Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Elevation of serum surfactant protein-A with exacerbation in canine eosinophilic pneumonia

A 7-year-old female spayed Labrador Retriever was admitted to our hospital, because of cough with sputum. She was diagnosed as having canine eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) based on blood eosinophilia, bronchial pattern and infiltrative shadow observed on thoracic radiography, bronchiolar obstruction and air-space consolidation predominantly affecting the right caudal lung lobe, as revealed by computed tomography (CT), predominant eosinophils in CT-guided fine needle aspiration and the clinical course. She exhibited a good response to steroid therapy, and the cough disappeared. The serum surfactant protein (SP)-A level increased with the aggravated symptom and decreased markedly with improvement compared with the C-reactive protein level and the number of eosinophils. We propose that serum SP-A level is a good biomarker in CEP.
Equestrian injuries: a five year review of hospital admissions in British Columbia, Canada

Aim—To determine the demographics of hospital admissions and mortality associated with equestrian activities in the 33 000 riders in British Columbia (BC). Method—Analysis of admission data from the Ministry of Health for the years 1991–96, review of information obtained from the Office of the Chief Coroner, and comparison of data from Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program. Results—The mean number of admissions per year was 390. Head injury was the most common cause of admission to hospital (20%) in BC. Females most often required admission (62%). Teenagers and children have a higher incidence of head injuries than the general population. The injury rate was 0.49/1000 hours of riding. There were three deaths per year, 1/10 000 riders; 60% were caused by head injury and females predominated. Conclusion—Head injuries and other serious injuries occur with equestrian activities and it is important for doctors, instructors, and parents to promote the use of appropriate safety equipment, including helmets, especially for children.
MEDI4893* Promotes Survival and Extends the Antibiotic Treatment Window in a Staphylococcus aureus Immunocompromised Pneumonia Model

ABSTRACT Immunocompromised individuals are at increased risk of Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia. Neutralization of alpha-toxin (AT) with the monoclonal antibody (MAb) MEDI4893* protects normal mice from S. aureus pneumonia; however, the effects of the MAb in immunocompromised mice have not been reported. In this study, passive immunization with MEDI4893* increased survival rates and reduced bacterial numbers in the lungs in an immunocompromised murine S. aureus pneumonia model. Lungs from infected mice exhibited alveolar epithelial damage, protein leakage, and bacterial overgrowth, whereas lungs from mice passively immunized with MEDI4893* retained a healthy architecture, with an intact epithelial barrier. Adjunctive therapy or prophylaxis with a subtherapeutic MEDI4893* dose combined with subtherapeutic doses of vancomycin or linezolid improved survival rates, compared with the monotherapies. Furthermore, coadministration of MEDI4893* with vancomycin or linezolid extended the antibiotic treatment window. These data suggest that MAb-mediated neutralization of AT holds promise in strategies for prevention and adjunctive therapy among immunocompromised patients.
Mesoporous titania–vertical nanorod films with interfacial engineering for high performance dye-sensitized solar cells

Working electrode (WE) fabrication offers significant challenges in terms of achieving high-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). We have combined the beneficial effects of vertical nanorods grown on conducting glass substrate for charge transport and mesoporous particles for dye loading and have achieved a high photoconversion efficiency of (η) > 11% with an internal quantum efficiency of ∼93% in electrode films of thickness ∼7 ± 0.5 μm. Controlling the interface between the vertical nanorods and the mesoporous film is a crucial step in attaining high η. We identify three parameters, viz., large surface area of nanoparticles, increased light scattering of the nanorod–nanoparticle layer, and superior charge transport of nanorods, that simultaneously contribute to the improved photovoltaic performance of the WE developed.
Pursuing equal pay: The perspectives of female engineers and potential policy interventions

The gender pay gap of higher paid women working in traditionally male-dominated sectors has received less analysis in equal pay research than low paid, female-dominated and undervalued women’s work. This article explores equal pay from the perspectives of female engineers, well paid women working in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sector in New Zealand, who perform work of the same or like nature to male engineers but who are paid less for doing so. It explores the gender pay gap against the complex intersections of labour market de-regulation, family demands, work and the ‘cost of being female’ that women in engineering must constantly navigate. The research uses quantitative pay data in the sector disaggregated by gender, and new qualitative data from focus groups and interviews with 22 female engineers. It finds a surprising lack of transparency around pay and remuneration in the sector at the individual level which negatively impacts on women. The article concludes by recommending new public policy initiatives for equal pay in sectors like engineering, where individualised negotiation and bargaining is embedded in neo-liberalism.
Helicobacter pylori periplasmic receptor CeuE (HP1561) modulates its nickel affinity via organic metallophores

In Gram‐negative bacteria, nickel uptake is guaranteed by multiple and complex systems that operate at the membrane and periplasmic level. Helicobacter pylori employs other yet uncharacterized systems to import the nickel required for the maturation of key enzymes, such as urease and hydrogenase. H. pylori CeuE protein (HP1561), previously annotated as the periplasmic component of an ATP‐binding cassette (ABC)‐type transporter apparatus responsible of haem/siderophores or other Fe(III)‐complexes uptake, has been recently proposed to be on the contrary involved in nickel/cobalt acquisition. In this work, the crystal structure of H. pylori CeuE has been determined at 1.65 Å resolution using the single anomalous dispersion (SAD) method. It comprises two structurally similar globular domains, each consisting of a central five‐stranded β‐sheet surrounded by α‐helices, an arrangement commonly classified as a Rossmann‐like fold. Structurally, H. pylori CeuE belongs to the class III periplasmic substrate‐binding protein. Both crystallographic data and fluorescence binding assays allow to exclude a role of the protein in the transport of Vitamin B12, enterobactin, haem and isolated Ni2+ ions. On the contrary, the crystal structure and plasmon resonance studies about CeuE/Ni‐(l‐His)2 complex indicate that in H. pylori nickel transport is supported by CeuE protein and requires the presence of a natural nickelophore, analogously to what has been recently demonstrated for NikA from Escherichia coli.
Multicenter cooperative study of HLA class II alleles in Japanese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract The relation between HLA class II alleles and clinical findings were examined in Japanese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In 284 patients with multicenter SLE, HLA class II alleles were examined using the DNA typing method, and the results were compared with the clinical findings. The frequency of DRB1*0101 and DQB1*0501 significantly increased in male patients, and that of DRB1*0803 significantly increased in patients over 50 years of age. In relation to cutaneous manifestations, there were positive photosensitivity associations with DQA1*0101 and/or DQA1*0301, malar rash with DQA1*0101 and/or DRB1*0901, alopecia with DQA1*0101, skin ulcers with DRB1*0401, and oral ulcers with DQA1*0301. In addition, there were also positive associations of myalgia with DRB1*1406 and negative associations of aseptic bone necrosis with DQA1*0601, and hepatomegaly with DRB1*0405 and/or DQA1*0401. In relation to laboratory findings, there were positive associations of hemolytic anemia with DRB1*1402 and negative associations of leukopenia with DQA1*0601, lymphopenia with DQA1*0301, and proteinuria with DRB1*0901. Interestingly, DQA1*0101 and/or DQB1*0501 were significantly associated with WHO classification type II rather than type IV. In patients with SLE, some HLA types related to clinical or laboratory findings.
The role of the dietitian in the intensive care unit

Purpose of reviewThe role of the intensive care unit registered dietitian has evolved over the past few years to become a vital component of the intensivist-led multidisciplinary intensive care unit team. The purpose of this review is to define the level of clinical practice and skill set of the intensive care unit dietitian, which defines them as a clinician, educator and researcher worthy to practice alongside their colleagues on the intensive care unit team. Recent findingsAn intensive care unit registered dietitian must be a dedicated professional with advanced training in critical care nutrition, the ability to read critically and evaluate new literature, a willingness to think ‘outside the box’, the fortitude to be an active participant in the intensive care unit team, the aptitude to educate colleagues and students from all disciplines, and the desire to participate in clinical research. Intensive care unit registered dietitians have published research concerning the nutritional assessment of the critically ill patient, the route of nutritional support, nutritional access, fluid and electrolyte issues, speciality enteral products, and optimal blood glucose control. They continue to attain skills and knowledge to extend their scope of practice and improve the quality of care in the intensive care unit. Recent guidelines adapted to the nutritional care of critically ill patients have been published for guidance. SummaryThe scope of practice of intensive care dietitians defines them as clinicians, educators and researchers. Their skill set is a unique and vital component of the intensivist-led multidisciplinary intensive care unit team. Abbreviations EN: enteral nutrition; ICU: intensive care unit; PN: parenteral nutrition; SBFT: small bowel feeding tube.
Mecillinam, a Novel Penicillanic Acid Derivative with Unusual Activity Against Gram-Negative Bacteria

The in vitro activity of mecillinam, a 6 β-amidinopenicillanic acid derivative, was investigated. Mecillinam is not active against most gram-positive coccal or bacilliary forms. Many members of the Enterobacteriaceae are inhibited, with 86% of Escherichia coli, 71% of Klebsiella, 62% of Enterobacter, 75% of Salmonella, 69% of Shigella, and 70% of Citrobacter inhibited by 6.3 μg/ml. Indole-positive Proteus and Serratia were generally resistant as are Pseudomonas strains. Although mecillinam is hydrolyzed by gram-negative β-lactamases, the compound inhibits β-lactamase-producing organisms, particularly E. coli. The conductivity of medium used to determine minimal inhibitory concentration and inoculum size produce markedly different values. In medium of high conductivity, 10 mS, mecillinam is inactive against many strains of bacteria. In all media there is a great difference between the minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal levels.
Everolimus (RAD001) and anti-angiogenic cyclophosphamide show long-term control of gastric cancer growth in vivo

Metronomic dosing of cytotoxic drugs such as cyclophosphamide has shown anti-angiogenic activity, most likely by inducing hypoxia in tumors. Hypoxia leads to activation of escape mechanisms allowing tumor cell survival. This potentially limits the activity of anti-angiogenic strategies. We hypothesized that mTORC1 inhibition by everolimus (RAD001) leads to suppression of HIF-1α and VEGF resulting in synergistic anti-tumor activity in combination with anti-angiogenically dosed cyclophosphamide. In vitro, effects of everolimus on mTORC1 signaling, proliferation, cell cycle, HIF-1α expression and VEGF secretion were evaluated in two gastric cancer cell lines. In vivo, anti-tumor activity of everolimus in combination with metronomic cyclophosphamide was studied in a NCI-N87 human gastric cancer SCID mouse xenograft model. Expression of Ki-67 and HIF-1α, activated caspase 3, microvascular density (MVD) and tumor necrotic area was assessed.Everolimus decreased proliferation and attenuated production of HIF-1α as well as VEGF in gastric cancer cells in vitro. In vivo, everolimus significantly inhibited tumor growth. This anti-tumor activity was linked to a significant increase in tumor necrotic area (p
Extrastriatal dopamine D2 and D3 receptors in early and advanced Parkinson’s disease

Objective: To investigate whether dopamine D2 and D3 receptor subtypes (D2/3Rs) outside the caudate-putamen are affected in PD. Background: Alterations in striatal D2-like dopamine receptors in PD have been extensively demonstrated using PET, but there are no studies focusing on extrastriatal D2/3Rs. Methods: Fourteen unmedicated patients with idiopathic early PD with predominantly left-sided symptoms, 14 levodopa-medicated patients with advanced PD, and 20 normal age-matched controls were examined using PET. PET scanning was performed with a novel high-affinity D2/3R radioligand ([11C]FLB 457) and a PET scanner in three-dimensional mode. Results: In advanced PD, the binding potential of [11C]FLB 457 in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was decreased by 40% (p < 0.01), in the anterior cingulate cortex by 20% (p < 0.01), and in the medial thalamus by 17% (p < 0.05) compared with healthy controls. In early PD, the extrastriatal [11C]FLB 457 binding potentials were not significantly different compared with the control group. However, the binding potential in the anterior cingulate cortex (29%; p < 0.05) was higher in early PD compared with advanced PD. Conclusions: These results imply that the D2/3 receptor subtypes outside the striatum are affected in advanced PD but not in the early stages of the disease, and that this receptor decline is present in the anterior cingulate cortex, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and the thalamus.
Scent in Mail: The Effect of Scented Direct Mailings

The purpose of the present study is to test the effect of scent on response time and sales in direct mailings. It is proposed that congruent scent influences response time and sales in direct mailings. A total of 1571 direct mailings were sent out.The hypotheses were tested through a Mann-Whitney U test and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The results show that scent influences response time to direct mailings but that it does not influence sales.Future research should perform exploratory studies to test the effect of scent with regard to various forms of direct marketing and offerings as well as in general product and service contexts. Managers may want to consider scenting direct mailings when a fast response is critical. The result provides empirical support for the idea that scent has an effect on response time in direct mailings.
Oscillations in the human cutaneous blood perfusion signal modified by endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilators.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of endothelium-dependent [acetylcholine (ACh)] and endothelium-independent [sodium nitroprusside (SNP)] vasodilators on the oscillatory components of the cutaneous blood perfusion signals in humans. The unstimulated basal blood perfusion and the blood perfusion during iontophoretically delivered ACh and SNP were measured using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). The wavelet transform was calculated before spectral analysis of the measured signals. In the frequency interval from 0.0095 to 1.6 Hz the LDF signal consists of oscillations with five different characteristic frequencies. In addition to the cardiac (1 Hz) and respiratory (0.3 Hz) rhythms, three other oscillations in the regions around 0.1, 0.04, and 0.01 Hz were detected. The oscillations with the different frequencies were observed in unstimulated blood flow and also during stimulation with ACh and SNP. Compared to the unstimulated blood flow, both ACh and SNP increased the mean amplitude of the total spectrum (P < 0. 005 for both substances). The only significant difference between the effects of ACh and SNP was observed in the amplitude of oscillations with the frequency of around 0.01 Hz. ACh increased the absolute amplitude of this frequency to a greater extent than SNP in athletes (P = 0.03), whereas only a trend was observed in controls (P = 0.2). The relative amplitude, defined as the ratio between the absolute amplitude of a particular frequency interval and the mean amplitude of the total spectrum, was also higher for ACh compared to SNP both in controls (P = 0.008) and in athletes (P = 0.004), only for oscillations with the frequency of around 0.01 Hz. We conclude that ACh selectively influences the oscillatory component of around 0.01 Hz in the cutaneous blood perfusion signal to a greater extent than SNP. This finding indicates that endothelium-mediated vasodilatation is manifested as oscillations with a repetition time of approximately 1 min. The mechanisms for the endothelial dependency of this frequency remain to be elucidated. Our data indicate that spectral analysis based on wavelet transform of the cutaneous perfusion signal can be used clinically to investigate endothelial function. The described noninvasive method might be used to evaluate endothelial function for research, for diagnostic purposes, and maybe also to assess effects of therapy in cardiovascular diseases.
Geographic pathology revisited: Development of an atlas of cancer in India

Information on 217,174 microscopically diagnosed cancers diagnosed in 2001–2002 was collected from pathology laboratories in 68 districts across India. Data collection took place primarily via the Internet. Average annual age‐adjusted incidence rates for microscopically diagnosed cases (MAAR) by gender and site were calculated for each of the 593 districts in the country. The rates were compared to those from established population based cancer registries (PBCR). In 82 districts, the MAAR for ‘all cancer sites’ was above a “completeness” threshold of 36.2/100,000 (based on results of a rural PBCR). The results confirmed some known features of the geography of cancer in India, and brought to light new ones. Cancers of the mouth and tongue are particularly frequent in both genders in the southern states. Very high rates of nasopharynx cancer were found in the northeastern states (Nagaland, Manipur). There was clear geographic correlation between the rates of cervical and penile cancer, and a high rate of stomach and lung cancer (in both genders) in many districts of Mizoram State. The area of high risk for gallbladder cancer seems larger than suspected previously, involving a wide band of northern India. There is a belt of high incidence of thyroid cancer in females in southwest coastal districts. Other than identifying possible existence of high‐risk areas of specific cancers, our study has recognized places where PBCR could be established. The study was remarkably cost‐effective and the electronic data‐capture methodology provides a model for health informatics in the setting of a developing country. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Intention to consent to living organ donation: An exploratory study

Living organ donation, that is the removal and transplantation of whole organs or segments of organs that a volunteering donor can live without, has been proposed as an effective and sustainable source of transplantable organs to mitigate the deficit in supply from the traditional cadaveric donor pool. In 2006, the Irish government deemed the development of a national Living Transplant Programme a service priority. The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in the context of living organ donation intentions in an Irish sample. One hundred and thirty five undergraduate students (75 females, 60 males; mean age 20.6 years, SD 3.76) completed a self-report questionnaire assessing TPB variables while imagining themselves in a potential living liver donation scenario. In general, attitudes towards living donation were favourable. TPB components explained 44.8% of the variance in intentions. Attitude towards living donation emerged as the strongest predictor of intention. Self-reported levels of knowledge regarding living donation were generally poor. In light of recent EU Communications proposing the expansion of the use of living donors greater understanding of the determinants, psychological implications and ethical considerations in living donation decisions is necessary.
Pulmonary Immunotoxic Potentials of Metals Are Governed by Select Physicochemical Properties: Vanadium Agents

The in situ reactions of metal ions/complexes are important in understanding the mechanisms by which environmental and occupational metal particles alter lung immune responses. A better understanding of these reactions in situ will also allow for the improved specificity and controlled toxicity of novel metallocompounds to be used as inhaled diagnostics or therapeutics. Our previous work showed that inhalation of metals (e.g., chromium, vanadium, nickel) caused altered lung immune cell function and host resistance. The data also suggested that the degree of immunomodulation induced depended not only on the amount of metal deposited, but also the compound used. If specificity governs pulmonary immunomodulatory potential, it follows that physicochemical properties inherent to the metal have a role in the elicited effects. We hypothe-size that major determinants of any metal compound's potential are its redox behavior, valency (generally referred to as oxidation state and considered speciation in chemical literature), and/or solubility. In accord with the extensive work carried out with vanadium (chemical symbol V) compounds showing the importance of form used, differences in potential for a range of V agents (pentavalent [VV] insoluble vanadium pentoxide and soluble sodium metavanadate, tetravalent [VIV] vanadyl dipicolinate, and trivalent [VIII] bis(dipicolinato)vanadium) were quantified based on induced changes in local bacterial resistance after host inhalation of each agent at 100 μ g V/m3 (5 hr/d for 5 d). Differences in effect between VV forms indicated that solubility was a critical property in in situ pulmonary immunotoxicity. Among the soluble forms, oxidizing vanadate had the greatest impact on resistance; reducing VIII altered resistance to a lesser extent. Both the VIV and insoluble VV had no effect. When data was analyzed in the context of pre-infection lung V burdens, soluble V agents with different oxidation states induced varying responses, supporting the hypothesis that differences in immunomodulatory potential might be attributed to redox behavior or valency. Our findings both provide a basis for understanding why some metals could be a greater health risk than others (when encountered in equal amounts) and will assist in the design of inhalable metallopharmaceuticals by allowing researchers to preempt selection of certain metal ions or complexes for use in such products.