Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acupressure for postoperative nausea and vomiting in gynaecological patients receiving patient‐controlled analgesia

Background and objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of acupressure in preventing nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing gynaecological operations and receiving a patient‐controlled analgesia device. Methods: Patients aged between 40 and 65 yr were included. Exclusion criteria were obesity, diabetes mellitus, and history of motion sickness, postoperative nausea and vomiting, or smoking. Patients were randomized into one of two groups, acupressure and control. In the acupressure group, acupressure bands were placed on both wrists with the plastic bead positioned at the P6 point. In controls, beads were placed at a non‐acupoint site. All patients received a standard general anaesthetic. Postoperatively, patients were connected to a patient‐controlled analgesia device with morphine (loading dose 5 mg, background infusion 1 mg h−1, bolus dose 1 mg and lock‐out time 10 min). Pain and sedation scores, respiratory rate, heart rate, arterial pressure and oxygen saturation were recorded for 24 h. Metoclopramide 10 mg was administered intravenously as a rescue antiemetic. Results: Fifty patients received acupressure and 50 were controls. In the acupressure group, 33% of patients had nausea compared with 63% controls. The cumulative incidence of vomiting at 24 h was 25% with acupressure and 61% in controls. The incidence of nausea, vomiting and antiemetic use was significantly lower with acupressure. Conclusions: Acupressure at the P6 meridian point is an effective alternative for the prevention of nausea and vomiting in patients receiving patient‐controlled analgesia with morphine after gynaecological surgery.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and K-12 Cultures Exposed to Inorganic and Organic Acids in Stationary Phase Reveals Acidulant- and Strain-Specific Acid Tolerance Responses

ABSTRACT The food-borne pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 is commonly exposed to organic acid in processed and preserved foods, allowing adaptation and the development of tolerance to pH levels otherwise lethal. Since little is known about the molecular basis of adaptation of E. coli to organic acids, we studied K-12 MG1655 and O157:H7 Sakai during exposure to acetic, lactic, and hydrochloric acid at pH 5.5. This is the first analysis of the pH-dependent transcriptomic response of stationary-phase E. coli. Thirty-four genes and three intergenic regions were upregulated by both strains during exposure to all acids. This universal acid response included genes involved in oxidative, envelope, and cold stress resistance and iron and manganese uptake, as well as 10 genes of unknown function. Acidulant- and strain-specific responses were also revealed. The acidulant-specific response reflects differences in the modes of microbial inactivation, even between weak organic acids. The two strains exhibited similar responses to lactic and hydrochloric acid, while the response to acetic acid was distinct. Acidulant-dependent differences between the strains involved induction of genes involved in the heat shock response, osmoregulation, inorganic ion and nucleotide transport and metabolism, translation, and energy production. E. coli O157:H7-specific acid-inducible genes were identified, suggesting that the enterohemorrhagic E. coli strain possesses additional molecular mechanisms contributing to acid resistance that are absent in K-12. While E. coli K-12 was most resistant to lactic and hydrochloric acid, O157:H7 may have a greater ability to survive in more complex acidic environments, such as those encountered in the host and during food processing.
Reconstruction of the immune system after unrelated or partially matched T-cell-depleted bone marrow transplantation in children: functional analyses of lymphocytes and correlation with immunophenotypic recovery following transplantation

Reconstitution of the immune system following T-cell-depleted bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in children has yet to be fully elucidated. Thus, we prospectively studied the recovery of immune function in 64 children who underwent T-lymphocyte-depleted marrow transplants using either matched family member donors or matched unrelated donors. We measured in vitro posttransplantation proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, and Candida albicans antigen and assessed unidirectional allogeneic mixed-lymphocyte culture (MLC) responses at various times. A total of 129 healthy individuals served as normal controls for these assays. Responses to T-cell mitogens normalized within 12 months posttransplantation, while MLC responses normalized by 9 months. The presence of graft-versus-host disease (grade II or greater) and cytomegalovirus infection was associated with delays in immune function recovery. Importantly, immune function recovery correlated temporally with a rise in peripheral lymphocyte count. In contrast, the CD4/CD8 ratio was not predictive of immune recovery. Knowledge of immune function recovery may guide clinicians in devising strategies to minimize the risk of infection post-BMT.
The aftermath of bone marrow transplant for parents of pediatric patients: a post-traumatic stress disorder.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To describe the characteristics of a child's bone marrow transplant (BMT) experience that may precipitate a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the parent. DATA SOURCES Published articles, books, and the authors' clinical experience. DATA SYNTHESIS When viewed from the PTSD framework, parental reactions to a child's BMT offer striking parallels that include assessment of the event as traumatic, re-experiencing the event, intrusive thoughts, and a variety of emotional and cognitive responses. Interventions based on PTSD research can be implemented in clinical settings to diminish and treat these responses. CONCLUSIONS The PTSD framework holds promise for healthcare providers in devising strategies to help families of children undergoing BMT to cope with the experience. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE Nurses can use orientation, education, coaching, and peer support to help families before BMT and debriefing and counseling after BMT.
A Scj1p Homolog and Folding Catalysts Present in Dog Pancreas Microsomes

Abstract Dog pancreas microsomes represent the key components of the established model system for the analysis of protein transport into the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum. More recently, these microsomes were also employed in cell-free systems which address questions related to protein folding and protein degradation in the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum. In order to get at a complete picture of these undoubtedly related processes in the in vitro system we need to know all the proteins we are dealing with, and their respective stoichiometries. Here we give a progress report on our attempts to identify and to quantify the soluble molecular chaperones and folding catalysts which are present in the lumen of dog pancreas microsomes. Eventually, we will need to know how the in vitro system compares with the situation in intact pancreatic cells as well as in other cells.
Calcium Sensing Receptors Mediate Local Inhibitory Reflexes Evoked by L-Phenylalanine in Guinea Pig Jejunum

Amino acids applied to the mucosa evoke inhibitory reflexes in guinea-pig jejunum, but the receptors involved in sensory transduction are still unclear. One promising candidate is the extracellular calcium sensing receptor (CaSR), which is expressed by mucosal enteroendocrine cells and is preferentially activated by aromatic L-amino acids. We tested this by applying various amino acids to the mucosa and recording the resulting inhibitory junction potentials (IJPs) in nearby circular smooth muscle via intracellular recording. The CaSR is stereospecific and L-Phenylalanine evoked a significantly larger response than D-Phenylalanine when both were applied to the same site. The same pattern was seen with L- and D-Tryptophan, another aromatic amino acid. The CaSR is preferentially activated by aromatic amino acids and responses to L-Leucine and L-Lysine were significantly lower than those to L-Phenylalanine applied to the same site. Responses to L-Phenylalanine were dose-dependently suppressed by blockade of the CaSR with NPS2143, a CaSR antagonist, and mimicked by mucosal application of cinacalcet, a CaSR agonist. Responses to cinacalcet had similar pharmacology to that of responses to L-Phenylalanine, in that each requires both P2 purinoreceptors and 5-HT receptors. L-Glutamate evoked IJPs similar to those produced by L-Phenylalanine and these were depressed by blockade of P2 receptors and 5-HT3 plus 5-HT4 receptors, but NPS2143 was ineffective. The AMPA receptor antagonists DNQX (10 μM) and CNQX (10 μM) reduced IJPs evoked by L-Glutamate by 88 and 79% respectively, but neither BAY367260 (mGluR5 antagonist) nor 2APV (NMDA antagonist) affected IJPs evoked by L-Glutamate. We conclude that local inhibitory reflexes evoked by aromatic L-amino acids in guinea pig jejunum involve activation of CaSRs which triggers release of ATP and 5-HT from the mucosa. L-Glutamate also evokes inhibitory reflexes, via a pathway that does not involve CaSRs. It is likely there are multiple receptors acting as sensory transducers for different luminal amino acids.
Changes in temporal flow characteristics of CSF in Chiari malformation Type I with and without syringomyelia: implications for theory of syrinx development.

OBJECT The pathogenesis of syringomyelia in association with Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) is unclear. Studies of patients with CM-I have shown alterations in the CSF velocity profile using cardiac-gated cine phase-contrast MRI, and computational simulations have demonstrated that temporal features of the CSF pulse could contribute to syrinx development or enlargement. Few studies have reported temporal characteristics of the CSF profile, and few studies have reported on CM-I patients with and without syringomyelia separately. This study was performed to determine whether specific temporal features of the CSF flow profile may underlie the development or enlargement of a syrinx in patients with CM-I. METHODS Ten healthy volunteers and 18 patients with CM-I with (8 patients) and without (10 patients) syringomyelia were studied using cardiac-gated cine phase-contrast MRI, measuring the maximum CSF velocities in the cranial and caudal directions, the timing of these maximums relative to the cardiac cycle time, the timing of caudal flow onset, timing of cranial flow onset, and the duration of caudal flow. RESULTS The caudal CSF flow was significantly faster (p ≤ 0.01) and earlier (p < 0.02) in patients without syringomyelia than in healthy volunteers and patients with syringomyelia. There were no significant differences in the CSF velocities between patients with syringomyelia and healthy volunteers. Patients with CM-I who had syringomyelia had a significantly later start of caudal CSF flow (p < 0.01) and earlier maximum cranial velocity (p = 0.03) than healthy volunteers, but the relative durations of caudal and cranial flow were not significantly different between any of the groups. CONCLUSIONS The significantly earlier arrival and earlier peak velocity of caudal CSF flow may underlie the development of syringomyelia in patients with CM-I, and after a syrinx develops the CSF flow profile appears to stabilize.
In Vivo Canine Cardiac Electrophysiologic Profile of 1,4‐Benzodiazepine Iks Blockers

&NA; Previous cardiac electrophysiologic studies of blockers of the slowly activating delayed rectifier (IKs) current have focused primarily on ventricular repolarization. This report summarizes an extensive in vivo cardiac electrophysiologic profile of four 1,4‐ benzodiazepine IKs blocker analogues (L‐761334, L‐763540, L‐761710, and L‐768673) in dogs. At 3.0 mg/kg intravenously, all four analogues elicited 14.5%‐21.4% increases in ventricular refractoriness and 19.2%‐22.6% increases in QTc interval. Concomitant 11.1%‐13.5% increases in atrial refractoriness were noted with all four analogues. Decreases in sinus heart rate of 8.4%‐17.3% were noted with all four compounds. No effects on atrial, His Purkinje, ventricular conduction or atrial and ventricular excitation were observed. One analogue, L‐761710, significantly delayed atrioventricular (AV) nodal conduction (40.7 ± 17.4% increase in atrial‐to‐His interval) and increased the AV conduction system functional refractory period 19.9 ± 6.2%. The lack of effect of the other three 1,4‐ benzodiazepine IKs blockers on AV nodal function at dosages producing comparable effects on atrial and ventricular refractoriness suggest that the AV nodal effects of L‐761710 were unrelated to IKs blockade. These findings indicate IKs plays important roles in both atrial and ventricular refractoriness as well as pacemaker function in the dog heart, suggesting potential utility for IKs blockers in the treatment of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias.
The Interplay Between Knowledge, Perceived Efficacy, and Concern About Global Warming and Climate Change: A One‐Year Longitudinal Study

If the long‐term goal of limiting warming to less than 2°C is to be achieved, rapid and sustained reductions of greenhouse gas emissions are required. These reductions will demand political leadership and widespread public support for action on global warming and climate change. Public knowledge, level of concern, and perceived personal efficacy, in positively affecting these issues are key variables in understanding public support for mitigation action. Previous research has documented some contradictory associations between knowledge, personal efficacy, and concern about global warming and climate change, but these cross‐sectional findings limit inferences about temporal stability and direction of influence. This study examines the relationships between these three variables over a one‐year period and three waves with national data from New Zealand. Results showed a positive association between the variables, and the pattern of findings was stable and consistent across the three data points. More importantly, results indicate that concern mediates the influence of knowledge on personal efficacy. Knowing more about global warming and climate change increases overall concern about the risks of these issues, and this increased concern leads to greater perceived efficacy and responsibility to help solving them. Implications for risk communication are discussed.
Urban sprawl in Spain: differences among cities and causes

Urban sprawl has a major impact on the environment, public health and the socio-economic evolution of cities. The causes are numerous, being mainly related to the generalized use of the automobile in modern cities. Urban sprawl has been especially relevant in US cities since the 1950s, rapidly spreading to other cities in the rest of the world. This paper studies the case of Spain using recent data. Spanish cities have grown rapidly over the 90s and 2000s. The country has completed the process of urbanization and has suffered the effects of a major real estate bubble. In this context, we are interested in measuring and explaining where and why urban sprawl has appeared in Spanish cities. Digital mapping carried out around the year 2000 providing full coverage of Spain is used to calculate an Urban Sprawl Index. It is applied to all urban areas and municipalities throughout the country, providing an objective, comparable measurement of sprawl and identifying which areas are most affected by this phenomenon. A second stage of analysis is conducted in an attempt to explain the causes of the differences in sprawl among Spanish cities with a regression model based on the literature. We have found that the cases most affected by sprawl are the latest urban developments on the Mediterranean coast as well as certain areas in the vicinity of large cities: the mountains to the north of Madrid and the coastline near Barcelona and Valencia. In some cases, urban sprawl is starting to become a problem for the environment and urban sustainability, with important consequences for the future evolution of the affected cities.
Early Damage Detection in Composites during Fabrication and Mechanical Testing

Fully integrated monitoring systems have shown promise in improving confidence in composite materials while reducing lifecycle costs. A distributed optical fibre sensor is embedded in a fibre reinforced composite laminate, to give three sensing regions at different levels through-the-thickness of the plate. This study follows the resin infusion process during fabrication of the composite, monitoring the development of strain in-situ and in real time, and to gain better understanding of the resin rheology during curing. Piezoelectric wafer active sensors and electrical strain gauges are bonded to the plate after fabrication. This is followed by progressive loading/unloading cycles of mechanical four point bending. The strain values obtained from the optical fibre are in good agreement with strain data collected by surface mounted strain gauges, while the sensing regions clearly indicate the development of compressive, neutral, and tensile strain. Acoustic emission event detection suggests the formation of matrix (resin) cracks, with measured damage event amplitudes in agreement with values reported in published literature on the subject. The Felicity ratio for each subsequent loading cycle is calculated to track the progression of damage in the material. The methodology developed here can be used to follow the full life cycle of a composite structure, from manufacture to end-of-life.
Experimental characterization and numerical modeling of a wire-to-cylinder corona discharge ozonizer

Ozone generation in an oxygen-fed wire-to-cylinder corona discharge ozonizer is investigated experimentally and numerically. The spatial distribution of chemical species produced in the corona discharge is obtained by means of a physico-chemical model that includes both elementary plasma processes (ionization, electron attachment and detachment, ion recombination, etc.) and chemical reactions between neutral species. The current-voltage characteristic measured in experiments is used as an input for the numerical simulation. Ozone concentration is determined by means of direct UV spectroscopy, and the effects of the gas flow rate and the anode radius are analyzed.
Family transitions as children start school

Becoming a parent is a significant event. As children grow and develop, parents make adjustments related to the changes in their children’s development. One of the major adjustments parents make is in response to children starting school. Even when children have attended prior-to-school settings, starting school “involves adjustments by the entire family, including altered schedules and changing expectations of parenting . School entry therefore represents a potentially stressful normative change for parents as well” (DeCaro & Worthman, 2011, p. 441).
Clever Agents in Young's Evolutionary Bargaining Model

In the models of Young (1993a,b), boundedly rational individuals are recurrently matched to play a game, and they play myopic best replies to the recent history of play. It could therefore be an advantage to instead play a myopic best reply to the myopic best reply, something boundedly rational players might conceivably also do. We investigate this possibility in the context of Young's (1993b)bargaining model. It turns out that "cleverness" in this respect indeed does have an advantage in some cases. However, if all individuals are equally informed about past play, in a statistical sense, then the Nash bargaining solution remains the unique long-run outcome when the mutation rate goes to zero.
Spinal Osteotomy in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis: Complications During First Postoperative Year

Study Design. A historic cohort to determine short-term complications after 115 corrective osteotomies of the cervical and lumbar spine in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Objectives. To describe the nature of complications of spinal osteotomies and sequelae. Summary of Background Data. Little is known about the rate and nature of complications after spinal osteotomy in these patients. Methods. A chart review of 106 patients (age, 21–82 years) was conducted. The following surgical techniques were performed: cervical-thoracic extending osteotomy at C6-Th1 (n = 22), lumbar closing-wedge osteotomy (n = 62), polysegmental lumbar osteotomy (n = 20), or a combined anterior-posterior lumbar correction (n = 11). Results. Many complications (7.8% permanent neurologic deficit, 9.6% deep wound infections, and 10.4% major general complications) occurred after performing a spinal correction. Since 1998, there is a tendency for a lower rate of infections but a higher rate of neurologic and major general complications. Because of 27% deep wound infections and 18% major general complications, the technique of combined anterior and posterior surgery has been abandoned. Conclusion. High complication rates in this group of patients are partly due to the difficult surgery but also to the underlying disease. The surgery should be concentrated in specialized centers.
Strong induction of PCSK9 gene expression through HNF1α and SREBP2: mechanism for the resistance to LDL-cholesterol lowering effect of statins in dyslipidemic hamsters

We investigated the role of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) in the resistance of dyslipidemic hamsters to statin-induced LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction and the molecular mechanism by which statins modulated PCSK9 gene expression in vivo. We utilized the fructose diet-induced dyslipidemic hamsters as an in vivo model and rosuvastatin to examine its effects on liver PCSK9 and LDL receptor (LDLR) expression and serum lipid levels. We showed that rosuvastatin induced PCSK9 mRNA to a greater extent than LDLR mRNA in the hamster liver. The net result was that hepatic LDLR protein level was reduced. This correlated closely with an increase in serum LDL-C with statin treatment. More importantly, we demonstrated that in addition to an increase in sterol response element binding protein 2 (SREBP2) expression, rosuvastatin treatment increased the liver expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 α (HNF1α), the newly identified key transactivator for PCSK9 gene expression. Our study suggests that the inducing effect of rosuvastatin on HNF1α is likely a underlying mechanism accounting for the higher induction of PCSK9 than LDLR because of the utilization of two transactivators (HNF1α and SREBP2) in PCSK9 transcription versus one (SREBP2) in LDLR transcription. Thus, the net balance is in favor of PCSK9-induced degradation of LDLR in the hamster liver, abrogating the effect of rosuvastatin on LDL-C lowering.