Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modulation of HMGB1 translocation and RAGE/NFκB cascade by quercetin treatment mitigates atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga transgenic mice

Quercetin, glycosylated form of flavonoid compound, has potent antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. In this study, we have investigated the effects of quercetin on skin lesion, high‐mobility group box (HMGB)1 cascade signalling and inflammation in atopic dermatitis (AD) mouse model. AD‐like lesion was induced by the application of house dust mite extract to the dorsal skin of NC/Nga transgenic mouse. After AD induction, quercetin (50 mg/kg, p.o) was administered daily for 2 weeks. We evaluated dermatitis severity, histopathological changes and changes in protein expression by Western blotting for HMGB1, receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), toll‐like receptor (TLR)4, nuclear factor (NF)κB, nuclear factor erythroid‐2‐related factor (Nrf)2, kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein (Keap)1, extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, cyclooxygenase (COX)2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α, interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐2Rα and other inflammatory markers in the skin of AD mice. In addition, serum levels of T helper (Th) cytokines (interferon (IFN)γ, IL‐4) were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Quercetin treatment attenuated the development of AD‐like skin lesions. Histological analysis showed that quercetin inhibited hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, acanthosis, mast cells and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Furthermore, quercetin treatment downregulated cytoplasmic HMGB1, RAGE, nuclear p‐NFκB, p‐ERK1/2, COX2, TNFα, IL‐1β, IL‐2Rα, IFNγ and IL‐4 and upregulated nuclear Nrf2. Our data demonstrated that the HMGB1/RAGE/NFκB signalling might play an important role in skin inflammation, and quercetin treatment could be a promising agent for AD by modulating the HMGB1/RAGE/NFκB signalling and induction of Nrf2 protein.
Frequency and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Uro-Pathogens Isolated from Community and Hospital-Acquired Infections in Saudi Arabia – A Prospective Case Study

Objective: Urinary tract infection (UTI) remains a worldwide therapeutic problem, not only as a nosocomial disease but also as a community-acquired infection. Antibiotic resistance of urinary tract pathogens has increased worldwide. Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recently recommended that each hospital should determine the locally establish mechanisms to resistance rates among uropathogens. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of the bacterial agents that cause urinary tract infection both in outpatients as well as in hospitalized patients and to assess the antimicrobial sensitivity pattern against various types of antimicrobial agents used for treating urinary tract infections. Materials and Methods: We carried out a prospective study of urine culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing from symptomatic outpatients and inpatients. Results: A total 150 cases were positive for significant bacteria, out of which 83 (55.4%) were from out patients and 67 (44.6%) were from hospitalized patients. The majority of the bacteria were isolated from female (78.7%) while the remaining was from male (21.3%). In the present study Escherichia coli was the predominant pathogen for UTI in both the groups. Klebsiella sps was the second common organism in hospital acquired infection followed by Pseudomonas. sps. Analysis of the frequency of bacterial isolates according to the age of the patients revealed that Escherichia coli and Klebsiella infections were more prevalent in the age groups (>20-49 years) and Pseudomonas infections were more prevalent in children and the elderly ( 50 years, respectively) and Salmonella typhi were isolated from elderly (>60 years age) patient from community–acquired infection. The mean susceptibility was high for Imipenem (98.8%), Amikacin (53.2%), Gentamicin (52.3%) and Ciprofloxacin (50.5%) but low for Ampicillin (34.2%), Norfloxacin (40.4%), Nitrofurantoin (44.5%), and Cotrimoxazole (46.7%). High prevalence of Multi-drug resistance (MDR) isolates were recovered (53%) which showed 3 or more antibiotics resistance. Conclusion: Current knowledge of the antibiotic resistance patterns of uro-pathogens in specific geographical locations is an important factor for choosing an appropriate empirical antimicrobial treatment rather than on universal guidelines.
Relationship between Perception of Oral Health, Clinical Conditions and Socio-Behavioral Factors of Mother-Child

Objective: To verify a mother's perception about her and her child`s oral health as well as to analyze its association with socio-behavioral factors. Material and Methods: The study was conducted with 73 pairs of mother and child, through interviews, using a semi-structured questionnaire and clinical exam. The clinical variables studied were: caries prevalence and gingival diseases and nonclinical variables: socio-behavioral factors, perception and habits. Bivariate analyzes, logistic regression and odds ratio (p ≤ 0.05 and 95% CI) were employed. Results: Most mothers considered their oral health as poor (57.5%) and their children as good (68.5%). In the multivariate analysis, measures of self-perception of oral health were significantly associated with the presence of caries in the mother (p <0.01), and oral health perception of the child was related to the presence of caries (p <0.01) and marital status (0.05). Conclusion: The clinical and behavioral factors were associated with the measures of perceived oral health.
CD1d knockout mice exhibit aggravated contact hypersensitivity responses due to reduced interleukin‐10 production predominantly by regulatory B cells

Conflicting observations have been reported concerning the role of CD1d‐dependent natural killer T (NKT) cells in contact hypersensitivity (CHS), supporting either a disease‐promoting or downregulatory function. We studied the role of NKT cells in CHS by comparing the immune response in CD1d knockout (CD1d KO) and wild‐type (Wt) mice after contact allergen exposure. For induction of CHS, C57BL/6 CD1d KO mice (n = 6) and C57BL/6 Wt mice (n = 6) were sensitised with 1% (w/v) dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) or vehicle for three consecutive days and subsequently challenged with a single dose of 0.5% DNCB (w/v) on the ears fifteen days later. We demonstrate that CD1d KO mice, as compared with Wt littermates, have more pronounced infiltration of mononuclear cells in the skin (29.1% increase; P < 0.001), lower frequencies of interleukin‐10+ B cells (Bregs) in the spleen (53.2% decrease; P < 0.05) and peritoneal cavity (80.8% decrease; P < 0.05) and increased production of interferon‐γ (3‐fold; P < 0.05) after DNCB sensitisation and challenge, which suggests an important regulatory and protective role of CD1d‐dependent NKT cells in CHS in our model, at least in part via regulation of IL‐10 producing Bregs.
Strategies for reducing nonresponse in a longitudinal panel survey

Conducting a longitudinal panel survey presents a number of specific problems which have a direct bearing upon data quality. For longitudinal studies such as cohort or panel surveys, minimising nonresponse to counter the potentially damaging effects of attrition and to maintain a viable sample is essential (Kazprzyk, Duncan, Kalton, Singh 1989). Survey nonresponse has long been recognised as a complex and multi-faceted phenomenon (see for example Sudman and Bradburn 1977). While longitudinal panels share many of the difficulties faced by cross-sectional surveys in gaining a high response rate, the very nature of the panel design imposes additional complexities in terms of response rate requirements. Panels face two main problems specific to their design which can result in attrition over time. The first major source of loss from a panel survey is due to the geographical mobility of sample members. If respondents move and, despite all efforts, cannot be traced, they are effectively lost from the survey. Moreover, the respondents who are most likely to be geographically mobile tend to differ from those who maintain a stable home address. So the problem of differential attrition arises where a particular category of respondent can become under-represented within the sample. The second, This article provides an evaluation of some of the fieldwork procedures and survey systems used on the British Household Panel Study (BHPS). The BHPS procedures for dealing with nonresponse through panel maintenance systems, tracking procedures, and refusal conversion during fieldwork are described. The analysis uses data from the first four waves of BHPS from 1991 to 1994, to examine longitudinal patterns of response and reasons for refusal. The reasons for refusal or for becoming a non-contact over the life of the panel are discussed. The process of refusal conversion is described together with conversion outcomes. Finally the effect of interviewer continuity on maintaining the co-operation of sample members is examined. The article argues that in the context of a longitudinal panel survey, having a relatively complex set of procedures in place is critically important to minimise nonresponse and maintain high response rates over time.
Axillary Nodal Management Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Review

Importance The increasing use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for operable breast cancer has raised questions about optimal local therapy for the axilla. Observations Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after NAC in patients presenting with clinically negative nodes has an accuracy similar to upfront SLNB and reduces the need for axillary lymph node dissection compared with SLNB prior to NAC. In patients presenting with node-positive disease, clinical trials demonstrate that SLNB after NAC is accurate when 3 or more sentinel nodes are obtained, but long-term outcomes are lacking. The relative importance of pre- and post-NAC stage in predicting risk of locoregional recurrence remains an area of controversy. Conclusions and Relevance Neoadjuvant chemotherapy reduces the need for axillary lymph node dissection, and SLNB is an accurate method of determining nodal status after NAC.
Clinical significance of BRAF mutation status in circulating tumor DNA of metastatic melanoma patients at baseline

Circulating tumor DNA is a promising non‐invasive tool for cancer monitoring. The main objective of our work was to investigate the relationship between mutant BRAF DNA in plasma and clinical response. Thirty‐eight stage IV patients with a V600 mutated BRAF melanoma were included prior to any treatment. DNA was extracted from plasma and mutant DNA was detected using the amplification‐refractory mutation system method. Before the beginning of any treatment, the corresponding BRAF mutation was detected in 29 of the 38 tested plasma samples (76.3% positive per cent agreement). We observed a strong correlation between the presence of circulating mutated DNA and overall survival (OS; P=.02), and with the number of metastatic sites (P=.01). The presence of circulating mutated DNA was also strongly correlated with serum LDH activity (P<.01) and S100 protein concentration (P<.01). Finally, seven patients presented discordant BRAF status in different tumor sites. In all these patients, the test performed on ctDNA was positive, suggesting that ctDNA analysis might be less sensitive to tumor heterogeneity. Altogether, these results suggest that plasmatic mutant BRAF DNA is a prognostic factor of OS, correlated with tumor burden. In addition, it represents an interesting alternative source of DNA to detect BRAF mutations before treatment.
SPECTRUM OF OPTIC DISC CHANGES IN PRIMARY OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA

Objective: To find out the patterns the optic disc changes associated withprimary open angle glaucoma (POAG). Methodology: This descriptive study was conducted at Ophthalmology department,Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar from 1st January to 31st December2009. All patients with diagnosed POAG, above the age of 30 years,having no lens or media opacity and ocular co-morbidity, were examinedthoroughly for patterns of optic disc changes associated with POAG. Frequenciesand percentages of the contour of neuroretinal rim, appearance of nervefiber layer, presence of optic disc hemorrhages, colour of optic nerve headwas noted. Descriptive statistics for disc were calculated for Vertical disc diameter(VDD), Cup/disc ratio (CDR), and Rim Disc Ratio (RDR). Results: Two hundred patients with POAG were included. Diffuse thinningand localized notching in the neuroretinal rim was noted in 188 (94%) and86 (43%) patients, respectively. Optic disc hemorrhage, Optic disc pallor andOptic disc atrophy was seen in 80 (40%), 127 (63.5%) and 15 (7.5%) cases,respectively.Mean VDD was 1.76mm in both right and left eyes. Mean vertical and horizontal CDR was 0.73 and 0.57 in the right and 0.765 and 0.611 in the left eye,respectively. Mean vertical and horizontal RDR was 0.451 and 0.543 in theright and 0.368 and 0.486 in the left eyes, respectively. Conclusion: Majority of the patients showed changes in measurements ofneuroretinal rim, so emphasis should be placed on the examination of neuroretinalrim in all patients of POAG.
Controversial role of mast cells in skin cancers

Cancer development is a multistep process characterized by genetic and epigenetic alterations during tumor initiation and progression. The stromal microenvironment can promote tumor development. Mast cells, widely distributed throughout all tissues, are a stromal component of many solid and haematologic tumors. Mast cells can be found in human and mouse models of skin cancers such as melanoma, basal and squamous cell carcinomas, primary cutaneous lymphomas, haemangiomas and Merkel cell carcinoma. However, human and animal studies addressing potential functions of mast cells and their mediators in skin cancers have provided conflicting results. In several studies, mast cells play a pro‐tumorigenic role, whereas in others, they play an anti‐tumorigenic role. Other studies have failed to demonstrate a clear role for tumor‐associated mast cells. Many unanswered questions need to be addressed before we understand whether tumor‐associated mast cells are adversaries, allies or simply innocent bystanders in different types and subtypes of skin cancers.
Online data processing consent under EU law: a theoretical framework and empirical evidence from the UK

This article analyses the results of an empirical study on the 200 most popular UK-based websites in various sectors of e-commerce services. The study provides empirical evidence on unlawful processing of personal data; it comprises a survey on the methods used to seek and obtain consent to process personal data for direct marketing and advertisement, and a test on the frequency of unsolicited commercial emails (UCE) received by customers as a consequence of their registering and submitting personal information to websites. Part One of the article presents a conceptual and normative account of data protection, it discusses the ethical values on which data protection is grounded and outlines the elements that have to be in place to seek and obtain valid consent to process personal data under European Union law. Part Two discusses the outcomes of the empirical study, which unveils a significant departure between EU legal theory and practice in data protection. Although a wide majority of websites (69%) has in place a system to ask separate consent for engaging in marketing activities, it is only 16.2% of them that obtain a consent which is valid under the standards set by EU law. The test with UCE shows that only less than one out of three websites (30.5%) respects the will of the data subject not to receive commercial communications, and that, when submitting personal data in online transactions, there is a high probability (50%) of incurring in a website that will ignore the refusal of consent and will send UCE. The article concludes that there is either lack, or inappropriate standard, of implementation, information or supervision by the UK authorities, especially in light of the clarifications provided at EU level.
E-cigarettes: an evidence update. A report commissioned by Public Health England.

E-cigarettes are 95% less harmful to your health than normal cigarettes. When supported by a smoking cessation service, they help most smokers to quit tobacco altogether. Key messages: 1. Smokers who have tried other methods of quitting without success could be encouraged to try e-cigarettes (EC) to stop smoking and stop smoking services should support smokers using EC to quit by offering them behavioural support. 2. Encouraging smokers who cannot or do not want to stop smoking to switch to EC could help reduce smoking related disease, death and health inequalities. 3. There is no evidence that EC are undermining the long-term decline in cigarette smoking among adults and youth, and may in fact be contributing to it. Despite some experimentation with EC among never smokers, EC are attracting very few people who have never smoked into regular EC use. 4. Recent studies support the Cochrane Review findings that EC can help people to quit smoking and reduce their cigarette consumption. There is also evidence that EC can encourage quitting or cigarette consumption reduction even among those not intending to quit or rejecting other support. More research is needed in this area. 5. When used as intended, EC pose no risk of nicotine poisoning to users, but e-liquids should be in ‘childproof' packaging. The accuracy of nicotine content labelling currently raises no major concerns. 6. There has been an overall shift towards the inaccurate perception of EC being as harmful as cigarettes over the last year in contrast to the current expert estimate that using EC is around 95% safer than smoking. 7. Whilst protecting non-smoking children and ensuring the products on the market are as safe and effective as possible are clearly important goals, new regulations currently planned should also maximise the public health opportunities of EC. 8. Continued vigilance and research in this area are needed.
Infrarotanalytik zur Visualisierung stimulationsinduzierter Meridianstrukturen? Erstes simultanes, akupunkturspezifisches thermographisches Monitoring in unterschiedlichen Wellenlängenbereichen

Hintergrund: Akupunkturpunkte werden topografisch mehrheitlich spezifischen Meridianen zugeordnet. Ein allgemein akzeptierter Nachweis der Meridiane liegt bislang nicht als gegeben vor. Studienziel: Ziel der vorliegenden Untersuchungen war es, erstmals simultan in verschiedenen InfrarotwellenlÄngenbereichen zu untersuchen, ob ein Auftreten mÖglicher stimulationsinduzierter MeridianÄquivalente an der OberflÄche der menschlichen Haut, wie es von anderen Autoren vor kurzem beschrieben wurde, visualisiert und objektiviert werden kann. Design: Die wissenschaftliche Studie analysiert erstmals den Nachweis der Existenz von akupunkturspezifischen meridianverlaufsÄhnlichen Artefakten bei 6 gesunden Probanden (mittleres Alter ± SD 28,7 ± 3,7 Jahre; Bereich 25–35 Jahre). Methoden: Zur thermografischen Überwachung von etwaigen Stimulationseffekten (Moxazigarre, Infrarot-WÄrmestimulation, Nadel- und Lasernadelstimulation) wurden zwei Infrarotkameras in unterschiedlichen WellenlÄngenbereichen eingesetzt. In ErgÄnzung zur Thermografie wurden die Temperatur und mikrozirkulatorische Parameter punktuell mit der Laser-Doppler Flowmetrie registriert. Ergebnisse: Nach Moxibustion (oder Infrarot-WÄrmestimulation) des KÖrpers erscheinen in thermografischen Aufnahmen an der KÖrperoberflÄche in einem Bereich von 2–5 mm und 7,5–13 mm verschiedene Strukturen, die als technische Artefakte zu identifizieren sind und die nicht identisch mit den in allen LehrbÜchern der Traditionellen Chinesischen Medizin beschriebenen Meridianen sind. Schlussfolgerung: Weitere wissenschaftliche Studien zu einer mÖglichen Visualisierung von Meridianen sind notwendig.
Higher plasma leptin is associated with higher risk of androgenetic alopecia in men

In addition to genetics and androgens, novel factors could play a role in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). This study aims to investigate the association between plasma leptin level with the risk and severity of AGA in men. Forty‐eight subjects were enrolled including 29 AGA and 19 non‐AGA subjects. The plasma leptin level was significantly higher in AGA subjects, compared to non‐AGA subjects (4.45 vs 2.76 ng/mL, P<.05). A higher plasma leptin levels were positively correlated with the risk of developing AGA in multivariate logistic analysis (odds ratio=2.77, P<.05). Leptin from the circulation might impact the development of AGA.
Association of Systemic Inflammation and Sarcopenia With Survival in Nonmetastatic Colorectal Cancer: Results From the C SCANS Study

Importance Systemic inflammation and sarcopenia are easily evaluated, predict mortality in many cancers, and are potentially modifiable. The combination of inflammation and sarcopenia may be able to identify patients with early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) with poor prognosis. Objective To examine associations of prediagnostic systemic inflammation with at-diagnosis sarcopenia, and determine whether these factors interact to predict CRC survival, adjusting for age, ethnicity, sex, body mass index, stage, and cancer site. Design, Setting, and Participants A prospective cohort of 2470 Kaiser Permanente patients with stage I to III CRC diagnosed from 2006 through 2011. Exposures Our primary measure of inflammation was the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR). We averaged NLR in the 24 months before diagnosis (mean count = 3 measures; mean time before diagnosis = 7 mo). The reference group was NLR of less than 3, indicating low or no inflammation. Main Outcomes and Measures Using computed tomography scans, we calculated skeletal muscle index (muscle area at the third lumbar vertebra divided by squared height). Sarcopenia was defined as less than 52 cm2/m2 and less than 38 cm2/m2 for normal or overweight men and women, respectively, and less than 54 cm2/m2 and less than 47 cm2/m2 for obese men and women, respectively. The main outcome was death (overall or CRC related). Results Among 2470 patients, 1219 (49%) were female; mean (SD) age was 63 (12) years. An NLR of 3 or greater and sarcopenia were common (1133 [46%] and 1078 [44%], respectively). Over a median of 6 years of follow-up, we observed 656 deaths, 357 from CRC. Increasing NLR was associated with sarcopenia in a dose-response manner (compared with NLR < 3, odds ratio, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.10-1.67 for NLR 3 to <5; 1.47; 95% CI, 1.16-1.85 for NLR ≥ 5; P for trend < .001). An NLR of 3 or greater and sarcopenia independently predicted overall (hazard ratio [HR], 1.64; 95% CI, 1.40-1.91 and HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.10-1.53, respectively) and CRC-related death (HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.39-2.12 and HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.13-1.78, respectively). Patients with both sarcopenia and NLR of 3 or greater (vs neither) had double the risk of death, overall (HR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.70-2.65) and CRC related (HR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.79-3.29). Conclusions and Relevance Prediagnosis inflammation was associated with at-diagnosis sarcopenia. Sarcopenia combined with inflammation nearly doubled risk of death, suggesting that these commonly collected biomarkers could enhance prognostication. A better understanding of how the host inflammatory/immune response influences changes in skeletal muscle may open new therapeutic avenues to improve cancer outcomes.
Dispersed or clustered housing for disabled adults: a systematic review

The purpose of this review was (i) to find and summarise all the available research evidence on the quality and costs of dispersed community-based housing when compared with clustered housing, (ii) to assess the strength of the research and identify gaps in the evidence and (iii) to interpret the research to outline the benefits and drawbacks of each model.