Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resistance to Atracurium‐Induced Neuromuscular Blockade in Patients With Intractable Seizure Disorders Treated With Anticonvulsants

Previous studies have demonstrated that, with the exception of atracurium, resistance to the neuromuscular blocking effects of various muscle relaxants develops in patients receiving anticonvulsant therapy. We studied the effects of 0.5 mg/kg IV atracurium in 53 neurosurgical patients: 21 nonepileptic patients receiving no anticonvulsant therapy (MED = 0); 14 epileptic patients treated with carbamaze-pinefor years (MED = 1); and 18 epileptic patients treated with carbamazepine plus either phenytoin or valproic acid for years (MED = 2). The evoked compound electromyo-gram of the adductor pollicis brevis was recorded, and results were analyzed using analysis of covariance, with weight and age as covariables. The onset time was not significantly different among the three groups. Times for recovery of baseline and train-of-four responses to stimuli were significantly shorter in the MED = 1 and MED = 2 groups than in control patients (MED = 0). The recovery index (time between 25% and 75% recovery of baseline electromyogram values) was progressively shorter in the three groups (MED = 0: 8.02 min; MED = 2: 5.93 min; MED = 2:1.96 min; P < 0.001). This study demonstrates that atracurium, when used on epileptic patients requiring long-term (that is, years of) anticonvulsant therapy, has a shorter duration of action than when used in nonepileptic patients.
Relationships with serum parathyroid hormone in old institutionalized subjects

OBJECTIVE and BACKGROUND Old people in residential care are at the highest risk of any group for hip fracture. This may relate to their high prevalence of hyperparathyroidism. There are few data, however, on relationships with serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) in these individuals. This study therefore examined complex associations with serum PTH in nursing home and hostel residents.
Evaluation of gadopentetate dimeglumine magnetic resonance cisternography in an animal model: preliminary report.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES To evaluate magnetic resonance (MR) imaging characteristics of the cisternal administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine (gadolinium) in a small experimental animal. METHODS Four female New Zealand White rabbits were used for this experiment. Each rabbit received a single dose of intrathecal gadolinium (doses ranged from 75-100 micromol) via a cisternal puncture. Immediate and delayed sagittal and axial T1-weighted images of the brain and cervical spinal cord were acquired on a 2 Tesla CSI magnet. RESULTS All the rabbits tolerated the experiment well, without significant alterations in behavior or seizure activity. During the early phase of imaging, subarachnoid space enhancement was observed over the surface of the brain parenchyma and spinal cord on T1-weighted images. Gradual diffusion of the gadolinium into the cranial parenchyma was seen on the delayed MR studies (45 minutes-6 hours), as revealed by progressive generalized enhancement of the brain. Sustained enhancement of gray matter of the spinal cord was observed. CONCLUSION This study illustrates that there is no barrier between the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the brain-spinal cord with regard to gadolinium. Possible practical applications for gadolinium-enhanced MR myelography or cisternography include the assessment of communication or obstruction of CSF pathways, subarachnoid space CSF flow pattern analysis, spontaneous or acquired CSF fistula evaluation, evaluation of the intercommunication of central nervous system cystic structures bordering on CSF pathways, and the study of the dynamics of gadolinium diffusion in the central nervous system parenchyma.
Anti‐Factor H Autoantibodies in a Fifth Renal Transplant Recipient with Atypical Hemolytic and Uremic Syndrome

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) associated with anti‐Factor H (anti‐FH) autoantibodies is a recently described pathophysiological entity. Monitoring of anti‐FH IgG titer may be a sensitive marker of disease activity and guide treatment to eliminate circulating anti‐FH antibodies. We report here a case of atypical HUS (aHUS) in which anti‐FH autoantibodies were detected during the course of a fifth kidney transplant, 30 years after the first flare of aHUS. This exceptional case suggests that early, specific management based on immunosuppressive therapy and plasma exchanges monitored by anti‐FH IgG titer may result in long‐term graft survival.
Development and validation of a competitive immunoassay for urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid and its application in benzene biological monitoring

An immunoassay that quantifies urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid (PMA), a benzene-specific biomarker, has been developed and its potential usefulness as a screening tool for monitoring occupational exposure to benzene has been demonstrated. Analytical reliability has been confirmed by correlation of results with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) data (R = 0.92). The assay has been configured as a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to facilitate rapid throughput of samples. The ELISA has a working range of 40-1200 nmol l-1 urinary PMA and appears to be unaffected by the presence of structurally related urinary metabolites. Background levels of 0-1. 9μmol PMA/mol creatinine (mean 0.9 μmol mol-1, n = 32) were measured in non-smoking control subjects. Recent exposures to benzene (8 h time-weighted averages-TWA), during diverse industrial processes, over the range 0-4.8ppm were identified by application of the assay in biological monitoring programmes.
Formative Evaluation for a Healthy Corner Store Initiative in Pitt County, North Carolina: Engaging Stakeholders for a Healthy Corner Store Initiative, Part 2

Introduction We examined the feasibility of increasing access to healthful food in corner stores to inform a Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) initiative by engaging stakeholders (corner store owners and customers) in a formative evaluation. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with corner store owners and managers (n = 11). Customer intercept surveys (n = 179) were also conducted with customers of 9 stores. Corner stores were located in rural food deserts (municipalities without a chain supermarket) and in low-income, urban municipalities in eastern North Carolina. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and double-coded. Qualitative themes related to feasibility of increasing access to healthful foods were extracted. Shopping patterns of rural and urban customers were compared by using t tests. Results Corner store owners were willing to stock more healthful foods, but they perceived that customer demand for these foods was low. Rural customers reported more frequently shopping at corner stores than urban customers and more frequently stated that the reason they do not eat more fruits and vegetables is that the stores in which they shop do not sell them. Most customers reported they would be very or somewhat likely to purchase fresh produce at a corner store. Conclusion Corner stores may be an important source of food for rural and low-income residents and thus a good place in which to intervene. The results of this formative evaluation were used to plan and evaluate a CPPW healthy corner store initiative.
Daily dose of clindamycin versus standard divided doses in obstetrical and gynecological infections: a retrospective cohort study

To compare the rates of cure of septic abortion and pelvic inflammatory disease using a daily dose of clindamycin with gentamicin versus divided doses, we conducted a retrospective cohort study, where the electronic records of 661 patients who used clindamycin 1 × , 3 × or 4 ×/day (groups 1, 3 and 4, respectively) between September 2002 and August 2010 were analysed. Major outcomes included rates of cure and failure according to the clinical records. Secondary endpoints were percentage of adverse effects related to medication regimen and the prevalence of positive VDRL and HIV. Similar conditions were observed in all groups − septic abortion: 167/116/123; pelvic inflammatory disease: 73/95/87 (groups 1, 3 and 4, respectively). No significant difference was found among groups for age or for rate of cure. Rates of cure (cure/total [rate (95%CI)]) in groups 1, 3 and 4 were 236/240 [0.983 (0.957−0.993)], 205/211 [0.971 (0.939−0.986)], 203/210 [0.966 (0.932−0.983)], respectively. Days of use of clindamycin was significantly reduced in group 1, compared to groups 3 and 4 (2.6 ± 1.3 vs. 3.5 ± 2.5 vs. 3.3 ± 1.9−mean ± SD; p < 0.0001 – ANOVA), but this may be due to differences in how length of therapy was measured and not the effect on clinical cure.
Effect of 12 Weeks of Yoga Therapy on Quality of Life and Indian Diabetes Risk Score in Normotensive Indian Young Adult Prediabetics and Diabetics: Randomized Control Trial.

Introduction India has become the epicentre for diabetes, a stress-related disorder affecting the working skills and day-to-day lifestyle management of younger population. Most of the studies have reported the effect of yoga on improving Quality of Life (QoL) in diabetic patients with other comorbidities. Till date, no randomized control trial reports are available to show the effect of yoga therapy on QoL and Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS) in normotensive prediabetic and diabetic young individuals. Aim To determine the effect of 12 weeks of yoga therapy on QoL and IDRS among normotensive prediabetic and diabetic young Indian adults. Materials and Methods A randomized control trial was conducted in Endocrinology Outpatient Department (OPD). Normotensive participants (n=310) aged 18-45 years were divided into healthy controls (n=62), prediabetics (n=124) and diabetics (n=124). Study group subjects were randomly assigned to Group II (n=62, prediabetes-standard treatment), Group III (n=62, prediabetes-standard treatment + yoga therapy), Group IV (n=62, diabetes-standard treatment) and Group V (n=62, diabetes-standard treatment + yoga therapy). Flanagan QoL scale, IDRS questionnaire, Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) and insulin were assessed pre and post 12 weeks of intervention. Statistical analysis was done using Student's paired t-test and one-way ANOVA. Results Pre-post intervention analysis showed significant improvement in QoL scale with p<0.01 in Group II and Group IV; p<0.001 in Group III and Group V respectively. There was significant reduction in IDRS in Group II (p<0.05); p<0.001 in Group III, Group IV and Group V respectively. Significant difference (p<0.001) in QoL scale and IDRS were found when study groups with standard treatment along with yoga therapy were compared to standard treatment alone. Conclusion Yoga therapy along with standard treatment for 12 weeks improved QoL and attenuated the diabetes risk among Indian prediabetics and diabetics compared to standard treatment alone.
The Comparative Effects of Equimolar Sevoflurane and Isoflurane in Isolated Hearts

The aim of this study was to compare the direct effects of equivalent molar concentrations of sevoflurane (SEVO) and isoflurane (ISO) on electrophysiology, mechanical function, metabolism, and perfusion in isolated hearts, independent of neuronal, humoral, or hemodynamic influences.Three equimolar concentrations of SEVO or ISO were administered randomly in each of 14 guinea pig hearts perfused by the Langendorff technique. Spontaneous heart rate (HR), atrioventricular (AV) conduction time, left ventricular pressure (LVP), and coronary flow (CF) were measured directly. To differentiate a direct vasodilatory effect from an indirect metabolic effect due to autoregulation of CF, arterial and coronary sinus oxygen tension were measured continuously to calculate oxygen delivery (DO2), myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2), percent O (2) extraction, and cardiac efficiency. Linear slope analysis (cardiac effect as a function of 0.1 mM anesthetic concentration) was used to compare anesthetic effects. Only AV time was increased more (P < 0.05) by ISO (+1.8 ms per 0.1 mM) than by SEVO (+1.1 ms per 0.1 mM). CF tended to be higher with ISO (+0.7 mL centered dot g-1 centered dot min-1 per 0.1 mM) than SEVO (0.4 mL centered dot g-1 centered dot min-1 per 0.1 mM) but this was not significant. HR (ISO, -1.4% per 0.1 mM; SEVO, -1.7% per 0.1 mM), LVP (ISO, -5.8% per 0.1 mM; SEVO, -5.1% per 0.1 mM), and percent O2 extraction (ISO, -6.1% per 0.1 mM; SEVO, -5.8% per 0.1 mM) were decreased similarly by both anesthetics and these effects were accompanied by proportional decreases in MVO2 (ISO, -34% +/- 4%, SEVO, -37% +/- 6%) at the highest concentrations (0.53 mM). Neither anesthetic altered cardiac efficiency. SEVO and ISO produce equivalent negative inotropic, chronotropic, metabolic, and vasodilatory effects in a concentration-dependent manner in isolated hearts. Only AV conduction is delayed more by ISO than by SEVO. (Anesth Analg 1995;81:1026-32)
Fall risk factors in elderly patients with cognitive impairment on rehabilitation wards

Background: Confusion and cognitive impairment, are risk factors for falls in hospital. Evidence for reducing falls in cognitively‐impaired patients is limited and to date no intervention has consistently been shown to reduce falls in this group of patients. We explored characteristics associated with falls in cognitively‐impaired patients in a rehabilitation setting.
Evaluation of phenolic profiles and antioxidant capacity of maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) berries and their relationships to drying methods.

BACKGROUND Five drying methods (freeze, convective, sun, infrared, and vacuum drying) were applied to maqui berries to establish their effect on phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. Total phenolic, total flavonoid, and total anthocyanin contents were measured by spectrophotometry, anthocyanin and phenolic profiles were analyzed by chromatography, and the antioxidant capacity was determined. This study is probably the first to demonstrate the variation and stability of bioactive compounds from maqui berries after applying different drying methods. RESULTS The highest content of phenolic and antioxidant compounds was obtained by using the freeze-drying method compared with fresh samples (P < 0.05). Eight anthocyanins were identified in all dehydrated maqui samples. Compared with fresh maqui, freeze-dried samples retained 73% and 64% of delphinidin and cyanidin derivatives respectively. Sun- and vacuum-dried samples conserved some phenolic acids. Vacuum-dried maqui retained a higher amount of free flavonols. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that the application of any drying method results in a final product with good levels of phenolic compounds. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
Family Cohesion and Its Relationship to Psychological Distress Among Latino Groups

This article presents analyses of a representative sample of U.S. Latinos (N = 2,540) to investigate whether family cohesion moderates the effects of cultural conflict on psychological distress. The results for the aggregated Latino group suggest a significant association between family cohesion and lower psychological distress, and the combination of strong family cohesion with presence of family cultural conflict is associated with higher psychological distress. However, this association differs by Latino groups. In this study, no association for Puerto Ricans is seen; Cuban results are similar to the aggregate group, family cultural conflict in Mexicans is associated with higher psychological distress whereas family cohesion in other Latinos is associated with higher psychological distress. Implications of these findings are discussed to unravel the differences in family dynamics across Latino subethnic groups.
Developmental Consequences of Prenatal Exposure to Methadone a

This paper has presented evidence of growth and behavioral effects related to prenatal methadone exposure. The data suggest that methadone may have a small direct teratological effect reflected in reduced head circumference, poorer motor coordination, increased body tension, and delayed acquisition of motor milestones in methadone-exposed toddlers. In the sample as a whole, there are no direct effects of methadone exposure on mental development. However, methadone-exposed infants reared in extremely poor environmental circumstances show very delayed mental development. They function more poorly than nonexposed infants reared in such environments and more poorly than methadone-exposed infants reared in more adequate (although still economically poor) environments. This finding is important because it suggests that in the cognitive domain, methadone may not cause a behavioral deficit, but instead create a vulnerability in these children that then makes them more susceptible to impoverished environments. The results from this study indicate that a large subgroup of methadone-exposed children are clearly at risk for poor early intellectual development and that the source of the risk is to a large degree related to environmental factors. These findings suggest that preventive interventions--focused both on enriching the early experiences of such children (e.g., high-quality infant day care) and improving the quality of caregiving provided in the homes--might be particularly effective.
Dental and Oral Lesions in HIV-Positive Individuals in East Bohemia--Czech Republic, Single Centre Experience.

BACKGROUND Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be a serious health issue and one of the world most devastating epidemics. An estimated 1.5 million people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2013, and an estimated 37 million people with AIDS have died worldwide since the epidemic has begun. HIV infection is known for its oral manifestations which causes discomfort and pain for infected individuals. The objective of this study was to document oral conditions of HIV positive patients and the pattern and frequency of oral and dental lesions. METHODS All patients with confirmed HIV infection who were treated at the Department of Dentistry, University Hospital in Hradec Králové, were examined. RESULTS During the study period, 29 HIV positive patients were examined and treated--19 men, 10 women, with mean age of 32.9 years (range 22-58 years). 72.41% patients received ART. In total, all patients underwent 186 visits. The most frequent treatments were associated with teeth and periodontal lesions (71.80%), oral mucosal lesions were diagnosed and treated only in 3.96% cases. CONCLUSION Since the introduction of ART, the frequency of oral mucosal lesions is minimal in patients with HIV infection.
Plasma growth arrest-specific 6 levels in term and preterm newborns

Abstract Objective: Growth Arrest-Specific 6 (GAS6) is a vitamin K-dependent protein. Despite a similar structure to Protein S, it has no anticoagulant activity. An association between GAS6 and some diseases for adults has been reported. In the absence of prospective clinical studies of GAS6 in neonates, so far, the objective of this study is to obtain, for the first time, plasma GAS6 levels before and after vitamin K1 prophylaxis in full-term and pre-term newborns. Methods: 80 newborns (40 term and 40 preterm) were recruited for this study. Cord blood samples and peripheral blood samples 48 h after vitamin K1 injection were collected into EDTA-tubes. GAS6 levels were measured in platelet-poor plasma by ELISA. Results: Cord blood plasma GAS6 levels in preterm and term newborns were 9.07 ± 5.30 ng/mL and 9.75 ± 4.34 ng/mL, respectively. In response to vitamin K1 injection, GAS6 levels increased in preterm newborns (10.50 ± 5.28 ng/mL) (p < .05), but not in term newborns (9.12 ± 3.42 ng/mL, p > .05). Conclusion: This pilot study provided, to the best of our knowledge, the first report that GAS6 levels increased significantly after vitamin K1 prophylaxis in preterm newborns but not in term infants. This study may serve as a first step toward more extensive studies in neonates.
Cell wall integrity is linked to mitochondria and phospholipid homeostasis in Candida albicans through the activity of the post‐transcriptional regulator Ccr4‐Pop2

The cell wall is essential for viability of fungi and is an effective drug target in pathogens such as Candida albicans. The contribution of post‐transcriptional gene regulators to cell wall integrity in C. albicans is unknown. We show that the C. albicans Ccr4‐Pop2 mRNA deadenylase, a regulator of mRNA stability and translation, is required for cell wall integrity. The ccr4/pop2 mutants display reduced wall β‐glucans and sensitivity to the echinocandin caspofungin. Moreover, the deadenylase mutants are compromised for filamentation and virulence. We demonstrate that defective cell walls in the ccr4/pop2 mutants are linked to dysfunctional mitochondria and phospholipid imbalance. To further understand mitochondrial function in cell wall integrity, we screened a Saccharomyces cerevisiae collection of mitochondrial mutants. We identify several mitochondrial proteins required for caspofungin tolerance and find a connection between mitochondrial phospholipid homeostasis and caspofungin sensitivity. We focus on the mitochondrial outer membrane SAM complex subunit Sam37, demonstrating that it is required for both trafficking of phospholipids between the ER and mitochondria and cell wall integrity. Moreover, in C. albicans also Sam37 is essential for caspofungin tolerance. Our study provides the basis for an integrative view of mitochondrial function in fungal cell wall biogenesis and resistance to echinocandin antifungal drugs.
RADSex: a computational workflow to study sex determination using Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing data

The study of sex determination and sex chromosome organisation in non-model species has long been technically challenging, but new sequencing methodologies are now enabling precise and high-throughput identification of sex-specific genomic sequences. In particular, Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing (RAD-Seq) is being extensively applied to explore sex determination systems in many plant and animal species. However, software designed to specifically search for sex-biased markers using RAD-Seq data is lacking. Here, we present RADSex, a computational analysis workflow designed to study the genetic basis of sex determination using RAD-Seq data. RADSex is simple to use, requires few computational resources, makes no prior assumptions about type of sex-determination system or structure of the sex locus, and offers convenient visualization through a dedicated R package. To demonstrate the functionality of RADSex, we re-analyzed a published dataset of Japanese medaka, Oryzias latipes, where we uncovered a previously unknown Y chromosome polymorphism. We then used RADSex to analyze new RAD-Seq datasets from 15 fish species spanning multiple systematic orders. We identified the sex determination system and sex-specific markers in six of these species, five of which had no known sex-markers prior to this study. We show that RADSex greatly facilitates the study of sex determination systems in non-model species and outperforms the commonly used RAD-Seq analysis software STACKS. RADSex in speed, resource usage, ease of application, and visualization options. Furthermore, our analysis of new datasets from 15 species provides new insights on sex determination in fish.