Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum thyroid hormones in preterm infants: associations with postnatal illnesses and drug usage.

CONTEXT Transient hypothyroxinemia is common in infants less than 30 wk gestation and is associated with neurodevelopmental deficits. Reductions in T4 and T3 levels with TSH unchanged are the key features of severe illness using surrogate indices of overall severity of illness, but these do not inform the impact of individual disease conditions or drug use. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to investigate the contribution of postnatal factors to the variations in serum levels of iodothyronines, thyroid-binding globulin, and TSH. DESIGN We recruited a cohort of infants (23-34 wk gestation; n = 780) between January 1998 and September 2001. SETTING AND PATIENTS The study involved 11 level III Scottish neonatal intensive care units and included cohorts of infants delivered at 23-34 wk gestation. MAIN OUTCOME We assessed serum levels of iodothyronines, thyroid-binding globulin, and TSH at 7, 14, and 28 d adjusted for the potentially significant postnatal influences (n = 31). RESULTS Serum levels of TSH, free T4, T3, and T4 are variably but significantly associated with bacteremia, endotracheal bacterial cultures, persistent ductus arteriosus, necrotizing enterocolitis, cerebral ultrasonography changes, oxygen dependence at 28 d, and the use of aminophylline, caffeine, dexamethasone, diamorphine, and dopamine. CONCLUSIONS There are many more associations of postnatal factors with transient hypothyroxinemia than had previously been considered in preterm infants. Alternative strategies should be considered for correction of hypothyroxinemia rather than sole reliance on the direct therapy of hormone replacement. A more oblique preventative approach may be necessary through reduction in the incidence or severity of individual illness(es). Similarly, alternatives to those drugs that interfere with the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis should be evaluated (e.g. other inotropics instead of dopamine).
Ultrastructural study on the morphological changes to male worms of Schistosoma mansoni after in vitro exposure to allicin.

INTRODUCTION Garlic has a wide range of actions, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiprotozoal and anthelmintic actions. This antiparasitic activity has been attributed to allicin, which is the main constituent of garlic. The present study aimed to investigate the in vitro activity of allicin on the tegument of adult Schistosoma mansoni worms using scanning electron microscopy. METHODS Swiss Webster mice were infected with S. mansoni cercariae (100 per mouse) and sacrificed 50 days later to acquire the adult worms. These worms were collected by perfusion and placed in RPMI medium 1,640 at 37°C before transferring to RPMI media containing 0 (control), 5, 10, 15 and 20mg/mL of allicin, where they were incubated for 2h. The worms were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde solution, washed twice, post-fixed in osmium tetroxide, washed twice and then dehydrated with ascending grades of ethanol. The samples were air-dried, mounted on stubs, gold coated in an ion sputtering unit and viewed using a scanning electron microscope. RESULTS A concentration of 5mg/mL caused wrinkling in the tegument; a concentration of 10mg/mL resulted in changes to tubercles and loss or modification of spines. With 15 and 20mg/mL increasing damage to the tegument could be seen, such as vesicle formation and the presence of ulcers. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate the effect of allicin on adult S. mansoni worms and indicate that most of the changes occur at concentrations greater than that normally indicated for treatment.
GRADING GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY

We mailed letters to non-existent business addresses in 159 countries (10 per country), and measured whether they come back to the return address in the United States and how long it takes. About 60% of the letters were returned, taking over six months, on average. The results provide new objective indicators of government efficiency across countries, based on a simple and universal service, and allow us to shed light on its determinants. The evidence suggests that both technology and management quality influence government efficiency, just as they do that of the private sector. (JEL: D24, H11, L32, L87, M11)
Modifying the Attitudes of Nonhandicapped High School Students toward Handicapped Peers

Two curricular approaches for modifying nonhandicapped high school students' attitudes toward their exceptional peers were compared. One curriculum was structured around categories of exceptionality (e.g., mental retardation, sensory impairments) while the other focused on generic concepts, including values, conformity, individual differences, and labeling effects. Each curriculum was presented over a 10-week period and the effects assessed via two pencil-paper attitude evaluation scales. Results revealed that both curricula positively modified students' attitudes, with subjects exposed to the categorical curriculum demonstrating significantly greater attitude changes. The data are interpreted relative to the issue of labeling and the most effective means of positively modifying attitudes toward handicapped persons.
Antibiotic prophylaxis in infants and young children with cystic fibrosis: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate whether antistaphylococcal prophylaxis in infants and young children with cystic fibrosis (CF) would suppress the acquisition of Staphylococcus aureus and delay the onset of the manifestations of bronchopulmonary disease. STUDY DESIGN A 7-year, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of continuous antistaphylococcal therapy. Otherwise healthy children <2 years of age with CF were randomly assigned to be treated with daily cephalexin (80-100 mg/kg/day) or placebo. Clinical, microbiologic, laboratory, radiographic, and anthropometric outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS Of 209 children enrolled, 119 completed a 5- to 7-year course of therapy. Mean age at enrollment was 15.6 and 14.1 months in the cephalexin and placebo groups, respectively. Respiratory cultures from children treated with cephalexin were significantly less likely to be positive for S aureus (6.0% vs 30.4%; P <.001). They were, however, much more likely to be positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25.6% vs 13.5%; P <.009). These differences became apparent in the first year after enrollment and persisted over the duration of the study. In contrast to these microbiologic differences, there were no differences in clinical outcome measures, including radiographic (Brasfield score, 23.4 vs 23.2) or anthropometric scores or pulmonary function. CONCLUSIONS Although long-term prophylaxis with cephalexin successfully delayed the acquisition of S aureus, it enhanced colonization with P aeruginosa and did not lead to clinically significant improvement in major health outcomes. These data do not support routine antistaphylococcal prophylaxisin otherwise healthy infants and young children with CF.
Physicians' acceptance of mobile communication technology: an exploratory study

The study aims to contribute to the research on technology acceptance behaviour of professional physicians by extending its theoretical validity and empirical applicability in a new mobile communication technology context. We propose and empirically examine a research model using data collected from 151 physicians working in the healthcare sector in Finland; with the aid from previous research into the adoption of information systems, mainly TAM, UTAUT and PIIT. The results suggest that our proposed model could provide adequate explanations for physicians' intentions to use the mobile system (Nagelkerke R² = 0.654). The important determinants of physicians' behavioural intentions in early exposure to the mobile system are: perceived usefulness, the interaction effects of PIIT and age on ease of use, and of age on compatibility. Gender and hands-on experience of the system have different effect on physicians' perceptions of the system.
Uncoupled Phosphorylation and Activation in Bacterial Chemotaxis

An aspartate to lysine mutation at position 13 of the chemotaxis regulatory protein CheY causes a constitutive tumbly phenotype when expressed at high copy number in vivo even though the mutant protein is not phosphorylatable. These properties suggest that the D13K mutant adopts the active, signaling conformation of CheY independent of phosphorylation, so knowledge of its structure could explain the activation mechanism of CheY. The x-ray crystallographic structure of the CheY D13K mutant has been solved and refined at 2.3 Å resolution to an R-factor of 14.3%. The mutant molecule shows no significant differences in backbone conformation when compared with the wild-type, Mg2+-free structure, but there are localized changes within the active site. The side chain of lysine 13 blocks access to the active site, whereas its ε-amino group has no bonding interactions with other groups in the region. Also in the active site, the bond between lysine 109 and aspartate 57 is weakened, and the solvent structure is perturbed. Although the D13K mutant has the inactive conformation in the crystalline form, rearrangements in the active site appear to weaken the overall structure of that region, potentially creating a metastable state of the molecule. If a conformational change is required for signaling by CheY D13K, then it most likely proceeds dynamically, in solution.
THE MECHANISM OF MIGRAINE

EARLY in 1958 the Press reported the sudden death of a young woman in New South Wales from an unknown cause. The coroner's finding was apparently that she just ceased to exist. This has aroused interest and provoked inquiries from medical men in other parts of the world; so we are now publlshlng the details of the case so far as we have been able to obtain them. A young woman, aged 17 years, who was employed In a retail store in a country town in New South Wales, rode her bicycle from the store to her home for her mid-day meal. She rode back and resumed work. About one hour later. whilst standing in the store, she was seen t.o slump sideways and fall to the fioor. She was breathingheavily, and she apparently died quickly without speaking. It was stated that on this day she had been in her usual state of good health, and that she had suffered only from children's ailments. EVidencoe was g-iven that she was seen riding her bicycle back to the store. that one part of the road had a fairly steep grade, and that it had been her custom to stand on the pedals when ridingup this hill. An autopsy was performed, but even after microscopic examination of tissues no cause of death was found. The opinion given was that death was a natural one and that life suddenly ceased to exist. The coroner's finding was that the deceased collapsed and died from natural causes, but from what actual cause the evidence adduced did not enable him to say. In this age of coronary artery disease, sudden death is not uncommon, and the pathologist usually has no difficulty in pointing to the cause. Sudden unexpected death in a young adult who had always seemed healthy is rather perturbing, and the perturbation is intensified when no cause of death has been found. Sudden unexpected death in young persons may be due to a variety of causes. such as vagal inhibition, endocardial fibroelastosis, myocarditis. various cardiomyopathies and, of course, coronary artery disease. In some cases, the heart may appear normal to one inexperienced in autopsy work, and one cannot help feeling that in the case quoted above, there was some demonstrable but unrecognized cardiac cause of death.
Gamma Interferon and Cadmium Treatments Modulate Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4E-Dependent mRNA Transport of Cyclin D1 in a PML-Dependent Manner

ABSTRACT The eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), when dysregulated, transforms cells. A substantial fraction of eIF4E forms nuclear bodies that colocalize with those associated with the promyelocytic leukemia protein PML. Overexpression studies indicate that nuclear eIF4E promotes the transport of cyclin D1 mRNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and that PML is a key negative regulator of this function. Since previous studies used overexpression methods, the physiological relevance of eIF4E mRNA transport function or its interaction with PML remained unknown. Therefore, we monitored whether eIF4E-dependent transport could be modulated in response to environmental conditions. Here we report that cadmium treatment, which disperses PML nuclear bodies, leaves eIF4E bodies intact, leading to increased transport of cyclin D1 mRNA and increased cyclin D1 protein levels. Removal of cadmium allows PML to reassociate with eIF4E nuclear bodies, leading to decreased cyclin D1 transport and reduced cyclin D1 protein levels. In contrast, we show that treating cells with interferon increased the levels of PML protein at the PML-eIF4E nuclear body, leading to nuclear retention of cyclin D1 transcripts and reduced cyclin D1 protein levels. Neither interferon nor cadmium treatment altered cyclin D1 levels in PML−/− cells. Consistently, overexpression of a series of PML and eIF4E mutant proteins established that PML eIF4E interaction is required for the observed effects of cadmium and interferon treatment. The present study provides the first evidence that physiological factors modulate the mRNA transport functions of eIF4E and that this regulation is PML dependent.
Polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of Aspergillus endophthalmitis.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Aspergillus endophthalmitis is the commonest type of vision threatening fungal endophthalmitis encountered in India. Since conventional methods lack sensitivity, we evaluated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) against the conventional mycological methods in the diagnosis of Aspergillus endophthalmitis. METHODS Twenty-seven intraocular specimens from 22 patients with suspected fungal endophthalmitis (proven as non-bacterial origin) and 10 patients with non-infective intraocular disorders (controls) were tested. The intraocular specimens from these patients were subjected to the conventional methods, viz., microscopy and culture for growth of fungi, as well as PCR for the detection and differentiation of species of Aspergillus. RESULTS None of the controls were positive by microscopy, culture or PCR. Among the 27 test samples, 4 were positive by culture for Aspergillus species, these were also positive by PCR. In addition, PCR detected and identified Aspergillus species in 2 culture negative specimens. The average time required for culture and identification of Aspergillus was 10 days, whereas PCR needed only 24 h. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION This study indicates that PCR was not only a more sensitive, but also a rapid diagnostic tool compared to the conventional mycological methods in the diagnosis of Aspergillus endophthalmitis.
A variety of Staphylococcal plasmids present as multiple copies.

In enteric bacteria estimation of the number of plasmids per chromosome reveals two distinct situations (Clowes, 1972): first, when the number of copies is approximately one; and second, when the number of copies is much greater (generally between 7 and 40). This division may also exist for staphylococcal plasmids (Novick & Bouanchaud, 1971), but to test this possibility more fully we have determined the number of plasmid copies per organism for a range of staphylococcal plasmids. We have found that plasmids detectable as covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA are present in multiple copies, i.e. as at least four copies per organism.
Different airway responsiveness profiles in atopic asthma, nonatopic asthma, and Sjögren's syndrome

Background: Different mechanisms may underlie bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in different diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the bronchial responsiveness profile produced by three different challenge tests, methacholine, a direct simulus, and two indirect stimuli, adenosine 5′‐monophosphate (AMP) and cold air, in subjects with asthma and patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
Cognitive-behavioral treatment of adolescent depression: efficacy of acute group treatment and booster sessions.

OBJECTIVE This trial examined the effects of both acute and maintenance cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for depressed adolescents. METHOD Adolescents with major depression or dysthymia (N = 123) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 eight-week acute conditions: adolescent group CBT (16 two-hour sessions); adolescent group CBT with a separate parent group; or waitlist control. Subsequently, participants completing the acute CBT groups were randomly reassigned to 1 of 3 conditions for the 24-month follow-up period: assessments every 4 months with booster sessions; assessments only every 4 months; or assessments only every 12 months. RESULTS Acute CBT groups yielded higher depression recovery rates (66.7%) than the waitlist (48.1%), and greater reduction in self-reported depression. Outcomes for the adolescent-only and adolescent + parent conditions were not significantly different. Rates of recurrence during the 2-year follow-up were lower than found with treated adult depression. The booster sessions did not reduce the rate of recurrence in the follow-up period but appeared to accelerate recovery among participants who were still depressed at the end of the acute phase. CONCLUSIONS The findings, which replicate and expand upon a previous study, support the growing evidence that CBT is an effective intervention for adolescent depression.
Ethnicity, survival, and delay in seeking treatment for symptoms of breast cancer

This study examined differences in 10‐year survival rates from breast cancer among white, black, and Hispanic women controlling for the effects of age, socioeconomic status (SES), stage of disease, and delay in seeking treatment for symptoms. Breast cancer patients (n = 1983) treated at M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute in Houston, Texas between 1949 and 1968, were followed for 10 years. Ethnicity, SES, stage of disease, and delay were all found to affect survival when considered separately. Black patients were less likely to survive than either white or Hispanic patients whose survival experience appeared to be similar. Multivariate analysis that used a Cox regression technique showed that ethnic differences remained when age, SES, stage, and delay were included in the model. In contrast, the authors could not detect an effect of delay on survival when ethnicity and all other variables were included. These data suggest that ethnic differences in breast cancer survival are not mediated by differences in delay in seeking treatment for breast cancer symptoms.
Aggressive continuous passive motion exercise does not improve knee range of motion after total knee arthroplasty.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of continuous passive motion on the range of motion, postoperative pain and life quality of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty within six months after the operation. BACKGROUND Total knee arthroplasty reduces pain and improves range of motion of the osteoarthritic knee joint. Continuous passive motion increases postoperative movement, but there is some controversy regarding whether aggressive continuous passive motion can improve range of motion or life quality, and whether it induces more pain. DESIGN A prospective controlled study was conducted in a medical centre in Taiwan from January to December 2006. METHODS One hundred and seven patients were recruited. The patients underwent the basic rehabilitation protocols (the control group) or the basic rehabilitation protocols and additional daily use of continuous passive motion for more than six hours per day (the experimental group). The range of motion, modified Short Form-36 (SF-36) and semi-quantitative visual analogue scale were recorded. Results. Range of motion increased from 109° preoperatively to 125° at six months postoperatively in the treatment group and from 111° preoperatively to 125° at six months postoperatively in the control group. Visual analogue scale decreased from 7·78 preoperatively to 0·37 at six months postoperatively in the treatment group and from 7·92 preoperatively to 0·21 at six months postoperatively in the control group. The SF-36 improved from 3·76 preoperatively to 1·77 at six months postoperatively in the treatment group and from 3·68 preoperatively to 1·83 at six months postoperatively in the control group. There was no significant difference in range of motion, visual analogue scale and SF-36 between groups at each visit. CONCLUSION With the advances in total knee arthroplasty surgical technique, aggressive continuous passive motion does not provide obvious benefits. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Total knee arthroplasty can alleviate pain and improve range of motion, but aggressive continuous passive motion does not provide additional benefits.
Actions Speak Louder Than Functions: The Importance of Manipulability and Action in Tool Representation

PET was used to investigate the neural correlates of action knowledge in object representations, particularly the left lateralized network of activations previously implicated in the processing of tools and their associated actions: ventral premotor cortex (VPMCx), posterior middle temporal gyrus (PMTG), and intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Judgments were made about the actions and functions associated with manipulable man-made objects (e.g., hammer); this enabled us to measure activations in response to both explicit and implicit retrieval of knowledge about actions associated with manipulable tools. Function judgments were also made about nonmanipulable artifacts (e.g., traffic light) providing a direct comparison for manipulable objects. Although neither the left VPMCx nor the left PMTG were selective for tool stimuli (nonmanipulable objects also activated these areas relative to a visual control condition), both regions responded more strongly to manipulable objects, suggesting a role for these cortical areas in the processing of knowledge associated with tools. Furthermore, these activations were insensitive to retrieval task, suggesting that visually presented tools automatically recruit both left VPMCx and left PMTG in response to action features that are inherent in tool representations. In contrast, the IPS showed clear selectivity for explicit retrieval of action information about manipulable objects. No regions of cortex were more activated by function relative to action judgments about artifacts. These results are consistent with the brain's preferential responsiveness to how we interact with objects, rather than what they are used for.