Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to breast cancer screening: a survey of Arabic women.

BACKGROUND Incorporating breast cancer screening into day-to-day clinical care leads to early diagnosis and decreases mortality. Patients' participation in screening depends on their knowledge and attitudes, other barriers, and physician behavior. METHODS A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, barriers, and practices related to breast cancer screening among Arabic women. A convenience sample was selected from 1,750 women aged 40-65 years who, for any reason, attended primary health care (PHC) clinics in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE). RESULTS Of the 1,750 invited women, 1,445 agreed to participate; 78 were excluded from analysis because of histories of breast cancer. Breast self-examination (BSE) was practiced by 12.7% of the study population, clinical breast examination (CBE) by 13.8%, and mammography by 10.3%. Knowledge about breast cancer screening was low in the study population. Women were infrequently instructed about or offered screening for breast cancer by health professionals. Being employed was an independent predictor for participation in the three screening examinations. CONCLUSIONS Health workers infrequently offered screening examinations and women lacked adequate knowledge about breast cancer screening. Acquired information about barriers to screening may help in the design of effective screening programs for Arabic women.
Failure to suppress GH secretion after 2 weeks treatment with atropine or propanthelene in diabetics with proliferative retinopathy.

Complete suppression of GH secretion may halt the development of retinal new vessels in patients with diabetic proliferative retinopathy. We have investigated the effectiveness of two cholinergic antagonists, atropine and propanthelene given orally for 2 weeks, in suppressing 24-h GH and IGF-I levels. Seven insulin-dependent diabetics (3 males, 4 females; aged 22-34 years) with active proliferative retinopathy and 6 matched non-diabetic normal subjects were studied in random order with at least 2 weeks between treatments. Suppression of GHRH-induced GH release was demonstrated in both groups of subjects. Twenty-four hour GH secretion was not, however, suppressed in either the patient group (mean area under the GH curve mU.l-1.h-1 +/- SD; baseline: 251 +/- 108.7; after atropine: 174 +/- 106.9; after propanthelene: 180 +/- 72.4; P greater than 0.05) or in the control group (baseline: 103 +/- 53.1; after atropine: 73 +/- 83.6; after propanthelene: 122 +/- 71.6; P greater than 0.05). GH release at times of hypoglycemia was not suppressed. Mean IGF-I concentration was not significantly reduced. Two subjects (one patient and one control) could not tolerate atropine for more than one week. We conclude that repeated doses of atropine and propanthelene do not achieve complete 24-h GH suppression and are associated with a high incidence of unpleasant adverse reactions.
Kinetic studies of the epithelial cells of the rectal mucosa in normal subjects and patients with ulcerative colitis.

Relatively few reports of studies of the cytodynamics in the epithelia in the gastrointestinal tract in humans have appeared in the literature in contrast to the numerous descriptions of studies carried out in experimental animals. From the reports that are available, it is apparent that the normal results given for human subjects have mostly been obtained from studies of the gastrointestinal epithelia in patients with carcinomatosis in which a reasonable assumption was made that the observations represented normality (Cole and McKalen, 1961; Lipkin, Bell, and Sherlock, 1963; Shorter, Moertel, Titus, and Reitemeier, 1964). With this assumption in mind, Cole and McKalen (1961) found an epithelial cellular turnover time of six to eight days in the rectal mucosa in an elderly patient with a colonic carcinoma. Making the same assumption, Lipkin et al. (1963), from a study of two patients with carcinomatosis, concluded that the turnover time in the rectal epithelium was three to four days, and similar observations were made by Shorter et al. (1964). In a study of normal and abnormal human rectal mucosa, Deschner, Lewis, and Lipkin (1963), using an in vitro technique, found differences in the incorporation of tritium-labelled thymidine and the proliferation of epithelial cells between the rectal mucosa of normal subjects and that of patients with multiple polyposis. The purpose of this communication is to report the findings of a study of the kinetics of the rectal mucosae in a series of normal subjects, in patients with active chronic ulcerative colitis, and in patients
Two New Sequencing Rules for the Non-Preemptive Single Machine Scheduling Problem

In this paper, two new job sequencing rules are introduced for the non-preemptive single machine scheduling problem. Through a simulation study, these new rules are compared to First Come - First Served, Shortest Process Time, Earliest Due Date, Critical Ratio, and Shortest Slack sequencing rules. The rules are compared based on five performance criteria of average delay, average flow time, number of delayed jobs, longest delay, and average total of earliness and delay. Simulation results show that the new rules are promising and effective.
9-(1-3-Dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl)guanine prevents death but not immunity in murine cytomegalovirus-infected normal and immunosuppressed BALB/c mice

Immunosuppressed (from treatment with cortisone acetate and anti-thymocyte globulin) and control adult female BALB/c mice, latently infected with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) or lethally challenged (10(6) PFU) with MCMV intraperitoneally, were treated with 9-(1-3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl)guanine (DHPG) intraperitoneally. A dose of 3 mg/kg reduced mortality by 50% in lethally challenged normal mice; 10 mg/kg was required in immunosuppressed mice. When 15 mg/kg was given, the onset of treatment could be delayed for 64 h after lethal challenge. DHPG did not prevent the establishment of latent MCMV infection or immunosuppression-induced reactivation. The antibody titer to MCMV in DHPG-treated mice which survived lethal challenge was 41 (reciprocal of geometric mean) 4 to 5 weeks after inoculation; such mice survived a second lethal challenge. When antiserum treatment was begun 64 h and DHPG was begun 72 h after a lethal challenge, most mice survived; most did not when either treatment alone was begun at those times. In summary, DHPG effectively treated lethal MCMV infection even in immunosuppressed mice and even when treatment onset was delayed for 64 h. Treatment did not alter the establishment or reactivation of latent infections or the induction of effective immunity. The administration of DHPG coupled with antiserum treatment may be even more effective than the administration of either alone.
The Burden of Psoriasis and Barriers to Satisfactory Care: Results from a Canadian Patient Survey

Background: The physical, mental, social, and financial burdens experienced by Canadians with psoriasis are relatively unexplored. Objective: To gain an understanding of the impact of psoriasis on Canadians. Methods: An online survey, “Stand Up and Speak Out,” was provided to Psoriasis Education Program users who had given consent to be contacted. Results: Ninety-five percent of respondents had moderate to severe psoriasis, a high proportion relative to similar studies. Respondents reported medical and psychological comorbidities, with prevalence up to fourfold higher than Canadian background rates. Respondents also reported reduced income and increased unemployment, at levels that increased with psoriasis severity. Use of biologics was associated with high levels of satisfaction relative to other treatment options. However, biologic use was not uniform but was strongly correlated with insured status and annual income. Conclusion: In this severely affected population of Canadians with psoriasis, the physical, mental, social, and financial burden of disease was high.
The mode of action of Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxins.

The use of synthetic organic insecticides developed during the last half of this century may pose risks to human health and can cause environmental prob­ lems. Consequently, interest has developed in using alternative strategies for insect pest management. One contemporary approach that has received atten­ tion is the development of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins as insecticides. B. thuringiensis, a gram-positive bacteria, produces a proteinaceous paraspor­ al crystalline inclusion during sporulation. Upon ingestion by insects, this crystalline inclusion is solubilized in the midgut, releasing proteins called S-endotoxins. These proteins (protoxins) are activated by midgut proteases, and the activated toxins interact with the larval midgut epithelium causing a disruption in membrane integrity and ultimately leading to insect death. In spite of significant efforts directed towards the study of Bt, its use in pest control is restricted, in part because of the selectivity of Bt and in part because of its moderate efficacy. Attempts to improve these two qualities have met with only moderate success because inadequate effort has been devoted to understanding the molecular basis of selectivity and insecticidal properties of these toxins.
Probability of recovering pathogenic Escherichia coli from foods

The probability of recovering pathogenic Escherichia coli from food by the Bacteriological Analytical Manual method was determined by the effects of several factors: the number of strains per food, the ability of pathogenic strains to survive enrichment, and the frequency of plasmid loss during enrichment. Biochemical patterns indicated the presence of about six E. coli strains per food sample. About half of the strains isolated from humans did not survive enrichment. Among those which grew, plasmid loss, as determined by gel electrophoresis and DNA colony hybridization, ranged from 20 to 95%. The combined effects of failure to survive enrichment and plasmid loss decreased the relative numbers of these strains and reduced the chance of detecting pathogens. To counteract this tendency and obtain a 90 to 95% probability off recovering a given pathogenic strain, 40 to 50 colonies per food sample should be picked during the routine testing of foods.
Micronutrient supplemented probiotic yogurt for HIV-infected adults taking HAART in London, Canada

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus has devastating effects worldwide. The burden is less pronounced, but still present in Canada where approximately 64,000 men and women are HIV positive. The virus and the life-saving antiretroviral therapies often contribute to diarrhea and other gastrointestinal disturbances. Certain probiotic organisms, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1, have been shown to alleviate diarrhea as well as delay the decline of CD4 lymphocytes in some subjects. In addition, micronutrient formulae have been used extensively among HIV positive persons as a cost-effective method for improving quality of life and immune function. The objective of the present study was to combine probiotics and micronutrients into an affordable and highly palatable nutritional supplement and assess outcomes in 21 HIV-positive participants receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy in London, Ontario, Canada. The design was a randomized, double blind, three-period, cross-over controlled trial with three different formulations of supplemented yogurt; micronutrient and probiotic (A), micronutrient alone (B) and probiotic alone (C). The period of intake for each of the types was 30 days with a 14 day wash-out period between the intervention types. The mean increase in CD4 was greatest with B (41 cells/µL, SD 221). Supplement A showed a mean change of +19 cells/µL (SD 142) and supplement C a mean change of – 7 cells/µL (SD 154). All yogurt types caused an increase in subjective energy and ability to perform daily activity scores. According to the safety measures taken to assess the tolerance of the yogurt, there were no adverse events and the yogurt was well-tolerated. These preliminary findings suggest that micronutrient supplemented probiotic yogurt may support immune function among people living with HIV.
A marine fish diet reduces spontaneous lymphoma in outbred Swiss-Webster mice

Diets rich in marine organisms or their oils are known to suppress solid tumor development in humans and rodents, but the potential for marine foods to affect hematopoietic system cancers is not well understood. As part of a toxicology study, we fed groups of mice three different diets for 10 weeks: marine fish, 58% homogenized Atlantic smelt and herring; freshwater fish, 58% smelt and alewife from the North American Great Lakes, and commercial dry rodent chow. Between 1 and 15 weeks following dietary treatment, 20 of 103 (19.4%) mice unexpectedly developed spontaneous lymphoma. Disease incidence peaked when the mice were 7–8 months old, and was not distributed equally across treatment groups. Mice in the control (30%) and fresh water fish (27.5%) groups had significantly higher incidences of lymphoma than those fed Atlantic fish species (5%). Although our experiment was not originally designed for this purpose, our results indicate that consumption of fat-rich Atlantic smelt and herring protected mice against hematopoietic tumor development.
AN ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS OF FRESH FISH AND SEAFOOD IN THE DELMARVA REGION

The results of a consumer study concerning fresh fish and seafood consumption and attitudes in the Delmarva region are presented and discussed. Chi-square testing for independence is used to determine significance of selected demographic variables. Currently, 96.1 percent of consumers studied consume fresh fish and seafood, and per capita consumption of fresh fish and seafood has increased over the past five years. Freshness, a good appearance, flavor, and safety are factors consumers desire in fresh fish and seafood. Taste, odor, and price were the major deterrents to seafood purchases. Consumers desire greater government control and regulation of the seafood industry in the form of seafood inspection and mandatory nutritional labeling.
Beneficial Effects of Pioglitazone on Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Genetically Hypertensive Rats

Beneficial effects of thiazolidinediones, peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists, on cardiovascular injuries have been reported. However, the effects of these agonists on left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy have not been clarified. To investigate whether pioglitazone improves LV hypertrophy, we used 32-week-old stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-SP) that had been treated or not treated with pioglitazone (10 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks, and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). We evaluated LV geometry by echocardiography; myocyte hypertrophy, tissue fibrosis, and appearance of myofibroblasts by histological examination; mRNA expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR); protein expression by Western blot; activities of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) by zymography; and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by electron spin resonance spectroscopy or thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). SHR-SP showed concentric hypertrophy of the LV, but WKY did not. The myocyte diameter, fraction of tissue fibrosis, and number of myofibroblasts were greater in SHR-SP. mRNA expressions of collagen type I and type III, tissue growth factor (TGF)-β1, and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP); protein expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF); activities of MMP2 and MMP9; and ROS were increased in SHR-SP. Pioglitazone did not decrease blood pressure, but partially normalized LV geometry in addition to decreasing myocyte diameter, interstitial fibrosis and number of myofibroblasts; mRNA levels of collagen type I and BNP; MMP2 activity; and protein level of CTGF. However, the mRNA level of collagen type III and TGF-β1, MMP9 activity, and ROS production were not improved. In conclusion, pioglitazone reversed the concentric LV remodeling independently from blood pressure or oxidative stress in chronic hypertension.
DYNAMICS OF MICRONUCLEI IN MOUSE SKIN FIBROBLASTS AFTER GAMMA IRRADIATION

Micronuclei (MN) were assessed in dermal fibroblasts from C3H HeJ and C57 Bl6 mice (6–10 mo of age) irradiated in vivo as a potential method of biodosimetry. Radiation-induced MN [per 1,000 binucleated (BN) cells], assessed in fibroblasts obtained 1 d post-irradiation, increased in a dose-dependent manner in the range of 1 - 10 Gy per single dose. Analysis at 1 wk post irradiation showed some attenuation of MN response in C3H HeJ male mice, suggesting partial recovery of DNA damage. This was not observed in C57 Bl6 mice. Monomicronucleated cells predominated in unirradiated fibroblasts, whereas in irradiated fibroblasts multimicronucleated cells predominated at dose levels above about 5 Gy (more than 1,000 MN per 1,000 BN cells). Modeling of the data indicate that assaying total MN in dermal fibroblasts from samples of irradiated skin taken up to 1 wk after irradiation can provide biodosimetric information (with an accuracy of 1–2 Gy) for doses up to at least 6 Gy with lesser accuracy at higher doses. Percentage of multimicronucleated cells may be useful as a substitute of total MN at the higher doses, but total percentage of micronucleated cells is of limited value as a substitute.
Osteosarcoma of the limb. Amputation or limb salvage in patients treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

We have studied 560 patients with osteosarcoma of a limb, who had been treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy, in order to analyse the incidence of local and systemic recurrence according to the type of surgery undertaken. Of these, 465 patients had a limb-salvage procedure and 95 amputation or rotationplasty. At a median follow-up of 10.5 years there had been 225 recurrences. The five-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates were 60.7% and 68.5%, respectively, with no significant difference between patients undergoing amputation and those undergoing resection. The incidence of local recurrence was the same for patients treated by either amputation or limb salvage and correlated significantly with the margins of surgical excision and the histological response to chemotherapy. The outcome for patients with a local recurrence was significantly worse than for those who had recurrent disease with metastases only. We conclude that limb-salvage procedures are relatively safe in osteosarcoma treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. They should, however, only be performed in institutions where the margins of surgical excision and the histological response to chemotherapy can be accurately assessed. If the margins are inadequate and the histological response to chemotherapy is poor an immediate amputation should be considered.
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome in Childhood

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is a systemic inflammatory condition that affects the eye, inner ear, skin, and meninges. It is characterized by a severe bilateral granulomatous panuveitis associated with serous retinal detachment, affecting women slightly more frequently than men, typically between 20 and 50 years of age. Childhood VKH disease has been described, but is less common. The associated extraocular signs and symptoms of VKH disease can include dizziness, dysacusis, headache, and meningismus in the prodromal stage, and poliosis, vitiligo, and alopecia in the convalescent stage. These manifestations are not always present, however. The disease occurs more frequently among people with greater skin pigmentation and certain genetic predispositions; it is more commonly seen in Asians, Asian Indians, Native American, Hispanics, and those with Middle Eastern heritage. Childhood VKH disease is generally believed to be rare and the visual prognosis seems to be quite variable. We reviewed the published literature and analyzed the clinical manifestations, course, complications, and visual outcome of VKH in children.
Invited Commentary Invited Commentary: Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Inflammation—Weighing the Evidence

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are a common condition, particularly among older men. The etiology of these symptoms is often obscure and not always clearly related to prostatic enlargement or benign prostatic hyperplasia. St. Sauver et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2009;169(11):1281–1290) hypothesized that systemic inflammation may be associated with LUTS and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Using a well-defined cohort, they found that, in general, inflammation was not related to LUTS or to benign prostatic hyperplasia progression. However, men with the highest amount of systemic inflammation, as measured by C-reactive protein levels, were at increased risk of a rapid change in irritative voiding symptoms and decreased urinary flow but not obstructive voiding symptoms or prostate size. To what degree systemic inflammation relates to inflammation within the urinary system and specifically the bladder and/or prostate is unclear. Furthermore, to what degree inflammation within the urinary system contributes to LUTS is unclear. Given that clinical trials of antiinflammatory drugs for LUTS have been largely unsuccessful, the role of inflammation as a contributor to LUTS remains an interesting hypothesis that requires further study.
Microtubules show their sensitive nature.

Since their first description in plant cells four decades ago(Ledbetter and Porter 1963), cortical microtubules have beenthe subject of research that has primarily focussed on the rela-tionship between cortical microtubule orientation and cellulosemicrofibril alignment during morphogenesis. This research hasemphasized microtubules behaving as static elements, withtheir structural properties put to useful work as scaffolds andbarriers. Just how microtubules do this, however, is still a mat-ter of debate, and recent conflicting interpretations (compare,for example, Burk and Ye 2002 and Sugimoto et al. 2003) sug-gest that we are far away from understanding this phenomenon.What other functions do plant cortical microtubules have? Their intimate association with the plasma membrane, themajor platform for signal perception and transduction (Gilroyand Trewavas 2001, Wasteneys and Galway 2003), suggeststhat microtubules are targets of various signals and switches.But could the microtubules themselves play an integral role insignalling events that enable plants to adapt to environmentalchanges? Microtubules are far more complex than the hollowcylinders that can assemble in vitro from tubulin dimers.Indeed, the microtubule surface is a busy and congested place,covered with protein complexes, motor proteins and structuralmicrotubule-associated proteins, GDP/GTP, regulatory kinases,phosphatases, and ions. But in addition, we now know thatmicrotubules in plant cells are the landing platforms for somethings less predicable, like elongation factor 1 (Durso and Cyr1994) and the signal transduction enzyme phospholipase D(Gardiner et al. 2001). These discoveries suggest that corticalmicrotubules do much more than just regulate the direction ofcell expansion.Could microtubules act as repositories for signallingenzymes, with their polymer status helping to modulate plantresponses to various stresses and signals? In addition to theirrole in controlling the mechanical properties of cell walls,might cortical microtubules also act as gauges of ambient con-ditions, such as temperature, or the level of nutrients and toxicsubstances in the soil? Three articles published in this issue ofPCP from the laboratories of Tobias Baskin (University ofMissouri), Peter Nick (University of Freiburg) and Jan Marc(University of Sydney) provide glimpses into the behaviourand function of cortical microtubules. These articles suggestthat microtubules are not only downstream targets of signal-ling pathways but also potential agents of signal transduction.