Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of forage and forage–concentrate diets on rumen fermentation and metabolism of nutrients by the mesenteric- and portal-drained viscera in growing steers

Growing Friesian steers chronically catheterized in the anterior mesenteric and portal veins were used to study the influence of feeding with either a forage or forage–concentrate diet on nutrient utilization by mucosal tissue. When animals were consuming the forage–concentrate diet the molar proportion of propionate in rumen fluid was significantly increased, although production rate as measured by isotope dilution was not altered. Net rates of absorption of VFA into portal blood when compared with rumen production rates underlined the extent to which metabolism within mucosal tissue modifies the propionate supply to the liver. Net glucose utilization by splanchnic tissue was shown to be significantly lower on the forage–concentrate diet. There were no effects of diet on whole-body glucose turnover or on the proportion of glucose derived from propionate. Animals fed on the forage–concentrate diet had significantly lower concentrations of circulating essential amino acids, due mainly to a reduction in branched-chain amino acid levels. There was net absorption of all amino acids by animals on both diets except for glutamate, glutamine and taurine in forage-fed animals.
Wound infection in patients with traumatic small intestinal injuries.

Delayed closure has been the traditional management of wounds in patients with traumatic colon injury, whereas small bowel injury has generally been treated with primary wound closure. Sixty-seven patients with traumatic hollow viscus injury isolated to jejunum and ileum were reviewed to determine the incidence of septic wound complications. Fifty-eight patients underwent primary wound closure with 15 (26%) developing wound infections. Nine patients had their wounds left open because of major intraperitoneal contamination with no resulting wound infection. In patients with primary closure of their wounds, there was no difference between these developing wound infections and those without with regard to the presence of hypotension, amount of spill, type of repair, site of injury, or antibiotic given. Significant difference was present regarding time between injury and surgery (8.6 vs 17.7, P = .025). Results suggest that delayed wound closure should be performed in patients with traumatic small bowel injury.
Do Novel Psychoactive Substances Displace Established Club Drugs, Supplement Them or Act as Drugs of Initiation? The relationship between Mephedrone, Ecstasy and Cocaine

Background/Aims: To assess whether novel psychoactive substances (NPS) displace established club drugs, supplement them or act as drugs of initiation via a study of the relationship between mephedrone, ecstasy pills, cocaine and MDMA powder amongst club-goers considered to be ‘early adopters' of psychostimulant/club drug trends. Methods: In situ surveys were conducted with 308 customers in two south London gay dance clubs across 3 weekend nights in July 2010 to assess the prevalence and patterns of self-reported use of a range of illegal drugs and NPS. Results: Mephedrone was added to existing drug repertoires amongst those surveyed and acted to supplement more established club drugs including ecstasy pills, cocaine and MDMA powder, rather than replacing or displacing those drugs. Conclusion: This survey suggests that NPS are likely to be added to drug repertoires, particularly amongst experienced users with consequent health risks for individuals and resource implications for services. This study points to a complex relationship between NPS and illegal drug availability, purity and regulatory control, one which is increasingly important to understand given the global emergence of NPS and the challenges they present to existing supply, demand and harm reduction strategies.
Mifepristone (RU 486) in Cushing's syndrome.

CONTEXT Mifepristone (RU 486) blocks the action of cortisol by binding to the glucocorticoid receptor and, therefore, is of potential therapeutic value in Cushing's syndrome. However, research in endogenous hypercortisolism has been hampered by the controversy related to the use of mifepristone for inducing abortion. Currently, new studies are planned to better define the role of RU 486 in Cushing's syndrome. This paper reviews the available evidence concerning the therapeutic effects and adverse events of RU 486 in Cushing's syndrome. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Original articles and reviews were identified using a PubMed search strategy covering the time period until February 2007. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Treatment of Cushing's syndrome with mifepristone has been reported in a total of 18 patients, with daily doses ranging from 5 to 30 mg/kg. Case reports indicate that the mifepristone-induced receptor blockade may lead to significant clinical improvement in patients with Cushing's syndrome in whom surgery and inhibitors of adrenal steroidogenesis fail to control hypercortisolism. Due to its rapid onset of action, mifepristone may be particularly useful in acute crises, e.g. in cortisol-induced psychosis. Side effects include adrenal insufficiency and, as a result of its antiprogestin action, endometrial hyperplasia in long-term treatment. Adrenal insufficiency can be assessed only by careful clinical evaluation, as the hormonal parameters are not reliable during receptor blockade, and is rapidly reversed by exogenous dexamethasone. Well-designed larger clinical trials are needed to better assess the value of this interesting drug in the treatment of Cushing's syndrome.
Cytosolic alkalinization is a common and early messenger preceding the production of ROS and NO during stomatal closure by variable signals, including abscisic acid, methyl jasmonate and chitosan

Stomata are unique that they sense and respond to several internal and external stimuli, by modulating signaling components in guard cells. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) increase significantly during stomatal closure by not only plant hormones [such as abscisic acid (ABA) or methyl jasmonate (MJ)] but also elicitors (such as chitosan). We observed that cytosolic alkalinization preceded the production of ROS as well as NO during ABA induced stomatal closure. We therefore propose that besides ROS and NO, the cytosolic pH is an important secondary messenger during stomatal closure by ABA or MJ. We also noticed that there is either a cross talk or feedback regulation by cytosolic Ca2+ and ROS (mostly H2O2). Further experiments on the interactions between cytosolic pH, ROS, NO and Ca2+ would yield interesting results.
Melanin and blood concentration in human skin studied by multiple regression analysis: experiments

Knowledge of the mechanism of human skin colour and measurement of melanin and blood concentration in human skin are needed in the medical and cosmetic fields. The absorbance spectrum from reflectance at the visible wavelength of human skin increases under several conditions such as a sunburn or scalding. The change of the absorbance spectrum from reflectance including the scattering effect does not correspond to the molar absorption spectrum of melanin and blood. The modified Beer–Lambert law is applied to the change in the absorbance spectrum from reflectance of human skin as the change in melanin and blood is assumed to be small. The concentration of melanin and blood was estimated from the absorbance spectrum reflectance of human skin using multiple regression analysis. Estimated concentrations were compared with the measured one in a phantom experiment and this method was applied to in vivo skin.
Bleomycin in the Treatment of Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars by Multiple Needle Punctures

BACKGROUND The treatment of keloids and hypertrophic scars has been difficult and a recent French study showed that bleomycin has been useful in the treatment of these lesions. OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness and safety of bleomycin in the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids when this drug is administered through multiple superficial punctures. METHODS We applied bleomycin to keloids and hypertrophic scars in 13 patients using a multiple-puncture method on the surface of the skin. All patients were given bleomycin at a concentration of 1.5 IU/ml. Clinical response after treatment was classified according to the following scale: complete flattening (100%), highly significant flattening (>90%), or significant flattening (75–90%). RESULTS The clinical response was very positive in all cases: complete flattening in six cases, highly significant flattening in six cases, and significant flattening in one case. Two patients presented a recurrence as a small nodule 10 and 12 months after the last infiltration. CONCLUSIONS These clinical findings show that administration of bleomycin in keloids and hypertrophic scars shows promise and needs further investigation.
Efficiency analysis of downlink and uplink decoupling in heterogeneous networks

This paper analyzes two-tier heterogeneous cellular network with decoupled downlink and uplink access. The basic performance benefits of uplink/downlink decoupling have been recently introduced. Here we provide a more elaborate treatment of the decoupling mechanism by analyzing spectral and energy efficiency of the system, as the joint improvement of these two features is crucial for the upcoming 5G systems. We analyze two-tier user domain, where users' transmit power depends purely on the association process. The derived joint association probabilities and the distributions of the distance to the serving base station give deeper insight into the fundamentals of a system with decoupled access. The rigorous theoretical analysis shows that decoupling of downlink and uplink with two-level uplink power adaptation improves both, spectral and energy efficiency of the system.
Potential implications of the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) for hospital referral and pharmaceutical usage in western Uganda

Summary The integrated management of childhood illness approach (IMCI) is currently being implemented by a number of countries worldwide. This is the second report from a study in western Uganda comparing the assessment and classification of disease by medical assistants using the IMCI algorithm with that of hospital‐based general medical officers, who used their clinical judgement to assess and provide treatment. Treatment prescribed by the hospital medical officers was compared to that indicated by IMCI disease classifications. The study population comprised 1226 children aged 2–59 months. Medical assistants had some difficulty in completing the IMCI assessment, leading to incorrect classification of findings in 138 of 1086 completed forms (13%). If their classifications had been used to decide on hospital referral, 37 children who met IMCI criteria for referral would have been sent home. Consultations took on average 7.2 min, longer than usual for several African countries. Use of the IMCI guidelines would have referred 16.2% of children to hospital, compared with 22% referred by the medical officers. Use of IMCI could have reduced the cost of medication to US$0.17 per child compared to the treatment cost of US$0.82 as prescribed by medical officers. Medical officers prescribed both a greater number and a greater variety of drugs than indicated by the IMCI algorithm. Compared to the present management of sick children by medical officers at Kabarole district hospital, using the IMCI algorithm would bring major changes in pharmaceutical use and referral practices. However, there is concern about the difficulty medical assistants had in using it, and the potential for longer consultation times.
Patient and Public Views on Electronic Health Records and Their Uses in the United Kingdom: Cross-Sectional Survey

Background The development and implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) remains an international challenge. Better understanding of patient and public attitudes and the factors that influence overall levels of support toward EHRs is needed to inform policy. Objective To explore patient and public attitudes toward integrated EHRs used simultaneously for health care provision, planning and policy, and health research. Methods Cross-sectional questionnaire survey administered to patients and members of the public who were recruited from a stratified cluster random sample of 8 outpatient clinics of a major teaching hospital and 8 general practices in London (United Kingdom). Results 5331 patients and members of the public responded to the survey, with 2857 providing complete data for the analysis presented here. There were moderately high levels of support for integrated EHRs used simultaneously for health care provision, planning and policy, and health research (1785/2857, 62.47%), while 27.93% (798/2857) of participants reported being undecided about whether or not they would support EHR use. There were higher levels of support for specific uses of EHRs. Most participants were in favor of EHRs for personal health care provision (2563/2857, 89.71%), with 66.75% (1907/2857) stating that they would prefer their complete, rather than limited, medical history to be included. Of those “undecided” about integrated EHRs, 87.2% (696/798) were nevertheless in favor of sharing their full (373/798, 46.7%) or limited (323/798, 40.5%) records for health provision purposes. There were similar high levels of support for use of EHRs in health services policy and planning (2274/2857, 79.59%) and research (2325/2857, 81.38%), although 59.75% (1707/2857) and 67.10% (1917/2857) of respondents respectively would prefer their personal identifiers to be removed. Multivariable analysis showed levels of overall support for EHRs decreasing with age. Respondents self-identifying as Black British were more likely to report being undecided or unsupportive of national EHRs. Frequent health services users were more likely to report being supportive than undecided. Conclusions Despite previous difficulties with National Health Service (NHS) technology projects, patients and the public generally support the development of integrated EHRs for health care provision, planning and policy, and health research. This support, however, varies between social groups and is not unqualified; relevant safeguards must be in place and patients should be guided in their decision-making process, including increased awareness about the benefits of EHRs for secondary uses.
Osmosensory signaling in Mycobacterium tuberculosis mediated by a eukaryotic-like Ser/Thr protein kinase

Significance Osmotic stress is one of many environmental hazards encountered by bacteria during the course of infection, but our understanding of how bacteria perceive and respond to changes in extracellular osmolarity is still incomplete. We show that Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen that causes tuberculosis in humans, responds, in part, through an osmosensory pathway regulated by the Ser/Thr protein kinase (STPK) PknD. Our work demonstrates that increasing extracellular osmolarity induces expression of a PknD substrate that regulates bacterial transcription, cell wall remodeling, and virulence factor production. Because STPKs are prevalent in bacteria, these proteins may play a broad role in bacterial osmosensing. Bacteria are able to adapt to dramatically different microenvironments, but in many organisms, the signaling pathways, transcriptional programs, and downstream physiological changes involved in adaptation are not well-understood. Here, we discovered that osmotic stress stimulates a signaling network in Mycobacterium tuberculosis regulated by the eukaryotic-like receptor Ser/Thr protein kinase PknD. Expression of the PknD substrate Rv0516c was highly induced by osmotic stress. Furthermore, Rv0516c disruption modified peptidoglycan thickness, enhanced antibiotic resistance, and activated genes in the regulon of the alternative σ-factor SigF. Phosphorylation of Rv0516c regulated the abundance of EspA, a virulence-associated substrate of the type VII ESX-1 secretion system. These findings identify an osmosensory pathway orchestrated by PknD, Rv0516c, and SigF that enables adaptation to osmotic stress through cell wall remodeling and virulence factor production. Given the widespread occurrence of eukaryotic-like Ser/Thr protein kinases in bacteria, these proteins may play a broad role in bacterial osmosensing.
Clinical Features of Autistic Children with Setback Course in Their Infancy

Abstract: This study examines the incidence rate of setback in 80 autistic children, the correlation between the type of onset and clinical features, developmental level and prognosis based on an originally developed questionnaire. Moreover, this study seeks to investigate the possibility that infantile autism might be classified into subgroups by the type of onset.
Acute graft‐versus‐host disease in a nonhematopoietic stem cell transplantation candidate treated with decitabine followed by granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor–primed peripheral blood stem cells infusion: a special entity of the disease?

With a well‐developed strategy of acute graft‐versus‐host disease (aGVHD) prophylaxis, the prognosis of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) recipients who develop aGVHD has improved considerably. Meanwhile, transfusion‐associated GVHD (TA‐GVHD) can be fatal. Recent advancements in immune cellular therapy are being adopted in clinical practice, although many concerns including TA‐GVHD remain. This report describes a 64‐year‐old male non‐HSCT candidate diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia who had received decitabine followed by an infusion of granulocyte–colony‐stimulating factor–primed peripheral blood stem cells (G‐PBSCs) from his daughter, who carried haploidentical human leukocyte antigen. The patient developed aGVHD on the 20th day after infusion.
Localization, clinical and pathological characteristics and survival in sporadic colon cancer patients younger than 40 and over 65 years of age.

PURPOSE Colorectal cancer is predominantly a disease of older population, but occasionally it affects younger patients, in whom very often diagnosis is overseen and treatment begins late. The aim of our study was to compare localization, clinical and pathological characteristics and survival of sporadic colorectal cancer patients aged up to 40 and over 65 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS The first group (group I) included 19 patients under 40 years and the second group (group II) 28 patients aged over 65 years, treated during 1997-2001. Patients with family history of colon cancer and inflammatory disease of the colon were not included. Arithmetic mean, standard deviation, Fisher's test, Student 's t test, x(2) test and the Kaplan-Meier method were used in the statistical analysis of the results. RESULTS There was no difference among the tested groups regarding tumor localization. The most frequent localization was in the rectum and left colon. At presentation, in group I patients, besides the metastases in the liver and lymph nodes, colorectal cancer infiltrated also the duodenum, stomach, right kidney capsule in one patient, and adnexa in two patients. In group II patients we registered only liver and lymph node metastases. Pathologically, tubular and mucinous forms were present in all of the patients up to 40 years of age, while only one patient over 65 had tumor with mucinous component. In group I, Astler-Coller stage B was found in 1.5% of the patients, stage C in 72.5% and stage D in 26%; in group II, stage B was found in 1.5%, stage C in 84.5% and stage D in 14%. Grade III was 36.8% in group I and 17.8% in group II. No statistical differences were found in stage distribution (p=0.36) and grade (p=0.06) between group I and II. Five-year overall survival was 57.8% and 28.5% in younger and older patients, respectively (p=0.053). CONCLUSION The results obtained showed no difference in clinical symptomatology and tumor localization in both groups. The incidence of more aggressive tumors was higher in younger persons. However, early detection combined with more aggressive therapeutic approach, could enable significant improvement of the 5-year survival of younger patients with colon cancer.
Morphine versus Mexiletine for Treatment of Postamputation Pain: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Crossover Trial

Background:Stump and phantom pains are debilitating sequelae of amputations that are often resistant to treatment. The efficacy of pharmacologic therapies, including opioids and sodium channel blockers, for postamputation pain is uncertain. Methods:The authors conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study in adult patients with postamputation pain of 6 months or longer and greater than 3 on a 0–10 numeric pain rating scale. Each of the three treatment periods (morphine, mexiletine, or placebo) included a 1-week drug-free interval followed by 4-week titration, 2-week maintenance, and 2-week drug-taper phases. The primary outcome measure was change in average pain intensity from the drug-free baseline to the last week of maintenance. Results:Sixty amputees were enrolled; data were analyzed from 56 subjects for one drug period, 45 subjects for two drug periods, and 35 subjects who completed all three drug periods. The mean morphine and mexiletine dosages were 112 and 933 mg, respectively. Morphine treatment provided lower pain scores compared with placebo and mexiletine (P = 0.0003). The mean percent pain relief during treatment with placebo, mexiletine, and morphine was 19, 30, and 53%, respectively (P < 0.0001, morphine vs. placebo and mexiletine). The numbers needed to treat to obtain 50% and 33% decreases in pain intensity with morphine were 5.6 and 4.5, respectively. Treatment with morphine was associated with a higher rate of side effects. Conclusions:Therapy with morphine, but not mexiletine, resulted in a decrease in intensity of postamputation pain but was associated with a higher rate of side effects and no improvement in self-reported levels of overall functional activity and pain-related interference in daily activities.