Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chronic Alcohol Exposure Enhances Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Lung Injury in Mice: Potential Role of Systemic Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha.

BACKGROUND It is well known that liver and lung injury can occur simultaneously during severe inflammation (e.g., multiple organ failure). However, whether these are parallel or interdependent (i.e., liver-lung axis) mechanisms is unclear. Previous studies have shown that chronic ethanol (EtOH) consumption greatly increases mortality in the setting of sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI). The potential contribution of subclinical liver disease in driving this effect of EtOH on the lung remains unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to characterize the impact of chronic EtOH exposure on concomitant liver and lung injury. METHODS Male mice were exposed to EtOH-containing Lieber-DeCarli diet or pair-fed control diet for 6 weeks. Some animals were administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 4 or 24 hours prior to sacrifice to mimic sepsis-induced ALI. Some animals received the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-blocking drug, etanercept, for the duration of alcohol exposure. The expression of cytokine mRNA in lung and liver tissue was determined by quantitative PCR. Cytokine levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and plasma were determined by Luminex assay. RESULTS As expected, the combination of EtOH and LPS caused liver injury, as indicated by significantly increased levels of the transaminases alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase in the plasma and by changes in liver histology. In the lung, EtOH preexposure enhanced pulmonary inflammation and alveolar hemorrhage caused by LPS. These changes corresponded with unique alterations in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the liver (i.e., TNF-α) and lung (i.e., macrophage inflammatory protein-2 [MIP-2], keratinocyte chemoattractant [KC]). Systemic depletion of TNF-α (etanercept) blunted injury and the increase in MIP-2 and KC caused by the combination of EtOH and LPS in the lung. CONCLUSIONS Chronic EtOH preexposure enhanced both liver and lung injury caused by LPS. Enhanced organ injury corresponded with unique changes in the pro-inflammatory cytokine expression profiles in the liver and the lung.
After-effects and disabilities in traffic crash victims in northern Brazil

ABSTRACT Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the characteristics related to crash and victim, as well as the after-effects/disabilities and consequences arising from traffic crashes occurring in the city of Rio Branco–Acre. Methods: This is an analytical descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the City of Rio Branco–Acre. The study population consisted of 405 residents of the city who were victims of traffic crashes, of all age groups and genders, who were hospitalized for the first time as a result of the crash in public hospitals and the health system network, as recorded in the Hospital Information System, and who were discharged between January 1 and December 31, 2010. The data sources included hospital record consultations and active searches for the victims. Hierarchical logistic regression was performed to evaluate the factors associated with the after-effects. Results: The majority of the study population was motorcycle victims (68.6%), male, and young (20–39 years). Concerning the after-effects, the following were significantly associated: factors related to the presence of a postcrash activity limitation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.39–6.76), length of hospital stay in days (OR = 1 03; 95% CI, 1.01–1.06), and surgical treatment (OR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.03–3.21). Those who suffered damage to soft tissue and nerves or facial injury showed an odds ratio of 2 to 4 times of having an after-effect/disability, independent of the victim's personal attributes. Conclusion: The mechanism, such as the origin of the pattern of injuries, explains the exposure factors shown by each attribute of the victim and their characteristics. Many of the injuries were precursors to after-effects/disabilities, which, due to their nature and extent, result in the modification of the apparently healthy living standards of young victims who are routinely injured in traffic crashes. Therefore, public policies for prevention should be formulated, reformulated, and implemented, taking into account each attribute of the victims and their social conditions, because these are closely related to their habits and customs. This is a starting point for promoting changes to the current reality that traffic crashes present in the morbidity and mortality of the population.
Association between birth weight and adult blood pressure in twins: historical cohort study

Abstract Objectives: To evaluate the associations in twins between within pair differences in birth weight and subsequent blood pressures as adults thereby removing the impact of potential parental confounding variables. Design: Historical cohort study. Setting: St Thomas's UK adult twin register, June 1992 to September 1995. Participants: 492 pairs of female twins (mean age 54 years). Main outcome measures: Mean within pair differences in adult blood pressure in each of four strata of within pair differences in birth weight (0, 1-500 g, 501-1000 g, >1000 g). Differences in blood pressure were analysed before and after adjustment for potential confounders between adult twins, after exclusion of those twin pairs including at least one twin taking antihypertensive drugs, and by zygosity. Results: Reported mean birth weights of heavier and lighter twins were 2.51 (SD 0.61)v 2.12 (0.59) kg respectively. A graded inverse relation between strata of within pair differences in birth weight and differences in adult blood pressure was apparent, with an adjusted blood pressure range of 8.7/5.1 mm Hg across the four strata (test for trend: systolic, P=0.05; diastolic, P=0.09). After excluding those women taking antihypertensive drugs the significance of the association was similar (systolic, P=0.04; diastolic, P=0.10). When differences in blood pressure were stratified for zygosity similar but non-significant trends were apparent. Conclusion: It would seem that birth weight is inversely associated with adult blood pressure and that this association is independent of parental confounding variables probably including, in view of the findings in monozygotic twins, genetic factors. The observed blood pressure differences are likely to result from retarded intrauterine growth due to placental dysfunction rather than inadequate maternal nutrition. Key messages Among adult twins, blood pressures tend to be lower among those twins who were heavier at birth Strata of within pair birthweight differences of twins show a graded inverse relation with adult blood pressure differences Monozygotic and dizygotic twins show a similar inverse association between birthweight differences and adult blood pressure differences The inverse association between birth weight and adult blood pressure is independent of parental confounding variables
Mean Platelet Volume in Women with Gestational Diabetes

Purpose: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of platelet activation which plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to compare MPV values in patients with previous gestational diabetes (pGDM), who have different degrees of carbohydrate intolerance with that in women without pGDM; and to retrospectively analyze MPV in these women during pregnancy. Material and Method: One hundred and five consecutive women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and 40 women with negative screening for GDM were studied. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in MPV between women with pGDM and health controls. Although not significant, women with pGDM developing type 2 diabetes had elevated levels of MPV compared to their normoglycemic counterparts (p=0.092). MPV was positively correlated with fasting glucose levels (r=0.215, p=0.009). During pregnancy, the mean platelet volume was significantly higher in women with GDM than in healthy pregnant controls (p<0.05). Discussion: Our results suggest that alterations in MPV levels are associated with diabetic state rather than underlying insulin resistance.
Maximum of Entropy for Credal Sets

In belief functions, there is a total measure of uncertainty that quantify the lack of knowledge and verifies a set of important properties. It is based on two measures: maximum of entropy and non-specificity. In this paper, we prove that the maximum of entropy verifies the same set of properties in a more general theory as credal sets and we present an algorithm that finds the probability distribution of maximum entropy for another interesting type of credal sets as probability intervals.
Measuring psychological distress in New Zealand : Item response properties and demographic differences in the Kessler-6 screening measure

F o m t h e e a r l y 1 9 8 0 s , t h e standard practice for measuring psychopathology in a population was through fully structured diagnostic interviews conducted in epidemiological surveys (Kessler et al., 2002). With the use of such interviews, community and nationally representative surveys have provided important prevalence rates for the number of people in the general population who meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual’s (fourth edition; DSM-IV) criteria for having one or more psychiatric illnesses in their lifetime, while also highlighting the general prevalence rates of psychological distress at any given point in time Measuring psychological distress in New Zealand: Item response properties and demographic differences in the Kessler-6 screening measure
Evaluation of Advance Wheat Lines for Slow Yellow Rusting (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. Tritici)

Stripe rust (yellow rust), caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is one of the most damaging diseases of wheat in Pakistan. Lack of durable resistance in local wheat varieties is the main reason for stripe rust epidemic which could limit yields. The use of genetically resistant wheat varieties is the most economic way of controlling the disease. Evaluation of 135 advance wheat lines for slow yellow rusting was conducted during cropping season 2008-2009 under natural epidemics at field locations of Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad and Cereal Crops Research Institute, Pirsabak (Northwest), Pakistan. Resistance level based on final disease severity (FDS) along with other slow rusting parameters relative area under disease progress curve (rAUDPC) and relative infection rate (RIR) was assessed. A total of 25 wheat lines were identified to potentially have durable resistance with low frequency of disease severity (10-30%) and lower relative AUDPC values (2-66%). Based on the slowing rusting data, RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) primers were used in order to evaluate genetic diversity among 25 lines. Of 20 OPA (Operon series) primers tested, 4 (20%) primers were polymorphic that showed amplification differences among 25 genotypes. OPA-06 and OPA-04 revealed the highest polymorphism (67% and 50%) while OPA-02 and OPA-17 exhibited the lowest polymorphism (33% and 25%) respectively. From the amplification profile, a total of five RAPD markers were obtained in this study. A similarity matrix data depicted that most of these genotypes are genetically very close (60-100%). The 25 advance lines identified from slow rusting evaluation with five RAPD markers may have partial resistance genes and can be used as slow yellow rusting lines with longer field life in Pakistan breeding program.
High glucose‐mediated alterations of mechanisms important in myogenesis of mouse C2C12 myoblasts

We have examined the progression and regulation of myogenesis, cellular levels of IGFBP‐4, ‐5, ‐6, and several extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins (fibronectin, integrin α5, β1 subunits and a disintegrin metalloprotease ADAM12) in murine C2C12 myoblasts during 3‐day differentiation under high glucose alone or combined with high insulin, factors characteristic for type 1 and 2 diabetes. High ambient glucose inhibited myogenesis of C2C12 myoblasts, an effect manifested by a twofold decrease in myoblast fusion, a drop in intracellular MyoD, myogenin and MHC levels, and increased cellular content of active myostatin isoform. Reduction in myogenesis by high glucose is accompanied by increase in cellular levels of IGFBP‐4 and ‐6 and decrease in IGFBP‐5. High glucose could modify ECM components assembly, by the increase in fibronectin levels and the decrease in metalloprotease ADAM12, without the effect on integrin α5 and β1 subunits. In contrast, high glucose and high insulin activate myoblast differentiation, manifested by an increase in fusion index and myogenin, as well as a drop in myostatin levels. The presence of high insulin prevented high‐glucose‐dependent changes in IGFBPs and ECM proteins. The data indicate the potential mechanisms of the influence of extracellular environment associated with maternal diabetes and insulin resistance on foetal myogenesis.
Comparison of Potential Risks between Intracranial and Extracranial Vertebral Artery Dissections

Background/Aims: To better understand potential risks for vertebral artery (VA) dissection (VAD), we compared intracranial and extracranial VADs. Methods: We analyzed consecutively admitted VAD patients over a 9-year period in whom VAD was confirmed by angiography. All patients were categorized as having intracranial or extracranial VAD, and demographic and radiological characteristics of VAD were compared. We used multivariate analysis to predict the risks for intracranial and extracranial VADs. Results: The study population (n = 74) had a mean age of 46.0 ± 10.3 years. VAD was more frequent in the nondominant VA (n = 49, 66.2%). Vertical nidus of VAD was more common in the intracranial segment (81.1%), and more particularly it was most frequently located within a 2-mm perimeter of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) orifice (60.0%). Absence of traumatic history (OR 13.1, 95% CI 1.6-107.4; p = 0.016), history of hypertension (OR 14.1, 95% CI 1.1-184.6; p = 0.043) and aging (OR 1.1 per 1-year increase, 95% CI 1.0-1.2; p = 0.038) were independent predictors of intracranial VAD. Conclusion: As compared to extracranial VAD, intracranial VAD was particularly frequent and particularly vulnerable at the perimeters of the PICA and nondominant VA and was associated with an absent trauma history, hypertension and aging. Formation of VAD appeared to be different according to intracranial or extracranial involvement.
High levels of circulatory erythroblasts and cell‐free DNA prior to intrauterine fetal death

60% at a false-positive rate of 5.1%, which indicated that the dual-marker screening efficiency was similar to that achieved in Hongkong and Taiwan Chinese and the population in other races (Extermann et al., 1998; Lam et al., 1998; Chao et al., 1999; Beaman and Goldie, 2001). Currently, first-trimester screening for Down syndrome that includes the use of ultrasonography to assess NT is not available in Mainland China. Second-trimester screening remains the most common approach to assessing the risk of Down syndrome. For most of the pregnant women in Mainland China, cost is the main issue in deciding whether to receive the screening test. Since the second-trimester dual-marker screening program is convenient and less expensive with an effective detection rate, it should cover as large a population as possible in Mainland China.
Conceptualizing and measuring the virtuality of teams

Virtual teams (VTs) are teams whose members do not share a common workspace all of the time, and must therefore collaborate using communication and collaboration tools such as email, videoconferencing, etc. Although the body of research on VTs is quickly expanding, to date, the field has yet to produce a comprehensive and coherent foundation upon which future research can be based, and empirical findings based on a substantive sample of real VTs remain limited at this time. This study fills a void in the VT literature with respect to defining and operationalizing the construct of degree of virtuality, and responds to calls for research that studies ongoing VTs, under real conditions. Data were collected from 30 VTs working in a Canadian technology‐based organization.
Embedding of Bone Samples in Methylmethacrylate: A Suitable Method for Tracking LacZ Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Skeletal Tissues

Considerable research has been focused on the use of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for the repair of non-unions and bone defects. To date, the question of whether transplanted MSCs survive and engraft within newly formed tissue remains unresolved. The development of an easy and reliable method that would allow cell fate monitoring in transplant recipients is a pressing concern for the field of tissue engineering. To demonstrate the presence of transplanted cells in newly formed bone, we established a xenograft nude rat model allowing the detection of murine LacZ MSCs in vivo. MSCs were isolated from transgenic lacZ mice, seeded onto bioabsorbable collagen sponges, and transplanted to repair a calvarial defect in nude rats. As a preliminary step, the histological procedure was adapted to optimize the detection of LacZ cells in bone tissue embedded in methylmethacrylate (MMA). Four fixatives and four fixation times were evaluated. Among all the fixatives tested, 2% formaldehyde/0.2% glutaraldehyde at 4C for 4 days gave the best results for X-gal staining at pH 7.4 on both cell cultures and bone explants. All fixatives were effective for imunodetection of β-gal. In the chimeric LacZ/nude rat animal model, MSCs were detected in vivo for up to 4 weeks after implantation and contributed to the repair and the neovascularization of the bone defect. LacZ is a suitable phenotypic marker to track MSCs in skeletal tissues embedded in MMA.
Peer review of classroom teaching: an interim report.

This paper provides interim findings from the implementation of peer review of classroom teaching in a large UK University School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. A total of 258 classroom teaching sessions, involving 129 teaching staff (n=129) were included over a period of 7 months. Teachers had two teaching sessions reviewed by a colleague. One reviewer was self-nominated and the Dean of School allocated the other. The paper is in two parts. Part one includes a short literature review followed by a descriptive account of how peer review was implemented. Part two focuses upon individual experiences from a small scale study with data obtained from 14 teachers (n=14) who took part in qualitative interviews based on their experiences of being both reviewer and reviewee. The larger study gathered data from several sources. This paper presents the initial findings from interview data with nurse teachers. Their perceptions form the basis of a discussion, which raises issues related to the experience of both implementing and being involved in, peer review of classroom teaching. Four themes emerged from the interview transcriptions; peer review was initially perceived as a threat; the experience of peer review was a positive one; teachers felt that being a reviewer was an interesting and worthwhile experience and perceived peer review positively when good relations existed between them and their reviewer.
Experimental Testing Of An Anisotropic Vector Hysteresis Model

A vector hysteresis model is experimentally tested for two soft magnetic materials in the two-dimensional case. The model expresses net magnetization as a sum of contributions from a number of pseudoparticles, each one having a dry friction-like hysteresis mechanism. Five adjustable parameters are used to represent hysteretic properties. Comparisons between calculations and measurements on silicon-iron are made for hysteresis curves and rotational and alternating hysteresis losses.
Glazed steatite: An investigation of the methods of glazing used in ancient Egypt

Abstract The microstructures and chemical compositions of a small group of glazed steatite objects from Egypt spanning the period from the fourth to the first millennium BC have been investigated in a scanning electron microscope with attached X‐ray spectrometer. Two primary methods of glazing have been identified. The first was characterised by high copper and magnesium oxide concentrations and a high density of recrystallised forsterite. The second was characterised by lower copper and magnesium oxide concentrations and only a scatter of recrystallised forsterite towards the glaze‐body interface. Laboratory replication has confirmed that the first type of glaze was produced by the cementation method in which the steatite body was fired whilst buried in a glazing mixture and the second type by the direct application of a fritted glaze mixture to the surface of the steatite body prior to firing.
Changes in macular parameters in different types of amblyopia: optical coherence tomography study

Purpose The purposes of this study were to investigate the changes in macular parameters (thickness, volume) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness (RNFLT) in different cases of amblyopia versus the normal fellow eyes using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to estimate the relationship of OCT changes with various defined patients’ parameters. Design This is a prospective, observational, cross-sectional case series. Methods The method involved measuring the peripapillary RNFLT, macular thickness, and macular volume via spectral domain (OCT) in different types of amblyopia and comparing with the other fellow eyes. This study was conducted at the Mansoura Ophthalmic Center. Results A total of 64 patients with different types of amblyopia were included. The mean central macular thickness (CMT) was 196.2±50.03 µm in the amblyopic eyes versus 167±12.76 µm in the fellow eyes (P=0.000), the mean average macular thickness was 265.80±12.77 µm in the amblyopic eyes versus 259.10±3.09 µm in the fellow eyes (P=0.000), the mean macular volume was 7.59±0.32 mm3 in the amblyopic eyes versus 7.34±0.071 mm3 in the fellow eyes (P=0.002), and the mean global RNFLT was 97.00±11.60 µm in the amblyopic eyes versus 78.50±13.05 µm in the fellow eyes (P=0.029). There was a discrepancy between the different amblyopic types. Age and the axial length were the only independent variables that statistically significantly correlated with the CMT. Conclusion The unilateral amblyopic eyes were prone to have a higher CMT and thicker global RNFL compared to those of the sound fellow eyes. Retinal variations between different types of the amblyopia differ from one type to another. The age could be considered as a predictor of the disease worsening and treatment prognosis. Further studies are required to emphasize these results.