Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reduced antioxidant capacity in paediatric patients with homozygous sickle cell disease.

The sickled erythrocyte has been shown to be susceptible to lipid peroxidation and a role has been suggested for antioxidants in this process. The present study was undertaken in 22 children, aged 5-18 years with homozygous sickle cell disease (SS) and 9 HbAA controls (AA) of similar age. All the SS patients were in steady state ie, not in crisis or any acute illness at the time of the study. Levels of plasma tocopherol, retinol, carotenes and ascorbic acid (antioxidant vitamins of major nutritional importance) were measured. Plasma tocopherol carotenes and retinol were measured by HPLC after extraction into heptane. Total ascorbic acid (in trichloroacetic acid extracts of plasma) was measured colorimetrically following reaction with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. Riboflavin status was measured by the glutathione reductase activation test. Levels of all the measured antioxidants except ascorbate were reduced in SS patients compared with control children but only plasma alpha-tocopherol concentration was significantly different between the patients and controls. The median tocopherol level in SS patients (11.32 mumol/l) was significantly lower (P less than 0.02 Mann-Whitney) than that in control children (18.02 mumol/l) when measured directly or when calculated from tocopherol: cholesterol ratio, 4.55 mumol/mmol in SS patients and 7.50 mumol/mmol in control children. The median concentration of total plasma carotenes of SS patients (5.67 mumol/l) was lower than that of control children (12.14 mumol/l). Similarly, plasma beta-carotene concentration of SS patients was lower than that of control children but the difference in each case was not significant. Despite this, the vitamin A status (plasma retinol concentration) of SS patients was poorer than that of control children. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Deep pyoderma caused by Burkholderia cepacia complex associated with ciclosporin administration in dogs: a case series.

BACKGROUND Bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) are ubiquitous Gram-negative bacilli associated with fatal nosocomial infections in humans; multi-antibiotic resistance makes this organism a serious threat in hospital settings. OBJECTIVE To describe the historical, clinicopathological and treatment characteristics of Bcc-associated deep skin infections in dogs. ANIMALS Six dogs with skin infections in which skin bacterial cultures resulted in pure growth of Bcc. METHODS Retrospective study with review of medical records and skin biopsies. RESULTS All dogs were receiving oral ciclosporin at the time of skin infection development. All dogs were castrated males and four of six were West Highland white terriers. Cutaneous lesions consistent with deep pyoderma were confined mainly to the trunk. In all dogs skin cytology revealed a strong inflammatory response, with moderate to abundant numbers of intracellular (neutrophils and macrophages) and extracellular bacilli. In three dogs histopathology showed a multifocal, nodular to coalescing pyogranulomatous dermatitis associated with multifocal folliculitis and furunculosis. Tissue Giemsa and Gram stains identified numerous Gram-negative rods within macrophages. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed multidrug-resistant Bcc strains with sensitivity to trimethoprim/sulfonamides in all dogs and to marbofloxacin, piperacillin and ceftazidime in three dogs. Successful treatment was achieved in all dogs using trimethoprim/sulfonamides or quinolones (marbofloxacin, ciprofloxacin) or doxycycline in conjunction with ciclosporin withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Clinicians should be aware of the rare potential for Bcc-associated deep skin infections in dogs receiving oral ciclosporin. Owners should be made conscious of the potential transmission risk to humans or other animals.
An energy supply network of nutrient absorption coordinated by calcium and T1R taste receptors in rat small intestine

T1R taste receptors are present throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Glucose absorption comprises active absorption via SGLT1 and facilitated absorption via GLUT2 in the apical membrane. Trafficking of apical GLUT2 is rapidly up‐regulated by glucose and artificial sweeteners, which act through T1R2 + T1R3/α‐gustducin to activate PLC β2 and PKC βII. We therefore investigated whether non‐sugar nutrients are regulated by taste receptors using perfused rat jejunum in vivo. Under different conditions, we observed a Ca2+‐dependent reciprocal relationship between the H+/oligopeptide transporter PepT1 and apical GLUT2, reflecting the fact that trafficking of PepT1 and GLUT2 to the apical membrane is inhibited and activated by PKC βII, respectively. Addition of l‐glutamate or sucralose to a perfusate containing low glucose (20 mm) each activated PKC βII and decreased apical PepT1 levels and absorption of the hydrolysis‐resistant dipeptide l‐Phe(ΨS)‐l‐Ala (1 mm), while increasing apical GLUT2 and glucose absorption within minutes. Switching perfusion from mannitol to glucose (75 mm) exerted similar effects. l‐Glutamate induced rapid GPCR internalization of T1R1, T1R3 and transducin, whereas sucralose internalized T1R2, T1R3 and α‐gustducin. We conclude that l‐glutamate acts via amino acid and glucose via sweet taste receptors to coordinate regulation of PepT1 and apical GLUT2 reciprocally through a common enterocytic pool of PKC βII. These data suggest the existence of a wider Ca2+ and taste receptor‐coordinated transport network incorporating other nutrients and/or other stimuli capable of activating PKC βII and additional transporters, such as the aspartate/glutamate transporter, EAAC1, whose level was doubled by l‐glutamate. The network may control energy supply.
Prognosis of six-month functioning after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies.

OBJECTIVE To systematically review which determinants, assessed within the first month after a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, predict 6-month functional outcome. METHODS Databases were searched for relevant publications between 1995 and August 2008. Selection criteria were: prospective cohort studies; determinants associated with functional outcome 6 months after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury in adult patients; determinants assessed within the first month post-injury. Two reviewers independently performed the selection and quality assessment. A best- evidence synthesis was performed for prognostic factors assessed in 2 or more studies. RESULTS Twenty-eight studies were included, 27 of which were high quality. Most studies used the Glasgow Outcome Score at 6 months post-injury as outcome measure, sometimes in combination with other outcome measures. Strong evidence for predicting outcome at 6 months was found for the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), GCS admission, motor score, midline shift on computed tomography scan, subdural haematoma and pulsatility index. Strong evidence of no association was found for gender and intraventricular haemorrhage. For other determinants, inconclusive or no evidence was found. CONCLUSION GCS, GCS on admission, motor score, midline shift, subdural haematoma and pulsatility index predicted outcome 6 months after traumatic brain injury. Gender and intraventricular haemorrhage did not have predictive value.
Efficacy and Safety of Rabeprazole in Children (1–11 Years) With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Objective: Evaluate the efficacy and safety of rabeprazole in children, 1 to 11 years old, with endoscopically/histologically proven gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Methods: Children were randomized to 0.5- or 1.0-mg/kg rabeprazole granule formulation for 12 weeks. The dose was further determined by weight: children 6 to 14.9 kg (low-weight cohort) received 5 or 10 mg and children ≥15 kg (high-weight cohort) received 10 or 20 mg. The primary endpoint was endoscopic/histologic healing at week 12 (defined as grade 0 on the Hetzel-Dent classification scale and/or grade 0 on the Histological Features of Reflux Esophagitis scale). Results: Overall, 81% (87/108) achieved endoscopic/histologic healing at week 12 with higher healing in the low-weight cohort (82% [5-mg dose], 94% [10-mg dose]) compared with high-weight cohort (76% [10-mg dose], 78% [20-mg dose]). There was a significant (P < 0.001) decrease in the mean Total GERD Symptoms and Severity score from 19.7 points (baseline) to 8.6 points (week 12), with 26% fewer children reporting GERD symptoms at week 12. The average frequency of symptoms per child decreased from 7.7 (week 1) to 4.7 (week 12). The GERD Symptom Relief score showed that 71% of children felt better, 81% were rated “good to excellent” on the Global Treatment Satisfaction scale by the investigator; 77% were rated “good to excellent” on the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale by the parent/caregiver. The most common (>10%) treatment-emergent adverse events included cough and vomiting (14% each), abdominal pain (12%), and diarrhea (11%). Conclusions: Rabeprazole was effective and safe in 1- to 11-year-old children with GERD.
The effect of six polishing systems on the surface roughness of two packable resin-based composites.

PURPOSE To evaluate the surface roughness of two packable composites after finishing and polishing with six different systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS Solitaire and Alert composite samples were prepared and polished with Poli I and Poli II aluminum oxide pastes, Ultralap diamond paste, Enhance finishing points, Politip rubber polishers, fine and extra fine diamond burs, and 30-blade tungsten carbide burs according to the manufacturers' instructions. The polished surfaces were then evaluated with a profilometer and a scanning electron microscope. RESULTS Solitaire composite resin presented the smoothest surfaces when polished with Poli I and II aluminum oxide pastes, Ultralap diamond paste, Politip finishing points and 30-blade tungsten carbide burs. The smoothest surfaces for Alert composite were evident with the 30-blade tungsten carbide burs.
The Impact of Leverage on Firm Growth. Empirical Evidence from Romanian Listed Firms

Abstract The aim of the paper is to assess the impact of leverage on firm growth in periods of economic growth and economic uncertainty. We employ a sample of Romanian listed firms over the period 2001-2011 and several alternative measures for firm growth (i.e. sales growth, assets growth, and employment growth). The results of fixed effects regression model show that the leverage has a positive effect on firm growth. Furthermore, profitability was found to positively influence the firm growth, while older firms saw a faster increase in assets and sales. Within this particular sample, firm size appears to constrain growth.
The Impact of Shortening a Long Survey on Response Rate and Response Quality

The Impact of Shortening a Long Survey on Response Rate and Response Quality Daniel Stephen Allen Educational Inquiry, Measurement, and Evaluation, BYU Doctor of Philosophy Many factors influence the response rate of a survey or questionnaire. The BYU alumni questionnaire was initially a lengthy survey with over 200 questions. After a short version of the questionnaire was created and administered, response rates appear to have increased substantially. Male respondents appear particularly more inclined to respond to the shortened version compared to the long version. The questionnaire is examined through various statistical analyses and compared between the short and long versions. Results are presented in the context of existing research on response rates and response quality.
Oligomers of Tha4 Organize at the Thylakoid Tat Translocase during Protein Transport*

The Tat (twin arginine translocation) systems of thylakoids and bacteria transport fully folded protein substrates without breaching the permeability barrier of the membrane. Two components of the thylakoid system, cpTatC and Hcf106, compose a precursor-bound receptor complex. The third component, Tha4, assembles with the precursor-bound receptor complex for the translocation step and is thought to compose at least part of the protein-conducting channel. Here, we used two different cross-linking approaches to explore the organization of Tha4 in the translocase. These cross-linking techniques showed that transition to an active protein transport state resulted in an alignment of the Tha4 amphipathic helix and C-terminal tail domains to form Tha4 oligomers. Oligomerization required functional Tha4, a twin arginine signal peptide, and an active cpTatC-Hcf106 receptor complex. The spectrum of oligomers obtained was independent of the mature folded domain of the precursor. We propose a trapdoor mechanism for translocation whereby aligned oligomers of Tha4 amphipathic helices fold into the membrane to allow formfitting passage of precursor proteins.
Ontogenetic aspects of hypertension development: analysis in the rat.

In this review, we attempt to outline the age-dependent interactions of principal systems controlling the structure and function of the cardiovascular system in immature rats developing hypertension. We focus our attention on the cardiovascular effects of various pharmacological, nutritional, and behavioral interventions applied at different stages of ontogeny. Several distinct critical periods (developmental windows), in which particular stimuli affect the further development of the cardiovascular phenotype, are specified in the rat. It is evident that short-term transient treatment of genetically hypertensive rats with certain antihypertensive drugs in prepuberty and puberty (at the age of 4-10 wk) has long-term beneficial effects on further development of their cardiovascular apparatus. This juvenile critical period coincides with the period of high susceptibility to the hypertensive effects of increased salt intake. If the hypertensive process develops after this critical period (due to early antihypertensive treatment or late administration of certain hypertensive stimuli, e.g., high salt intake), blood pressure elevation, cardiovascular hypertrophy, connective tissue accumulation, and end-organ damage are considerably attenuated compared with rats developing hypertension during the juvenile critical period. As far as the role of various electrolytes in blood pressure modulation is concerned, prohypertensive effects of dietary Na+ and antihypertensive effects of dietary Ca2+ are enhanced in immature animals, whereas vascular protective and antihypertensive effects of dietary K+ are almost independent of age. At a given level of dietary electrolyte intake, the balance between dietary carbohydrate and fat intake can modify blood pressure even in rats with established hypertension, but dietary protein intake affects the blood pressure development in immature animals only. Dietary protein restriction during gestation, as well as altered mother-offspring interactions in the suckling period, might have important long-term hypertensive consequences. The critical periods (developmental windows) should be respected in the future pharmacological or gene therapy of human hypertension.
Vectors for gene expression and amplification in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

New vector systems were developed for gene expression in Y. lipolytica. These plasmids contain: (a) as integration target sequences, either a rDNA region or the long terminal repeat zeta of the Y. lipolytica retrotransposon Ylt1; (b) the YlURA3 gene as selection marker for Y. lipolytica, either as the non‐defective ura3d1 allele for single integration or the promotor truncated ura3d4 allele for multiple integration; (c) the inducible ICL1 or XPR2 promoters for gene expression; and (d) unique restriction sites for gene insertion. Multiple plasmid integration occurred as inserted tandem‐repeats, which are present at 3–39 copies per cell. A correlation between gene copy number and the expressed enzyme activity was demonstrated with Escherichia coli lacZ as reporter gene under the control of the regulated ICL1 promoter. Increases in copy numbers from 5 to 13 for the lacZ expression cassettes resulted in an up to 10–11‐fold linear increase of the β‐galactosidase activity in multicopy transformants during their growth on ethanol or glucose, compared with the low‐copy replicative plasmid transformants (1.6 plasmid copies). These new tools will enhance the interest in Y. lipolytica as an alternative host for heterologous protein production. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Does Mindfulness Training Enhance the Professional Development of Residents? A Qualitative Study

Purpose In addition to developing diagnostic and clinical skills, postgraduate medical education should stimulate residents’ professional development. Teaching medical professionalism is challenging and is often left largely to the informal and hidden curricula. An intervention that might be beneficial for medical residents is mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). The authors implemented MBSR as an optional course for residents and qualitatively explored how it influenced residents professionally. Method Between 2014 and 2016, the authors conducted 19 in-depth, face-to-face interviews with residents who had participated in an MBSR course at Radboud university medical center, The Netherlands. Medical and surgical residents, across a range of disciplines, participated. The authors used the constant comparison method to analyze the data. Results The analysis of the data resulted in five themes: awareness of thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and behavior; increased self-reflection; acceptance and nonjudgment; increased resilience; and relating to others. Residents indicated that the MBSR training increased their awareness and self-reflection at work, and they were more accepting toward themselves and toward their limitations. Furthermore, they mentioned being more resilient and better at setting priorities and limits. They improved their self-care and work–life balance. In addition, residents indicated that the training made them more aware of how they communicated. They asked for help more often and seemed to be more open toward feedback. Lastly, they indicated an increased sense of compassion for others. Conclusions This study indicated that mindfulness training can serve as a tool to cultivate important professional competencies for residents.
The Native-Language Benefit for Talker Identification Is Robust in 7.5-Month-Old Infants

Adults recognize talkers better when the talkers speak a familiar language than when they speak an unfamiliar language. This language familiarity effect (LFE) demonstrates the inseparable nature of linguistic and indexical information in adult spoken language processing. Relatively little is known about children’s integration of linguistic and indexical information in speech. For example, to date, only one study has explored the LFE in infants. Here, we sought to better understand the maturation of speech processing abilities in infants by replicating this earlier study using a more stringent experimental design (eliminating a potential voice−language confound), a different test population (English- rather than Dutch-learning infants), and a new language pairing (English vs. Polish rather than Dutch vs. Italian or Japanese). Furthermore, we explored the language exposure conditions required for infants to develop an LFE for a formerly unfamiliar language. We hypothesized based on previous studies (including the perceptual narrowing literature) that infants might develop an LFE more readily than would adults. Although our findings replicate those of the earlier study—demonstrating that the LFE is robust in 7.5-month-olds—we found no evidence that infants need less language exposure than do adults to develop an LFE. We concluded that both infants and adults need extensive (potentially live) exposure to an unfamiliar language before talker identification in that language improves. Moreover, our study suggests that the LFE is likely rooted in early emerging phonology rather than shared lexical knowledge and that infants already closely resemble adults in their processing of linguistic and indexical information.
The effect of chronic intracortical microstimulation on the electrode–tissue interface

Objective. Somatosensation is critical for effective object manipulation, but current upper limb prostheses do not provide such feedback to the user. For individuals who require use of prosthetic limbs, this lack of feedback transforms a mundane task into one that requires extreme concentration and effort. Although vibrotactile motors and sensory substitution devices can be used to convey gross sensations, a direct neural interface is required to provide detailed and intuitive sensory feedback. The viability of intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) as a method to deliver feedback depends in part on the long-term reliability of implanted electrodes used to deliver the stimulation. The objective of the present study is to investigate the effects of chronic ICMS on the electrode–tissue interface. Approach. We stimulate the primary somatosensory cortex of three Rhesus macaques through chronically implanted electrodes for 4 h per day over a period of six months, with different electrodes subjected to different regimes of stimulation. We measure the impedance and voltage excursion as a function of time and of ICMS parameters. We also test the sensorimotor consequences of chronic ICMS by having animals grasp and manipulate small treats. Main results. We show that impedance and voltage excursion both decay with time but stabilize after 10–12 weeks. The magnitude of this decay is dependent on the amplitude of the ICMS and, to a lesser degree, the duration of individual pulse trains. Furthermore, chronic ICMS does not produce any deficits in fine motor control. Significance. The results suggest that chronic ICMS has only a minor effect on the electrode–tissue interface and may thus be a viable means to convey sensory feedback in neuroprosthetics.
The Role of Thymidine Phosphorylase and Thrombospondin-1 in Angiogenesis and Progression of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP), an important regulator of angiogenesis, is correlated with progression, metastasis, and prognosis in various types of tumor. In contrast, both positive and negative effects of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) on angiogenesis have been reported. In the present study, we examined the expression of TP and TSP-1 in carci noma cells in 67 primary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICCs) immunohistochem ically and its correlation with angiogenesis, clinicopathological features, and prognosis. Ttwenty-six (38.8%) cases were classified as exhibiting positive TP expression. TP ex pression showed a significant correlation with vascular invasion, lymphatic perme ation, perineural invasion, and lymph node metastasis. Thirty-four (50.7%) cases were classified as exhibiting positive TSP-1 expression. TSP-1 expression was significantly correlated with only lymphatic permeation. The microvessel count in positive TP ex pression cases was significantly higher than that in negative cases. In contrast, the mi crovessel count in negative TSP-1 expression cases was significantly higher than that in positive cases. Survival in patients who were positive for both TP and TSP-1 expression was significantly poor. Our results suggest that the increased TP expression and de creased TSP-1 expression contribute to angiogenesis, but that the role of angiogenesis in ICC is not closely related to tumor aggressiveness. The TP and TSP-1 expression in ICC may enhance tumor aggressiveness. Int J Surg Pathol 10(1):47-56, 2002