hours, remission rate at 1 week, number of recurrences, time to first recurrence, disease-related hospitalization, cardiac tamponade, and rate of constrictive pericarditis. RESULTS At 18 months, the recurrence rate was 24% in the colchicine group and 55% in the placebo group (absolute risk reduction, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.46]; relative risk reduction, 0.56 [CI, 0.27 to 0.73]; number needed to treat, 3 [CI, 2 to 7]). Colchicine reduced the persistence of symptoms at 72 hours (absolute risk reduction, 0.30 [CI, 0.13 to 0.45]; relative risk reduction, 0.56 [CI, 0.27 to 0.74]) and mean number of recurrences, increased the remission rate at 1 week, and prolonged the time to subsequent recurrence. The study groups had similar rates of side effects and drug withdrawal. LIMITATION Multiple recurrences and neoplastic or bacterial causes were excluded. CONCLUSION Colchicine is safe and effective for secondary prevention of recurrent pericarditis.
The Relationship between the Profiles of SVC and Sustainability of SVC Fibrillation Induced by Provocative Electrical Stimulation

Superior vena cava (SVC) can be a focus of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, distinctive features that identify SVC arrhythmogenicity remain unclear. Sustainability of fibrillation within the SVC might help with identifying SVC arrhythmogenicity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the anatomical and electrical profiles of SVC and sustainability of SVC fibrillation induced by proactive electrical stimulation.
Medial frontal cortex perfusion abnormalities as evaluated by positron emission tomography in women with climacteric symptoms

Objective: To identify functional changes in the brains of women with climacteric symptoms. Images of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were compared statistically between women with and women without symptoms to identify changes in rCBF. Results may provide a better understanding of the neural basis of the symptoms, which are divided into three symptom clusters: vasomotor, psychological, and somatic. Design: The study participants consisted of 12 women with moderate to severe climacteric symptoms (age 47.5 ± 5.9 years, mean ± SD) and 7 women with no symptoms (control group; age 49.6 ± 4.2 years, mean ± SD). The study participants were patients at a menopause clinic, and the latter were healthy volunteer nurses and hospital staff. Climacteric symptoms were evaluated by an assessment of the severity of 17 symptoms immediately before positron emission tomography examination of rCBF. The symptoms had been used previously to generate the Kupperman Kohnenki Shogai Index, a modified Kupperman Menopausal Index adapted to Japanese women. rCBF was measured by positron emission tomography with the C15O2 dynamic inhalation method. Results: Reductions in relative rCBF in the patient group were observed in the bilateral rectal gyrus and in the left subcallosal gyrus on a voxel-by-voxel basis as compared with the control group. Conclusions: The present study revealed reductions in relative rCBF of the prefrontal cortex of Japanese women with moderate to severe climacteric symptoms. This area is close to that previously addressed in studies of familial bipolar depression and familial unipolar depression, although our participants did not satisfy criteria for depression. This reduction of rCBF may be related to the three climacteric symptom clusters, but further studies are needed for evaluation of its significance. Our results should stimulate investigations into the positron emission tomography rCBF change of these women as to the integration of multiple entities in climacteric symptoms.