Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Challenge to healthcare: Multidrug resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae has been associated with different types of infections and one of the important aspects of Klebsiella associated infection is the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains particularly those involved in nosocomial diseases. For our studies we have collected fifty - nine clinical isolates, from different places of India as this study was conducted in India. Morphologically resembled Klebsiella were recovered from respiratory, UTI and pus cases. Out of fifty- nine clinical isolates, twenty were found positive for K.pneumoniae at biochemical characterization. These clinical isolates of K.pneumoniae were further tested for antimicrobial sensitivity and most of them were found to be multidrug resistant. All confirmed K.pneumoniae isolates were resistant to carbenicillin and one among them recovered from sputum sample of a pneumonic patient was resistant to all the antimicrobial agents tested except exhibiting a partial susceptibility to amikacin. Klebsiella pneumoniae strains from clinical cases in our study were found highly susceptible to quinolones, aminoglycoside, amykacin and gentamycin. At the same time over 60% strains were resistant to chloramphenicol and tetracycline. We also found that 28 to 76% of them were resistant to cephalosporins (ceftizoxime and cefotaxime).
Micropulse diode laser (810 nm) versus argon laser trabeculoplasty in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma: comparative short-term safety and efficacy profile.

PURPOSE Prospective, comparative, randomised study aiming at assessing the safety and the intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering effect of Micropulse Diode Laser Trabeculoplasty (810nm)(MDLT) and Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty in patients with open angle glaucoma. METHODS 26 patients (mean age=67 years) were randomly assigned to undergo either MDLT (16 eyes) (66 applications, 100 msec, 0.6 mJ/pulse, 300 microm) or ALT (15 eyes) over 180 degrees. In 5 patients, MDLT was done in one eye and ALT in the other eye. Patients were followed for early IOP spikes and anterior segment inflammation. IOP was recorded at 1 day, 1 week, 1 and 3 months and 3 month intervals thereafter. RESULTS Both groups were well-matched for age, glaucoma type, previous laser or surgical procedure, pre-treatment meds. Mean follow-up was 5.2 +/- 1.7 months for MDLT and 5.5 +/- 2.3 in ALT (p>0.05). Mean pre-treatment IOP was 20.7 +/- 3.8 mmHg and 21.6 +/- 4.2 mmHg in ALT respectively (p>0.05). Mean IOP was significantly reduced compared to the pre-treatment level in both groups at the different visits (p <0.05). At 3 months, the mean IOP was not significantly different in MDLT (18.6 +/- 5.1 mmHg) vs. ALT(16.7 +/- 3.3 mmHg) (p=0.26) while the mean IOP decrease was significantly less in MDLT (2.5 +/- 2.6 mmHg) than in ALT (4.9 +/- 3.4 mmHg) (p= 0.04). This corresponded to a mean percentage of IOP reduction of 12.2 +/- 11.9% in MDLT and 21.8 +/- 11.1% in ALT respectively (p=0.03), as well as an IOP drop > or =20% compared to the baseline IOP observed in 35.7% in MDLT versus 50% in ALT (p=0.03). At 3 months, the mean number of meds was significantly lower in MDLT (2.1 +/- 0.8) than in ALT (2.8 +/- 0.7) (p=0.03). MDLT was uneventful in 100% of patients with no thermal pain and no uncomfortable laser flashes. Anterior segment inflammation was absent or mild in both procedures. MDLT was associated with early moderate IOP spike in one eye with POAG. CONCLUSION At 3 months, Micropulse diode laser trabeculoplasty induced significantly less IOP reduction than ALT. The percentage of eyes with an IOP drop > or =20% was also significantly lower with diode laser than with argon laser trabeculoplasty. MDLT induced minimal anterior segment inflammation and seemed to exhibit a good safety profile. Its IOP efficacy should be still confirmed on a larger sample size and by modifying the treatment parameters.
Effects of Veratrum nigrum alkaloids on central catecholaminergic neurons of renal hypertensive rats.

AIM To study the central hypotensive mechanism of Veratrum nigrum L var ussurience Nakai alkaloids (VnA) in renal hypertensive rats(RHR). METHODS The quantitative method of immunocytochemistry (ICC) was used to observe and detect the effect of VnA (30 micrograms.kg-1, i.v.) on activity of central catecholaminergic (CA) neurons of C1, C2, A1, and A5 areas in RHR. RESULTS VnA increased the immunoreactivity (IR) of tyrosine 3-monooxygenase (TM)-immunopositive (IP) neurons of C1, C2, and A5 areas in RHR experimental group compared with RHR control group [positive units: (1.9 +/- 0.4), (1.18 +/- 0.23), (1.2 +/- 0.4) vs (0.15 +/- 0.22), (0.31 +/- 0.16), (0.69 +/- 0.20), respectively]; IR of TM-IP neurons of C1 and C2 areas in RHR control group was decreased compared with sham-operated group [positive units: (0.15 +/- 0.22), (0.31 +/- 0.16) vs (1.45 +/- 0.29), (1.36 +/- 0.25), respectively]. CONCLUSION VnA increased the activity of central CA neurons in RHR to exert its hypotensive effect.
When is Less More? Attention and Workload in Auditory, Visual, and Redundant Patient-Monitoring Conditions

Auditory signals can take the form of “auditory displays” that communicate information redundant to visual displays. These redundant displays may allow offloading some visual workload to the auditory channel. The current study examines the effect of visual, auditory and redundant displays on the performance of a dual-task simulation of patient monitoring. Subjects performed manual compensatory tracking task while monitoring six vital signs of a simulated patient, detecting deviations from normal levels. Monitoring was presented in three display conditions: auditory only, visual only, and redundant. Results indicate that the detection of deviations in visual and redundant conditions were not significantly different, but faster than the auditory display. However, performance in the tracking task was degraded least in the auditory condition, and the redundant display resulted in poorest performance—an example of a negative redundancy-gain. Reasons for this finding are examined through data from eye-movement recordings. This negative redundancy gain is also discussed.
Psychophysical Measurement of 6‐n‐Propylthiouracil (PROP) Taste Perception a

ABSTRACT: The ability to taste 6‐n‐propylthiouracil (PROP) is genetically determined. PROP tastes moderately bitter to 'medium tasters' (MT), intensely bitter to 'supertasters' (ST), and tasteless to 'nontasters' (NT). The psychophysical method used to characterize PROP status should capture the entire range of perception, while minimizing context, ceiling and other effects. Magnitude estimation successfully captures the variability in PROP perception, but requires normalization and may be difficult to conduct in industrial settings. Two labeled scales were tested as part of three separate studies (S1, S2 and S3) to measure perceived intensity of PROP and sweeteners. All studies included reportedly healthy volunteers aged 21‐62 years recruited at Cultor Food Science in Groton, CT. In S1 [n= 163 (55 males, 108 females)], subjects rated perceived intensity of PROP‐saturated paper and sucrose (1.0 M) on the Labeled Magnitude (Green) Scale (LMS) [labeled line with descriptors (no taste‐strongest imaginable)]. In S2 [n= 152 (49 males, 103 females)], subjects rated perceived intensity of sucrose (1.0 M) and PROP solutions (0.001 M,0.0032 M) on the LMS. In S3 [n= 136 (48 males, 88 females)], subjects rated perceived intensity of sucrose (1.0 M) and PROP solutions (0.001 M, 0.0032 M) on a 9‐point category scale (1 = not al all; 9 = extremely). In all experiments, water rinses were included between each tastant and PROP was the final stimulus. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and ANOVA. In S1 and S2, those with higher PROP perception perceived sucrose more intensely [(S1: r = 0.32; p <0.001); (S2: r = 0.25; p <0.01)]. A higher frequency of females were ST than males. Also, the PROP effect on sweet perception was most evident in female ST. This apparent sex difference may be the result of hormonal variation associated with menstruation. As well, in S1 and S2 subjects aged 20‐40 years, females had significantly greater variance among sucrose intensity ratings than males (F= 3.66; p < 0.01), which may be due to hormonal changes with menses. The S3 results failed to show either the positive correlation between PROP and sucrose perception or the sex difference. Thus of the two labeled scales, the LMS appears to be better for assessing PROP perception, as it is continuous and also minimizes ceiling effects. Future research will extend these studies by including sucrose and high intensity sweetener concentration series.
Agile requirements engineering practices and challenges: an empirical study

This paper describes empirical research into agile requirements engineering (RE) practices. Based on an analysis of data collected in 16 US software development organizations, we identify six agile practices. We also identify seven challenges that are created by the use of these practices. We further analyse how this collection of practices helps mitigate some, while exacerbating other risks in RE. We provide a framework for evaluating the impact and appropriateness of agile RE practices by relating them to RE risks. Two risks that are intractable by agile RE practices emerge from the analysis. First, problems with customer inability and a lack of concurrence among customers significantly impact agile development. Second, risks associated with the neglecting non‐functional requirements such as security and scalability are a serious concern. Developers should carefully evaluate the risk factors in their project environment to understand whether the benefits of agile RE practices outweigh the costs imposed by the challenges.
Glucocorticoids protect and enhance recovery of cultured murine podocytes via actin filament stabilization.

BACKGROUND Nephrotic syndrome is a common kidney disease in both children and adults that is characterized by dramatic structural changes in the actin-rich foot processes of glomerular podocytes. Although glucocorticoids are the primary treatment for nephrotic syndrome, neither the target cell nor mechanism of action of glucocorticoids in nephrotic syndrome is known. For the last 30 years glucocorticoids have been presumed to act by reducing the release of soluble mediators of disease by circulating lymphocytes. In contrast, we hypothesized that glucocorticoids exert their beneficial effects in nephrotic syndrome by direct action on podocytes. METHODS Cultured murine podocytes were treated with glucocorticoids in the presence and absence of mifepristone (to inhibit glucocorticoid-induced transcriptional activation) and challenged using our previously reported in vitro model of puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN)-induced podocyte injury, as well as by direct disruption of actin filaments with latrunculin and cytochalasin. Cell viability, actin filament distribution, total polymerized actin content, and actin-regulating guanine triphosphatase (GTPase) activities were measured. RESULTS We demonstrated that treatment of cultured murine podocytes with the glucocorticoid dexamethasone both protected and enhanced recovery from PAN-induced injury. Dexamethasone also increased total cellular polymerized actin, stabilized actin filaments against disruption by PAN, latrunculin, or cytochalasin, and induced a significant increase in the activity of the actin-regulating GTPase RhoA. CONCLUSION These data suggest that, contrary to the current therapeutic paradigm, the beneficial effects of glucocorticoids in nephrotic syndrome may result, at least in part, from direct effects on podocytes leading to enhanced actin filament stability.
Posterior corneal curvature and its influence on corneal dioptric power

Abstract. An algorithm for estimation of the posterior corneal curvature is presented and applied on data from normal and keratoconic eyes. Radius of central posterior corneal curvature are demonstrated to be (mean ± sd) 6.71 ± 0.23 mm and 5.58 ± 0.78 mm in normals and keratoconic eyes, respectively. This corresponds to a ratio between posterior and anterior corneal curvature at 0.85 and 0.83 in the groups mentioned. Both these ratios are significantly smaller than the corresponding ratio at 0.88 in Gullstrand's schematic eye which on corneal dioptric power results in offset errors at 0.20D and 0.46D in normal and keratoconic eyes. It is further demonstrated that the ratio is not constant over the corneal surface, resulting in central peripheral dioptric offset errors between 0.2D and −0.31D in normals and between 0.46D and −0.38D in keratoconic eyes. On corneal dioptric power it is finally shown that a variation in the refractive index of aqueous humor has a 30 times larger influence than a similar variation in corneal refractive index.
Olanzapine overdose is associated with acute muscle toxicity

Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic that is reported to cause myopathy and raised creatine kinase (CK) levels. The prevalence and severity of acute myopathy after deliberate olanzapine ingestion are unclear. Therefore, we reviewed casenotes from 64 consecutive patients admitted to our institution after olanzapine overdose. Overall, serum CK was higher than five times the upper limit of normal in 17% of patients. The prevalence of raised CK values was positively correlated with the stated quantity of olanzapine ingested, suggesting a dose-dependent relationship for acute muscle toxicity. There was an apparent delay of 12 hours or more between olanzapine ingestion and the occurrence of maximum CK. Despite the high prevalence of acute muscle toxicity after olanzapine ingestion, none of the patients developed renal failure.
An Econometric Analysis of the Determinants of Fertility: International Evidence

This study aims to analyse the socio and macroeconomic determinants of fertility in 108 countries across the globe. Focusing on the variables of inflation, income, education level and urbanization, this study employs the cross-sectional econometrics technique of Ordinary Least Squares to analyse the causal relationship between these variables and fertility. The empirical results reveal a significant and negative relationship between income and fertility in the overall model of the 108 countries, as well as in the models involving developing countries, and countries in the African, American and Asian regions. Education was found to also have a significant and negative relationship with fertility in the overall model and the developing countries. Urbanisation, on the other hand, was found to have a significant and positive relationship with fertility in the overall model, developing countries and in countries in the African and Asian regions. Inflation was the only predictor found to be not significant in all the models. As far as the least developed countries, developed countries and the countries in the European region were concerned, none of the independent variables were significant predictors of fertility. The study concludes with an examination of policy implications of the findings
EFFECT OF LOW‐DOSE LITHIUM ADMINISTRATION AND SUBSEQUENT WITHDRAWAL ON BIOGENIC AMINES IN RAT BRAIN

1 The effects of low‐dose lithium administration (2 mEq/kg, daily) and its subsequent withdrawal have been examined with reference to changes in biogenic amine systems in several discrete regions of rat brain. 2 Increased levels of striatal tyrosine and midbrain tryptophan were found following lithium administration together with slight decreases in striatal tyrosine hydroxylase and midbrain tryptophan hydroxylase activities. Withdrawal resulted in a decrease in tyrosine content with increased tyrosine hydroxylase activity, whilst tryptophan levels and tryptophan hydroxylase activity were increased. 3 Lithium treatment and withdrawal resulted in altered levels of noradrenaline and dopamine, these changes being regionally variable. 3‐Methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylglycol content was depressed in both treated and withdrawal rats as were 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels. Homovanillic acid decreased as a result of lithium treatment, but was greatly elevated in the withdrawal group. 4 5‐Hydroxytryptamine content decreased in some brain regions following lithium treatment with return towards control values in withdrawal rats. 5‐Hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels also displayed a regional variation as a result of lithium treatment and withdrawal. 5 The implications of these observations in elucidating the pharmacological effect of lithium treatment and its subsequent withdrawal are discussed.
Cellular Responses to Experimental Brain Injury

Little is known regarding the molecular (genomic) events associated with the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI). This review focusses on the experimental efforts to date elucidating the acute alterations in expression of immediate early genes (IEGs), heat shock proteins (HSPs) and cytokines following experimental brain injury. The immediate early genes, c‐fos, c‐jun and junB were observed to be bilaterally induced in the cortex and hippocampus as early as 5 min following lateral fluid‐percussion (FP) brain injury in the rat. While levels of c‐fos and junB mRNA returned to control levels by 2h, c‐jun mRNA remained elevated up to 6h post‐injury. Increased levels of mRNA for the inducible heat‐shock protein (hsp72) were observed up to 12h following injury and were restricted to the cortex ipsilateral to the impact site. Mild induction of the glucose‐regulated proteins (grp78 and grp94), which share sequence homology with hsp72, was apparent in the ipsilateral cortex. The cytokines IL‐1β and TNFα were induced at 1h following FP brain injury and remained elevated up to 6h post‐injury. These data, while indicative of the complex genomic response to TBI, are also suggestive of the trauma‐induced activation of multiple signal transduction pathways.
Changes in Frontal Lobe Activity With Cognitive Therapy for Spider Phobia

Patients suffering from spider phobia were studied with measurement of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) when they were looking at a video recording of living spiders. Six patients were studied before and after cognitive psychotherapy with successful outcome in all cases. On each occasion rCBF was measured under 3 conditions: during rest, during exposure to a video recording of neutral nature scenery, and finally while the patient watched a recording of living spiders. The patients who managed to control their emotional reactions without panicking during spider exposure before treatment showed an rCBF increase in prefrontal cortex, more pronounced in the right hemisphere. Following successful treatment, these patients showed an rCBF decrease in this region. In contrast, patients who reported panic during the initial spider exposure showed hypoactivity in the frontal cortex at that time, and then showed an increase in prefrontal rCBF in the spider challenge after cognitive therapy. The psychological improvement from cognitive therapy thus appears to be associated with activation of prefrontal cortex that varies closely with the demands for self-regulation of emotional reactivity.
Gene–lifecourse interaction for alcohol consumption in adolescence and young adulthood: Five monoamine genes

Association analysis has suggested that common sequence variants of genes that affect monoamine function can affect substance use and abuse. Demonstration of these associations has been inconsistent because of limited sample sizes and phenotype definition. Drawing on the life course perspective, we predicted a stronger association between the polymorphisms in 5HTT, DAT1, DRD4, DRD2, and MAOA and alcohol consumption in young adulthood than adolescence. This analysis tested for the gene–lifecourse interaction for the frequency of alcohol consumption in a nationally representative non‐alcohol‐dependent sample of 2,466 individuals that were visited during adolescence and young adulthood for four times between 1994 and 2002. All five genes are significantly associated with the frequency of alcohol consumption, with the genotype effects ranging 7%–20% of the mean score of alcohol consumption and their P values being 0.014, 0.0003, 0.003, 0.007, 0.005, and 0.003, respectively. The association is only observed in the life stage of young adulthood and not in adolescence. This analysis has demonstrated the potential usefulness of the life course perspective in genetic studies of human behaviors such as alcohol consumption. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Promoters P3, Pa/Pb, P4, and P5 Upstream from blaTEM Genes and Their Relationship to β-Lactam Resistance

ABSTRACT Using an isogenic system, we have determined the impact that the four promoters known to control blaTEM gene expression have on β-lactamase activity. For both TEM-1 and TEM-30, this activity gradually increased in relation to the presence of promoters P3, Pa/Pb, and P4 upstream of the corresponding gene. Promoter P5, only found upstream of the blaTEM-1B gene, was related to the highest expression of this gene.
The trouble with plasma cells

Imagine: 15 years ago, a young woman is brought to your emergency room because of a series of seizures. She has a few days' history of amnesia, delusions, and hallucinations. Diagnostic workup reveals no focal neurologic deficits, MRI is normal, and CSF shows mild pleocytosis. An extensive search for infectious agents and systemic cancer proves negative. Over the next 2 weeks, the patient remains agitated and evolves to a coma with autonomic instability, continuous orofacial dyskinesias, and limb choreoathetosis. No cause is identified. Perhaps the more fortunate patient receives a short course of high-dose steroids from a diagnostically destitute clinician, or more likely no immunotherapies are commenced. Of course, nowadays, neurologists immediately consider requesting NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antibodies. This syndrome was first described in 2007 as a paraneoplastic ovarian teratoma–associated syndrome.1 It was then reported in children, men, and even elderly people,2,3 surpassing the incidence of infectious agents in young people.4