Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prophylaxis of bacterial infections with ciprofloxacin in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation.

Twenty-six oncology patients, 25 of whom received bone marrow transplants, were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial assessing the efficacy of ciprofloxacin, 750 mg p.o. b.i. d. , for preventing bacterial infections during prolonged neutropenia. Treatment was begun within 48 hr of initiation of chemotherapy and continued until the absolute granulocyte count recovered to greater than or equal to 500/microliters, or until the onset of fever (greater than or equal to 38.3 degrees C). Seven evaluable subjects received ciprofloxacin, and 11 received placebo. Risk factors for infection were comparable in both groups. Fever occurred in all study subjects, but onset was delayed in ciprofloxacin recipients (median = 6 days after the fall of the absolute granulocyte count to less than or equal to 500/microliters vs. 3 days for placebo recipients, P = 0.01). No clinically or microbiologically documented infections occurred in ciprofloxacin recipients vs. 10 infections in placebo recipients (5 bacteremias, 4 skin/soft tissue infections, 1 urinary tract infection, P = 0.0003). Ciprofloxacin recipients required fewer days of therapeutic antimicrobials (median: 28 antibiotic-days vs. 49, P0.02). The bioavailability of ciprofloxacin appeared comparable to that found in previously published studies of normal volunteers and patients not receiving chemotherapy. Adverse effects and colonization by ciprofloxacin-resistant microorganisms were monitored, but the sample sizes were too small to permit meaningful conclusions about these safety parameters. Ciprofloxacin appears to be effective for preventing bacterial infections in neutropenic patients. Additional trials are needed to establish the optimal dose of ciprofloxacin and to compare its safety and efficacy with those of currently used prophylactic regimens.
Impact of emerging pollutants on pulmonary inflammation in asthmatic rats: ethanol vapors and agglomerated TiO2 nanoparticles

Context: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) and ethanol vapors are air contaminants with increasing importance. The presence of a pathological pulmonary condition, such as asthma, may increase lung susceptibility to such contaminants. Objective: This study aimed to investigate if exposure to inhaled ethanol vapors or nano-TiO2 can modulate the rat pulmonary inflammatory response resulting from an allergic asthmatic reaction. Materials and methods: Brown Norway rats were sensitized (sc) and challenged (15 min inhalation, 14 days later) with chicken egg ovalbumin (OVA). Leukocytes were counted in bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) performed at 6, 24, 36, 48 and 72 h following the challenge and either after ethanol exposures (3000 ppm, 6 h/day, daily) or at 48 h (peak inflammation) for nano-TiO2 exposures (9.35 mg/m3 aerosol for 6 and 42 h after the OVA challenge). For the nano-TiO2 exposures, plasma and BAL cytokines were measured and lung histological analyzes were performed. Results: Exposure to ethanol did not significantly affect BAL leukocytes after OVA challenge. Exposure to nano-TiO2 significantly decreased BAL leukocytes compared to OVA-challenged controls. Plasma and BAL IL-4, IL-6, and INF-γ levels were also decreased in the nano-TiO2 group. Discussion: While ethanol vapors do not modify the pulmonary inflammation in rats during an asthmatic response, a surprising protective effect for agglomerated nano-TiO2 was observed. A putative mechanistic basis involving a decrease in the Th2 response caused by OVA is proposed. Conclusion: Allergic pulmonary inflammation is not up-regulated by inhalation of the pollutants ethanol and nano-TiO2. On the contrary, nano-TiO2 decreases lung inflammation in asthmatic rats.
Determination of Pre-parturition and Post-parturition Behaviors of Norduz Goats

Summary The objective of this study was to determine of pre-parturition and post-parturition behaviors of Norduz Goats. Animal subjects consisted of 18 primiparous single-birth does aged 2-3 years. During the kidding time, the goats were recorded with digital video cameras for one hour pre parturition and 24 h post-parturition in order to register parturition traits. Twelve does (67%) gave birth while being recumbent and six (33%) while standing (P h, respectively. These results clearly suggest that in Norduz goats the parturition behavior occurs within four hours after the parturition, and also Norduz goats are observed to be having a normal maternal behavior regarding with investigated behavioral characteristics
Flow cytometry confirms reticulate evolution and reveals triploidy in Central European Diphasiastrum taxa (Lycopodiaceae, Lycophyta).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Interspecific Diphasiastrum hybrids have been assumed to be homoploid and to produce well-formed spores serving sexual reproduction. If this were the case, forms intermediate between hybrids and parents or hybrid swarms should be expected. The purpose of this study was: (1) to check whether homoploidy consistently applies to the three hybrids throughout their Central European range; (2) to examine whether their genome sizes confirm their parentage as assumed by morphology; and (3) to perform a screening for detection of ploidy levels other than diploid and variation in DNA content due to backcrossing. METHODS Flow cytometry was used first to measure the relative DNA values [with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining] and ploidy level as a general screening, and secondly to determine the absolute DNA 2C values [with propidium iodide (PI) staining] in a number of selected samples with the main focus on the hybrids. KEY RESULTS A considerable variation of DNA 2C values (5·26-7·52 pg) was detected between the three European Diphasiastrum species. The values of the diploid hybrids are highly constant without significant variation between regions. They are also intermediate between their assumed parents and agree closely with those calculated from their putative parents. This confirms their hybrid origin, assumed parentage and homoploid status. Considerably higher DNA amounts (9·48-10·30 pg) were obtained for three populations, suggesting that these represent triploid hybrids, an interpretation that is strongly supported by their morphology. CONCLUSIONS Diploid hybrids have retained their genetic and morphological identites throughout their Central European range, and thus no indications for diploid backcrossing were found. The triploid hybrids have probably originated from backcrossing between a diploid gametophyte of a hybrid (derived from a diplospore) and a haploid gametophyte of a diploid parental species. By repeated crossing events, reticulate evolution patterns arise that are similar to those known for a number of ferns.
The Fc Receptor for Immunoglobulin G (FcγRII) on Human Platelets

We have long known that immune complexes acti­ vate platelets by interacting with the platelet Fc receptor for immunoglobulin G (IgG) (FcγR), and it is becoming increasingly obvious that antiplatet antibodies may exert their biologic effects in a like manner. Thus, as part of a monograph on platelet antibodies, we shall review what is known about the platelet FCγR and its potential role in antibody-mediated platelet disorders. We shall focus on the details of the 40 kDa protein referred to as FcγRII, excluding from our discussion a description of other mol­ ecules that have been suggested as candidate FcγR but for which considerably fewer data exist. Details of these other molecules were summarized in the last review of the platelet FcγR 6 years ago. Also, we exclude from our discussion the platelet low affinity Fc receptor for IgE (FcεRII, CD23) (for review, Delespesse et al).
Mutational and Structural Analysis of l-N-Carbamoylase Reveals New Insights into a Peptidase M20/M25/M40 Family Member

ABSTRACT N-Carbamoyl-l-amino acid amidohydrolases (l-carbamoylases) are important industrial enzymes used in kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures of N-carbamoyl-amino acids due to their strict enantiospecificity. In this work, we report the first l-carbamoylase structure belonging to Geobacillus stearothermophilus CECT43 (BsLcar), at a resolution of 2.7 Å. Structural analysis of BsLcar and several members of the peptidase M20/M25/M40 family confirmed the expected conserved residues at the active site in this family, and site-directed mutagenesis revealed their relevance to substrate binding. We also found an unexpectedly conserved arginine residue (Arg234 in BsLcar), proven to be critical for dimerization of the enzyme. The mutation of this sole residue resulted in a total loss of activity and prevented the formation of the dimer in BsLcar. Comparative studies revealed that the dimerization domain of the peptidase M20/M25/M40 family is a “small-molecule binding domain,” allowing further evolutionary considerations for this enzyme family.
Reversibility of ischemic brain damage.

The susceptibility of the brain to anoxia is considered to be the limiting factor for resuscitation after transient circulatory arrest, both in clinical and experimental conditions. 1,2 In the classic experiments of Weinberger et al, 3 Kabat et al, 4 Grenell, 5 Hirsch et al, 6 and others, the upper limit for full recovery was found to be three to four minutes of cardiocirculatory arrest, and eight to ten minutes of isolated cerebrovascular arrest. The high sensitivity of the central nervous tissue to ischemia has been attributed to low reserves in substrates suitable for anaerobic energy metabolism, because a close correlation was found between the depletion of energy-rich phosphates and the irreversibility of brain damage. 7 This concept, however, is difficult to reconcile with more recent demonstrations of the recovery of various neuronal functions after time intervals which by far exceed the limit of energy depletion. Examples are the return
Intratumoral delivery of mTORC2-deficient dendritic cells inhibits B16 melanoma growth by promoting CD8+ effector T cell responses

ABSTRACT Dendritic cells (DC) play a pivotal role in the induction and regulation of immune responses. In cancer, DC-based vaccines have proven to be safe and to elicit protective and therapeutic immunological responses. Recently, we showed that specific mTORC2 (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2) deficiency in DC enhances their ability to promote Th1 and Th17 responses after LPS stimulation. In the present study, bone marrow-derived mTORC2-deficient (Rictor−/−) DC were evaluated as a therapeutic modality in the murine B16 melanoma model. Consistent with their pro-inflammatory profile (enhanced IL-12p70 production and low PD-L1 expression versus control DC), intratumoral (i.t.) injection of LPS-activated Rictor−/− DC slowed B16 melanoma growth markedly in WT C57BL/6 recipient mice. This antitumor effect was abrogated when Rictor−/− DC were injected i.t. into B16-bearing Rag−/− mice, and also after selective CD8+ T cell depletion in wild-type hosts in vivo, indicating that CD8+ T cells were the principal regulators of tumor growth after Rictor−/− DC injection. I.t. administration of Rictor−/− DC also reduced the frequency of myeloid-derived suppressor cells within tumors, and enhanced numbers of IFNγ+ and granzyme-B+ cytotoxic CD8+ T cells both in the spleens and tumors of treated animals. These data suggest that selective inhibition of mTORC2 activity in activated DC augments their pro-inflammatory and T cell stimulatory profile, in association with their enhanced capacity to promote protective CD8+ T cell responses in vivo, leading to slowed B16 melanoma progression. These novel findings may contribute to the design of more effective DC-based vaccines for cancer immunotherapy.
Pain and Sleep–Wake Disturbances in Adolescents With Depressive Disorders

The aims of this study were to (a) assess and compare sleep disturbances (including daytime and nighttime sleep patterns) in adolescents with depressive disorders and healthy peers, (b) examine the prevalence of pain in adolescents with depressive disorders and healthy peers, and (c) examine pubertal development, pain intensity, and depressive symptom severity as predictors of sleep disturbance. One hundred six adolescents (46 depressed, 60 healthy), 12 to 18 years (M = 15.10 years; 67% female; 77% Caucasian) completed subjective measures of sleep, presleep arousal, fatigue, and pain. Participants also underwent 10 days of actigraphic monitoring to assess nighttime and daytime sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and wake after sleep onset. Results indicated that youth with depression exhibited greater sleep disturbances on subjective and actigraphic sleep variables than healthy controls. Depressed youth also reported more frequent and severe pain than healthy youth. Linear regression analysis indicated that pain intensity and depressive symptoms predicted worse sleep quality across groups. The interaction term was also significant, such that adolescents with high levels of depressive symptoms had poor sleep quality when pain intensity levels were high. These results indicate that sleep is important to assess in youth with depression, and that pain may be an important target for sleep intervention in this population.
Lung size and thoracic morphology in shallow‐ and deep‐diving cetaceans

Shallow‐diving, coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and deep‐diving, pelagic pygmy and dwarf sperm whales (Kogia breviceps and K. sima) will experience vastly different ambient pressures at depth, which will influence the volume of air within their lungs and potentially the degree of thoracic collapse they experience. This study tested the hypotheses that lung size will be reduced and/or thoracic mobility will be enhanced in deeper divers. Lung mass (T. truncatus, n = 106; kogiids, n = 18) and lung volume (T. truncatus, n = 5; kogiids, n = 4), relative to total body mass, were compared. One T. truncatus and one K. sima were cross‐sectioned to calculate lung, thoracic vasculature, and other organ volumes. Excised thoraxes (T. truncatus, n = 3; kogiids, n = 4) were mechanically manipulated to compare changes in thoracic cavity shape and volume. Kogiid lungs were half the mass and one‐fifth the volume of those of similarly sized T. truncatus. The lungs occupied only 15% of the total thoracic cavity volume in K. sima and 37% in T. truncatus. The kogiid and dolphin thoraxes underwent similar changes in shape and volume, although the width of the thoracic inlet was relatively constrained in kogiids. A broader phylogenetic comparison demonstrated that the ratio of lung mass to total body mass in kogiids, physeterids, and ziphiids was similar to that of terrestrial mammals, while delphinids and phocoenids possessed relatively large lungs. Thus, small lung size in deep‐diving odontocetes may be a plesiomorphic character. The relatively large lung size of delphinids and phocoenids appears to be a derived condition that may permit the lung to function as a site of respiratory gas exchange throughout a dive in these rapid breathing, short‐duration, shallow divers. J. Morphol. , 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Interprofessional learning on a stroke unit

The importance of a collaborative approach to patient care in improving safety and outcomes has been highlighted by medical regulatory organisations. The World Health Organization has advocated that future health care professionals should be ‘collaborative practice ready’, and there is a global drive to incorporate interprofessional learning into health education. Interprofessional learning promotes the development of effective teamworking skills and improves the understanding of roles in the multidisciplinary team. This article outlines the development of a practice‐based interprofessional learning initiative on a stroke unit.
Presidential popularity in a young democracy : Russia under Yeltsin and Putin

In established democracies, voters often evaluate incumbents’ performance based on economic outcomes. By contrast, in young democracies leaders are often thought to seek support by exploiting nationalism, exaggerating external threats, and manipulating the media. Such ploys are believed to work because voters are inexperienced and unsophisticated. Using time series data, I examine the determinants of presidential popularity in Russia since 1991, a period in which leaders’ ratings swung between extremes. I find that Yeltsin’s and Putin’s ratings were, in fact, closely linked to public perceptions of economic performance, which, in turn, tracked objective economic indicators. Although media manipulation, wars, terrorist attacks, and other events had some effect, Putin’s unprecedented popularity and the decline in Yeltsin’s are well explained by the contrasting economic circumstances over which each presided. In some transitional democracies, the volatility of leaders’ popularity may reflect not the capriciousness of citizens but logical responses to economic volatility.
Improving livestock for agriculture – technological progress from random transgenesis to precision genome editing heralds a new era

Humans have a long history in shaping the genetic makeup of livestock to optimize production and meet growing human demands for food and other animal products. Until recently, this has only been possible through traditional breeding and selection, which is a painstakingly slow process of accumulating incremental gains over a long period. The development of transgenic livestock technology offers a more direct approach with the possibility for making genetic improvements with greater impact and within a single generation. However, initially the technology was hampered by technical difficulties and limitations, which have now largely been overcome by progressive improvements over the past 30 years. Particularly, the advent of genome editing in combination with homologous recombination has added a new level of efficiency and precision that holds much promise for the genetic improvement of livestock using the increasing knowledge of the phenotypic impact of genetic sequence variants. So far not a single line of transgenic livestock has gained approval for commercialization. The step change to genome‐edited livestock with precise sequence changes may accelerate the path to market, provided applications of this new technology for agriculture can deliver, in addition to economic incentives for producers, also compelling benefits for animals, consumers, and the environment.
Associations between work-related factors and specific disorders of the shoulder--a systematic review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to provide a quantitative assessment of the exposure-response relationships between work-related physical and psychosocial factors and the occurrence of specific shoulder disorders in occupational populations. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was conducted on the associations between type of work, physical load factors, and psychosocial aspects at work, on the one hand, and the occurrence of tendinitis of the biceps tendon, rotator cuff tears, subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS), and suprascapular nerve compression, on the other hand. Associations between work factors and shoulder disorders were expressed in quantitative measures as odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR). RESULTS The occurrence of SIS was associated with force requirements >10% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), lifting >20 kg >10 times/day, and high-level of hand force >1 hour/day (OR 2.8-4.2). Repetitive movements of the shoulder, repetitive motion of the hand/wrist >2 hours/day, hand-arm vibration, and working with hand above shoulder level showed an association with SIS (OR 1.04-4.7) as did upper-arm flexion > or =45 degrees > or =15% of time (OR 2.43) and duty cycle of forceful exertions > or =9% time or duty cycle of forceful pinch >0% of time (OR 2.66). High psychosocial job demand was also associated with SIS (OR 1.5-3.19). Jobs in the fish processing industry had the highest risk for both tendinitis of the biceps tendon as well as SIS (OR 2.28 and 3.38, respectively). Work in a slaughterhouse and as a betel pepper leaf culler were associated with the occurrence of SIS only (OR 5.27 and 4.68, respectively). None of the included articles described the association between job title/risk factors and the occurrence of rotator cuff tears or suprascapular nerve compression. CONCLUSIONS Highly repetitive work, forceful exertion in work, awkward postures, and high psychosocial job demand are associated with the occurrence of SIS.
Factors Affecting Serum Albumin Level in Uremic Patients Receiving Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

Objective: To examine the factors affecting serum albumin level in uremic patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Methods: One hundred and twenty-five patients with end-stage renal disease on CAPD in our center were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Patients receiving GAPD for less than 12 months (n=36) or receiving con current intermittent hemodialysis (n=6) were excluded. The remaining 83 patients were included in the analysis and stratified according to serum albumin level, as either normal (serum albumin≥3.6 gmldl) group or hypoalbuminemia (＜3.6 gmldl) group. Latest data of nutrition parameter, dialysis adequacy and peritoneal transport function were collected from medical charts. Presence of peripheral edema, pulmonary edema or congestive heart failure (CHF) was considered as extracellular water (ECW) excess. Concurrent serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP) was recorded. Episodes of peritonitis, exit-site infection, systemic infection and hospitalization due to various causes within one year were also collected. Results: Demographic data showed that patients with hypoalbuminemia were associated with longer duration of dialysis and higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM). Clinical characteristic analysis showed that serum albumin level just prior to initiation of CAPD, hematocrit, and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were positively correlated with the current serum albumin level. Age, duration of dialysis, presence of diabetes mellitus, exit-site infection, systemic infection, ECW excess, cardiothoracic ratio, and all-cause hospitalization were negatively correlated with sermon albumin level. Kt/V of urea, 4-hour dialysate-to-plasmna (D/P) creatinine ratio, and seruni CRP were not significantly correlated with serum albumin level. In multiple regression analysis, age, hematocrit, TIBC, systemic infection and ECW excess were independently associated with hypoalbuminemia. Conclusion: The causes of hypoalbutninemia in patients undergoing CAPD are multifactorial. Age, hematocrit, TIBC, systemic infection and ECW excess are independent factors that affect serum albumin level.
Closed Unstable Fractures of the Tibia

Unstable closed tibial fractures are those with major soft tissue damage, complete displacement, significant comminution, direct force mechanism, or articular surface involvement. Although the “average” tibial fracture is effectively managed without surgery, patients with such injuries frequently have prolonged convalescence and unsatisfactory anatomic and functional results. This review of recent literature reveals that in appropriately chosen patients, surgical fixation of unstable closed tibial fractures produces faster recovery and less residual disability or deformity. This is especially true when intramedullary nailing is indicated, as in transverse, short oblique, or segmental fractures. Plate and screw fixation is preferable for metaphyseal fractures. External fixation may be safest when soft tissue crushing is extensive, especially if fasciotomy is required.