Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parenteral selenium and vitamin E supplementation of weaned beef calves.

BACKGROUND The weaning process in beef calves elicits physiological stress responses that can negatively affect performance and health. Supplementation of vitamins and minerals, particularly selenium (Se) and vitamin E, might be warranted. HYPOTHESIS That parenteral administration of Se or vitamin E would correct or prevent deficiencies of these nutrients in postweaned beef calves during a backgrounding period (42 days after weaning). ANIMALS One hundred and forty-four weaned steers (200-250 kg) in 3 trials. METHODS One trial was conducted with cattle on a dry lot fed a total mixed ration and 2 trials were conducted on cattle on pasture. Selenium was administered at 0.05 mg/kg BW (SC) and vitamin E was administered at 1500 IU on days 0 and 28 (SC). RESULTS A treatment effect attributable to Se or vitamin E supplementation on average daily gain was not detected in any trials. Parenteral supplementation with Se on days 0 and 28 resulted in higher serum Se concentrations as compared with controls on day 42. Parenteral supplementation with Se on days 0 and 28 improved Se status from marginal to adequate in 1 trial. Parenteral supplementation with vitamin E did not improve serum vitamin E concentrations in any experiment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Supplementation with vitamin E or Se or a combination of both did not have a significant effect on calf performance during the 42-day backgrounding period.
Nuclear Factor Kb: An Oxidative Stress-Responsive Transcription Factor of Eukaryotic Cells (A Review)

NF-kB is a multiprotein complex that can activate a great variety of genes involved in early defence reactions of higher organisms. In nonstimulated cells, NF-kB resides in the cytoplasm in an inactive complex with the inhibitor IkB. Pathogenic stimuli cause release of IkB and allow NF-kB to enter the nucleus, bind to DNA control elements and, thereby, induce the synthesis of mRNA. A puzzling feature of NF-kB is that its activation is triggered by a great variety of agents. These include the cytokines interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor, viruses, double-stranded RNA, endotoxins, phorbol esters, UV light and ionizing radiation. We recently found that also low concentrations of H2O2 activate NF-kB and that various antioxidants prevent the induction by H2O2. Subsequent analysis revealed that antioxidants not only suppress the activation of NF-kB by H2O2 but by all other inducers tested so far. In this review, we will discuss the evidences that NF-kB is an oxidative stress-responsive transcription factor .
Management of nasolacrimal duct obstruction in children: How is it changing?

Nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) in children is congenital in most cases. Noncanalization of the inferior caudal end of the duct is the most common cause. Spontaneous resolution of the obstruction occurs in 96% of affected children in the first year in the natural course and conservative management is the mainstay. [1] Traditional treatment is a hydrostatic massage of the sac. Although there are proponents of early probing, most surgeons prefer to delay their intervention to the age of about one year. Success rates for primary probing are up to 97% during the first year. [2] Good success rates have been reported in older children as well (88% at age 12–101 months, mean 33 months). [3] Factors implicated in failure of probing include improper technique, late age of probing, anatomical variations (complex NLDO), inferior turbinate hypertrophy/ impaction, or associated nasal pathology. [4]
Long-Lasting Effects of Tobacco Smoking on Pulmonary Drug-metabolizing Enzymes: A Case-Control Study on Lung Cancer Patients1

Lung tissue specimens were taken during surgery from middle-aged men with either lung cancer (LC, n = 54) or a nonneoplastic lung disease (n = 20). Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH), 7-ethoxycoumarin Odeethylase (ECDE), epoxide hydrolase (EH), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDPGT) activities and glu tathione and malondialdehyde contents were determined in 12,000 x g supernatant fractions from nontumorous parenchyma! tissues. Interindividual differences in enzyme activities ranged from 11to 440fold, and glutathione content varied by 17-fold; the values showed unimodal distributions. AHH, ECDE, EH, and UDPGT activities were significantly and positively correlated to each other; a significant negative correlation was found between GST and the other enzymes. A relationship between enzyme activity and number of cigarettes smoked (pack-years) was found only for GST. Ignoring detailed smoking histories in the 6month period preceding surgery, no difference was found in enzyme activities or glutathione content between LC and nonneoplastic lung disease patients or between smokers and nonsmokers. However, when the number of days since stopping smoking was considered, in smokers a significant increase was found for AHH, EH, and UDPGT activities and a significant decrease was found for GST activity, as compared to nonsmokers. LC patients who had smoked until the day before surgery had higher activities of AHH, ECDE, EH, and UDPGT than nonsmokers, while GST activity was reduced by one-third. The activities of these enzymes returned to the basal level found in nonsmokers within 59 (AHH), 108 (EH), 67 (UDPGT), and 40 (GST) days. LC patients who were recent smokers (within 30 days prior to surgery) had significantly induced AHH and ECDE activities when compared with smoking non neoplastic lung disease patients. These results show that pulmonary drug metabolism can be altered by tobacco smoking and that these effects can last 40 to 108 days after cessation of smoking. These new findings should be considered in studies on the role of carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes in determining susceptibility to lung cancer.
Smooth-muscle myosin light-chain kinase content is increased in human sensitized airways.

We have previously reported that contractile reactivity of human airway preparations in vitro depends on sensitization status. The aim of this study was to examine whether this could be associated with differences in the content and/or expression pattern of myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK) isoforms in airway smooth muscle (ASM). Macroscopically normal lung tissue was obtained from subjects undergoing lung transplantation, and smooth-muscle bundles were dissected from nonsensitized (n = 5) and sensitized (n = 5) bronchi. MLCK isoform expression was then assessed by immunoblotting. The major MLCK isoform in ASM was smooth-muscle MLCK (smMLCK; 136 kD). Nonmuscle MLCK isoforms (nmMLCK; 210 to 220 kD) were not present. The smMLCK content was significantly higher in ASM from sensitized bronchi (p = 0.049) than in ASM from nonsensitized tissue (11.9 +/- 3.3 versus 4.1 +/- 0.7 arbitrary units [a.u.] smMLCK/mg ASM, respectively). In contrast, there was no significant difference (p = 0.636) in the content of myosin heavy chain (MHC) in tissue collected from sensitized and nonsensitized bronchi (1.33 +/- 0.33 versus 1.09 +/- 0.37 microg MHC/mg ASM, respectively). This study is the first to examine MLCK isoforms in human ASM, and suggests that increased smMLCK content may be one of the mechanisms responsible for enhanced contractile reactivity in sensitized tissue.
Status factors in pedestrain violation of traffic signals.

Pedestrians violated the prohibition of an automatic traffic signal more often in the presence of an experimenter's model who violated the prohibition than when the latter conformed or was absent. Significantly more violations occurred among pedestrians when the nonconforming model was dressed to represent high social status than when his attire suggested lower status.
Marketing Is from Mars, IT Is from Venus: Aligning the Worldviews for Firm Performance

A typical firm is operated by multiple functional managers who may collaborate as well as compete to achieve firm performance. In the digital age, firm performance is essentially customer-dependent and technology-dependent, with both marketing and information technology (IT) playing key roles. Unfortunately the two functions often have very different worldviews. We show how these differences can damage firm performance, and suggest ways to mitigate this damage. We build a worldview difference model, synthesized from multiple disciplines. The model is tested using both matched and nonmatched observations from marketing and IT managers, and is analyzed with hierarchical linear models using both perceptual and objective firm performance data over a 4-year period. We find that differences between the beliefs and perceptions of marketing managers and IT managers generate a negative impact on firm performance, and suggest appropriate technology-culture associations to effectively align their worldviews for firm performance. To improve firm performance, a cross-functional appreciation for market and technology drivers can be achieved by making marketing managers more learning-oriented and by providing IT managers a culture that is congruent with technology.
Energy expenditure in chronic kidney disease patients.

OBJECTIVE The assessment of energy expenditure in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a subject that has started to be investigated in the past 3 decades. This review will focus on studies that have assessed the energy expenditure of CKD predialysis and dialysis patients. Till date, most studies on this subject have focused on the assessment of resting energy expenditure (REE). In this regard, the current published data have demonstrated that clinically stable nondialysed CKD patients have REE similar or slightly lower than that of age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. For dialyzed patients, in both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, the results are indicative that the REE of these patients is similar to that of age- and gender-matched healthy controls. The investigation of REE in specific catabolic conditions, such as poorly controlled diabetes, hyperparathyroidism, and inflammation, has shown that the REE in these catabolic conditions is increased. Additionally, it has also been reported that the hemodialysis procedure per se is also capable of enhancing the energy expenditure. The energy expenditure for physical activity is also an important component of energy expenditure and has been scarcely investigated in patients with CKD. The few studies that have investigated energy expenditure for physical activity have shown values lower than that of healthy sedentary individuals. CONCLUSION These results are highly suggestive that patients with CKD have a sedentary lifestyle. The effect of the present knowledge of energy expenditure on the energy requirements of the patients with CKD remains to be investigated in studies using gold standard methods for this purpose.
Diagnostic crossover in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: implications for DSM-V.

OBJECTIVE The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is designed primarily as a clinical tool. Yet high rates of diagnostic "crossover" among the anorexia nervosa subtypes and bulimia nervosa may reflect problems with the validity of the current diagnostic schema, thereby limiting its clinical utility. This study was designed to examine diagnostic crossover longitudinally in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa to inform the validity of the DSM-IV-TR eating disorders classification system. METHOD A total of 216 women with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa were followed for 7 years; weekly eating disorder symptom data collected using the Eating Disorder Longitudinal Interval Follow-Up Examination allowed for diagnoses to be made throughout the follow-up period. RESULTS Over 7 years, the majority of women with anorexia nervosa experienced diagnostic crossover: more than half crossed between the restricting and binge eating/purging anorexia nervosa subtypes over time; one-third crossed over to bulimia nervosa but were likely to relapse into anorexia nervosa. Women with bulimia nervosa were unlikely to cross over to anorexia nervosa. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the longitudinal distinction of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa but do not support the anorexia nervosa subtyping schema.
Clinical utility of computed tomography-guided core needle biopsy in the diagnostic re-evaluation of patients with lymphoproliferative disorders and suspected disease progression.

BACKGROUND Histological transformation is a common clinical event in patients with lymphoproliferative diseases, often requiring a modification in therapy. Minimally invasive biopsy techniques have been used for initial diagnosis of these disorders but their role has not been systematically evaluated in disease progression. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the yield of computed tomography (CT)-guided core needle biopsy in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders and suspected disease progression. PATIENTS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of the records of patients with known lymphoproliferative disorders who underwent CT-guided core needle biopsy during the course of their disease, between 1990 and 2002. RESULTS A total of 130 patients with lymphoproliferative disorders (91 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 21 with Hodgkin's disease, 10 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, six with combined malignancies and two with Castleman's disease) underwent CT-guided core needle biopsy 4.7 +/- 5.1 (standard deviation) (range 0-40) years after initial diagnosis. The procedure was diagnostic in 98 cases (75.4%). In 22 patients (17%) a subsequent open biopsy was performed, and in 10 (7.6%) the final diagnosis remained unconfirmed. Histological transformation was found in 20 cases (15.4%), of which 19 were suspected clinically. A new diagnosis (malignant and non-malignant) was apparent in 18 cases (13.9%) and relapsed or ongoing evidence of the original disease was found in 82 (63%). CONCLUSIONS CT-guided core needle biopsy is a reliable procedure in patients with suspected histological transformation of lymphoproliferative disorders, and should be used as the initial tool for pathological re-evaluation.
Can home visits help reduce hospital readmissions? Randomized controlled trial.

AIM This paper is a report of a study to determine whether home visits can reduce hospital readmissions. Background. The phenomenon of hospital readmission raises concerns about the quality of care and appropriate use of resources. Home visits after hospital discharge have been introduced to help reduce hospital readmission rates, but the results have not been conclusive. METHOD A randomized controlled trial was carried out from 2003 to 2005 . The control group (n = 166) received routine care and the study group (n = 166) received home visits from community nurses within 30 days of hospital discharge. Data were collected at baseline before discharge and 30 days after discharge. FINDINGS Patients in the study group were statistically significantly more satisfied with their care. There were no statistically significant differences in other outcomes, including readmission rate, ADL score, self-perceived life satisfaction and self-perceived health. Regression analysis revealed that self-perceived life satisfaction, self-perceived health and disease category other than general symptoms were three statistically significant variables predicting hospital readmissions. CONCLUSION Preventive home visits were not effective in reducing hospital readmissions, but satisfaction with care was enhanced. Subjective well-being is a key variable that warrants attention in the planning and evaluation of postdischarge home care.
Development of Sex Differences in Spatial Memory

Males typically perform better than females on tests of spatial abilities. However, Silverman and Eals (1992) found that females can surpass males on certain tasks, in particular recall of object location. This study investigated the age at which females begin having greater recall in object location. Recall was tested with object arrays (sets of line drawings of common objects) using samples of 80 adults (M age = 21 yr.) and 139 children at 3 age groups. Adult data replicated earlier findings, indicating significantly greater recall by women. The samples of children at different ages—4 yr. (n = 43), 10–11 yr. (n = 53), and 15–16 yr. (n = 43)—did not show significant sex differences in this type of recall. The findings suggest that females may surpass males in this spatial ability as adults, apparently due to gradual improvements in spatial memory through childhood and adolescence.
Modification of Experimental, Lower Limb Ischemic Pain With Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

Introduction:Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has been shown to be effective for the reduction of experimentally induced ischemic pain in the upper limb. No studies have been published on the effects of TENS for lower limb ischemic pain. Objectives:To investigate the pain-modifying effect of TENS on experimentally induced ischemic pain in the lower limb. Methods:A modified Submaximal Effort Tourniquet Test-induced ischemic pain in the nondominant lower limb of 27 healthy volunteers. Each of the participants completed a baseline modified Submaximal Effort Tourniquet Test (No TENS) and 1 of the experimental conditions: either high-frequency TENS (HF-TENS) or placebo TENS (P-TENS). The outcome measures were the time taken (in seconds) for the participants to report pain threshold and pain tolerance. Pain endurance was calculated as the difference between these points. Pain intensity during ischemia was assessed using a numerical rating scale. The McGill Pain Questionnaire recorded participants’ retrospective description of ‘intolerable’ induced pain. The differences in scores between these measures at the baseline and TENS intervention was calculated and used for the analysis. Results:Paired Student t-tests found significant increases in time to pain tolerance and pain endurance in both the TENS groups (P<0.001 HF-TENS and P<0.05 for P-TENS, respectively). When compared with baseline, time to pain threshold increased significantly only with HF-TENS (P<0.01). The independent Student t-tests detected greater increases in pain threshold, tolerance, and endurance in the HF-TENS group compared with the P-TENS group (P<0.05, 0.002, and 0.003, respectively). Compared with P-TENS, HF-TENS significantly reduced the pain intensity between the fifth and eigth minutes. Both HF-TENS and P-TENS significantly reduced the mean McGill Pain Questionnaire Pain Rating Index scores, but did not show a between-group difference. Conclusions:HF-TENS had stronger modifying effects on several aspects of laboratory-induced ischemic pain than did P-TENS. HF-TENS delayed the onset of pain, reduced pain levels, and delayed the onset of extreme pain over a period of several minutes.
Pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism in a terrier dog: A case report

We report a case of pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism in a 10-year-old, female, terrier dog. The animal was admitted due to polyphagia, weight gain, polyuria, polydipsia, hair loss, exercise intolerance and panting at rest. On physical examination, abdominal distention, truncal and bilaterally symmetric alopecia, thin hypotonic skin, comedones, bruising, hyperpigmentation and calcinosis cutis on the dorsal midline were observed. Hematologic investigations showed stress leukogram, high serum alkaline phosphatase activity, mild to moderate alanine aminotransferase activity, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia. Mild generalized interstitial lung patterns and hepatomegaly were detected in the radiographs. Bilaterally symmetric normal-sized adrenal glands were also diagnosed in ultrasonography. Diagnosis of pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism was confirmed with low-dose dexamethasone suppression test. The dog was successfully treated with mitotane.
Patellar Height and Tibial Slope after Opening-Wedge Proximal Tibial Osteotomy

Background Further knee surgery after proximal tibial osteotomies has been reported to have a more difficult surgical exposure due to decreased patellar height after the osteotomy. Although a decrease in patellar height has been reported for closing-wedge proximal tibial osteotomies, it has not been widely verified among opening-wedge procedures. Hypothesis A significant decrease in patellar height would result after opening-wedge proximal tibial osteotomies and a postoperative change in tibial slope would also result, depending on the medial tibial plate position, which would affect patellar height. Study Design Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods Patients (n = 129) who underwent opening-wedge proximal tibial osteotomies (n = 130) were prospectively followed. Patellar height was calculated for preoperative lateral knee radiographs, and postoperatively at 2 weeks and 3 and 6 months. The Insall-Salvati, Blackburne-Peel, and Caton-Deschamps indices and a modified Miura and Kawamura index were used to calculate patellar height. Posterior tibial slope was also calculated for preoperative and 6-month postoperative knees. Results Coronal plane alignment changed significantly, from 24.6% to 55.2% of the tibial weightbearing axis. The overall decrease in patellar height for all patients was significant from preoperative assessment to the 2-week postoperative assessment and to both 3-month and 6-month follow-up with all 4 methods. The Insall-Salvati index decreased from 1.03 preoperatively to 0.99 at 2 weeks postoperatively, 0.97 at 3 months, and 0.95 at 6 months postoperatively. The Blackburne-Peel index decreased from 0.90 preoperatively to 0.75, 0.77, and 0.76, respectively, at each postoperative interval. The Caton-Deschamps index decreased from 0.98 preoperatively to 0.87, 0.86, and 0.84 at each postoperative measurement. The Miura-Kawamura index changed from 0.76 preoperatively to 0.61, 0.63, and 0.60 for each postoperative assessment. The average tibial slope significantly increased from 9.0° to 11.9° overall for all patients. In comparing the plate position, the tibial slope significantly increased from 8.8° preoperatively to 13.1° at 6 months postoperatively for anteromedially positioned plates and from 9.3° to 10.3° for posteromedially positioned plates. Conclusion Opening-wedge proximal tibial osteotomies decrease patellar height within the first 3 postoperative months. Shortening of the patellar tendon may affect future surgeries and needs to be evaluated in preoperative assessment. Moreover, a significant increase in tibial slope occurred, which may affect patellar height and future ligament reconstructions.
Corticotrophin and tetracosactrin depot–self‐administered for the treatment of eczema

The prolonged use of self‐administered corticotrophin in the form of ‘CMC ACTH’ (Crookes) or ‘Synacthen Depot’ (Ciba) has been considered in twenty‐seven patients with severe subacute or chronic eczema. Complications were not troublesome and the therapeutic response was good. Many of the patients were able to control their disease fully without the effort and discomfort of additional local treatment and patients' acceptance of the treatment was high.