Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Refining Prognosis for Intracerebral Hemorrhage by Early Reassessment

Background: Prognostic assessments, which are crucial for decision-making in critical illnesses, have shown unsatisfactory reliability. We compared the accuracy of a widely used prognostic score against a model derived from clinical data obtained 5 days after admission for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a condition for which prognostication has proven notoriously challenging and prone to bias. Methods: Patients enrolled in a prospective observational cohort study of spontaneous ICH underwent hourly Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) assessment. Outcome was measured at 3 months using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). We analyzed the change in correlation between GCS and 3-month mRS scores from admission through day 5, and compared the performance of a parsimonious set of day 5 clinical variables against the ICH score. Results: Data was collected on 254 subjects. The ICH score and day 5 GCS score were both correlated with 3-month mRS score (p < 0.001), but the correlation was stronger with day 5 GCS score (p < 0.05 by Fisher z-transformation). Premorbid mRS score, intraventricular hemorrhage and day 5 GCS score were independent predictors of outcome (all p < 0.05 in ordinal regression model). While ICH score correctly classified good (mRS 0-3) vs. poor (mRS 4-6) outcome in 73% of cases, the day 5 model correctly classified 83% of cases. Conclusions: A simple reassessment after 5 days of care significantly improves the accuracy of prognosticating outcome in patients with ICH. These data confirm the feasibility and potential utility of early reassessments in refining prognosis for patients who survive early stabilization of a severe neurologic injury.
Smooth muscle cells in human coronary atherosclerosis can originate from cells administered at marrow transplantation

Atherosclerosis is the major cause of adult mortality in the developed world, and a significant contributor to atherosclerotic plaque progression involves smooth muscle cell recruitment to the intima of the vessel wall. Controversy currently exists on the exact origin of these recruited cells. Here we use sex-mismatched bone marrow transplant subjects to show that smooth muscle cells throughout the atherosclerotic vessel wall can derive from donor bone marrow. We demonstrate extensive recruitment of these cells in diseased compared with undiseased segments and exclude cell–cell fusion events as a cause for this enrichment. These data have broad implications for our understanding of the cellular components of human atherosclerotic plaque and provide a potentially novel target for future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Reassortment Events among Swine Influenza A Viruses in China: Implications for the Origin of the 2009 Influenza Pandemic

ABSTRACT That pigs may play a pivotal role in the emergence of pandemic influenza was indicated by the recent H1N1/2009 human pandemic, likely caused by a reassortant between viruses of the American triple-reassortant (TR) and Eurasian avian-like (EA) swine influenza lineages. As China has the largest human and pig populations in the world and is the only place where both TR and EA viruses have been reported to cocirculate, it is potentially the source of the H1N1/2009 pandemic virus. To examine this, the genome sequences of 405 swine influenza viruses from China were analyzed. Thirty-six TR and EA reassortant viruses were identified before and after the occurrence of the pandemic. Several of these TR-EA reassortant viruses had genotypes with most segments having the same lineage origin as the segments of the H1N1/2009 pandemic virus. However, these viruses were generated from independent reassortment events throughout our survey period and were not associated with the current pandemic. One TR-EA reassortant, which is least similar to the pandemic virus, has persisted since 2007, while all the other variants appear to be transient. Despite frequent reassortment events between TR and EA lineage viruses in China, evidence for the genesis of the 2009 pandemic virus in pigs in this region is still absent.
Investigating the Relationship between Perceived Discrimination, Social Status, and Mental Health

A growing body of evidence suggests that experiences with discrimination have implications for mental health and that these associations may vary by social status. We use data from the Chicago Community Adult Health Study (CCAHS) to examine how two types of perceived discrimination, chronic everyday discrimination and major lifetime discrimination, are linked to mental health and how this association varies by race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. Results indicate that everyday discrimination is generally independently linked to greater depressive symptoms, loneliness, and hostility across all social status groups. Major discrimination is not associated with depressive symptoms or loneliness after adjusting for a host of covariates but is associated with hostility, especially for certain groups. These findings highlight the need to examine multiple indicators of discrimination and mental health and to pay attention to both differences and similarities in these associations by social status.
The Emerging Landscape for Sustainable Food System Education: Mapping Current Higher Education Opportunities for Australia’s Future Food and Nutrition Workforce

ABSTRACT The food system is broken. There is uncertainty about the extent to which Australia’s future food and nutrition workforce is being equipped with knowledge and practical skills to contribute to solving large-scale, food system problems. This study identified modules about sustainable food systems taught within Australian nutrition and/or dietetic Tertiary degrees, and they were analyzed using two educational theories. Of 130 identified degrees, 8% (n = 9) included modules (n = 16) about the sustainable food systems. The majority of learning outcomes (88%, n = 56) were in the cognitive domain of Bloom’s revised taxonomy. The majority of assessment methods (56%, n = 9) were at the ‘shows’ level with no assessments at the ‘does’ level of Miller’s prism. Australia’s nutrition and dietetics tertiary offerings require food system education opportunities which prioritize higher order learning and assessment. This will contribute to a food and nutrition workforce that can contribute to the multi-disciplinary approach required to preserve the natural environment and ensure a sustainable food system for future generations.
Telluride Glass Step Index Fiber for the far Infrared

Nulling interferometry is an important technique under development for the DARWIN planet finding mission which enables the detection of the weak infrared emission lines of an orbiting planet. This technique requires the use of single mode optical fibers transmitting light as far as possible in the infrared. Tellurium based glasses transmit infrared light far beyond the second atmospheric window but are usually not stable enough toward crystallisation to be drawn into optical fiber. It was recently shown that the GeTe4 initial glass composition could be stabilized by the introduction of few percents of Se. In this paper, we report the development and the optical characterisation of far-infrared transmitting step index optical. The evolution of the refractive index of the glass versus the ratio Se/Te was measured in order to design a multi mode step index fiber. Its core diameter was 200 μm therefore permitting to easily characterise its optical properties. This multimode fiber transmitted light from 4 to about 15 μ m with losses near 20 dB.m-1. Despite these significant losses, the fiber was efficiently used to detect the broad absorption band of the CO2 located at 15 μm. These results are very promising in the context of the DARWIN mission of the European Space Agency.
Systematic evaluation of photodetector performance for plastic scintillation dosimetry.

PURPOSE The authors' objective was to systematically assess the performance of seven photodetectors used in plastic scintillation dosimetry. The authors also propose some guidelines for selecting an appropriate detector for a specific application. METHODS The plastic scintillation detector (PSD) consisted of a 1-mm diameter, 10-mm long plastic scintillation fiber (BCF-60), which was optically coupled to a clear 10-m long optical fiber of the same diameter. A light-tight plastic sheath covered both fibers and the scintillator end was sealed. The clear fiber end was connected to one of the following photodetectors: two polychromatic cameras (one with an optical lens and one with a fiber optic taper replacing the lens), a monochromatic camera with an optical lens, a PIN photodiode, an avalanche photodiode (APD), or a photomultiplier tube (PMT). A commercially available W1 PSD was also included in the study, but it relied on its own fiber and scintillator. Each PSD was exposed to both low-energy beams (120, 180, and 220 kVp) from an orthovoltage unit and high-energy beams (6 and 23 MV) from a linear accelerator. Various dose rates were tested to identify the operating range and accuracy of each photodetector. RESULTS For all photodetectors, the relative uncertainty was less than 5% for dose rates higher than 3 mGy/s. The cameras allowed multiple probes to be used simultaneously, but they are less sensitive to low-light signals. The PIN, APD, and PMT had higher sensitivity, making them more suitable for low dose rate and out-of-field dose monitoring. The relative uncertainty of the PMT was less than 1% at the lowest dose rate achieved (0.10 mGy/s), suggesting that it was optimal for use in live dosimetry. CONCLUSIONS For dose rates higher than 3 mGy/s, the PIN diode is the most effective photodetector in terms of performance/cost ratio. For lower dose rates, such as those seen in interventional radiology or high-gradient radiotherapy, PMTs are the optimal choice.
Characterization of an Alphamesonivirus 3C-Like Protease Defines a Special Group of Nidovirus Main Proteases

ABSTRACT Cavally virus (CavV) and related viruses in the family Mesoniviridae diverged profoundly from other nidovirus lineages but largely retained the characteristic set of replicative enzymes conserved in the Coronaviridae and Roniviridae. The expression of these enzymes in virus-infected cells requires the extensive proteolytic processing of two large replicase polyproteins, pp1a and pp1ab, by the viral 3C-like protease (3CLpro). Here, we show that CavV 3CLpro autoproteolytic cleavage occurs at two N-terminal (N1 and N2) and one C-terminal (C1) processing site(s). The mature form of 3CLpro was revealed to be a 314-residue protein produced by cleavage at FKNK1386|SAAS (N2) and YYNQ1700|SATI (C1). Site-directed mutagenesis data suggest that the mesonivirus 3CLpro employs a catalytic Cys-His dyad comprised of CavV pp1a/pp1ab residues Cys-1539 and His-1434. The study further suggests that mesonivirus 3CLpro substrate specificities differ from those of related nidovirus proteases. The presence of Gln (or Glu) at the P1 position was not required for cleavage, although residues that control Gln/Glu specificity in related viral proteases are retained in the CavV 3CLpro sequence. Asn at the P2 position was identified as a key determinant for mesonivirus 3CLpro substrate specificity. Other positions, including P4 and P1′, each are occupied by structurally related amino acids, indicating a supportive role in substrate binding. Together, the data identify a new subgroup of nidovirus main proteases and support previous conclusions on phylogenetic relationships between the main nidovirus lineages. IMPORTANCE Mesoniviruses have been suggested to provide an evolutionary link between nidovirus lineages with small (13 to 16 kb) and large (26 to 32 kb) RNA genome sizes, and it has been proposed that a specific set of enzymes, including a proofreading exoribonuclease and other replicase gene-encoded proteins, play a key role in the major genome expansion leading to the currently known lineages of large nidoviruses. Despite their smaller genome size (20 kb), mesoniviruses retained most of the replicative domains conserved in large nidoviruses; thus, they are considered interesting models for studying possible key events in the evolution of RNA genomes of exceptional size and complexity. Our study provides the first characterization of a mesonivirus replicase gene-encoded nonstructural protein. The data confirm and extend previous phylogenetic studies of mesoniviruses and related viruses and pave the way for studies into the formation of the mesonivirus replication complex and functional and structural studies of its functional subunits.
Are serum TSH levels associated with oxidized low‐density lipoprotein? Results from the Study of Health in Pomerania

Objective Oxidized LDL (oxLDL) is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Thus, it is important to investigate putative risk factors for increased oxLDL. Evidence suggests that, compared to euthyroid individuals, LDL‐cholesterol (LDL‐C) levels are lower in individuals with overt hyperthyroidism. Whereas oxidization of LDL‐C into oxLDL is increased in overt hyper‐ and hypothyroidism, it has not been investigated whether subclinical thyroid dysfunction impacts on oxLDL levels in general. We have analysed the association between serum thyrotrophin (TSH) levels and oxLDL in a population‐based study.
Association of genital infection with specific Chlamydia trachomatis serovars and race.

Black race is an important risk marker for Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection. To define whether C. trachomatis serovars differ by ethnic distribution, a panel of monoclonal antibodies was used to serotype 934 urethral and 581 cervical isolates from patients attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic over 2 years. The overall serovar distribution in cervical and urethral infections was comparable, with B class serovars predominating. Significantly higher inclusion counts were observed both in younger women and in nonblacks regardless of serovar. Serovar D was less frequent among blacks at the urethral site (P = .001), while serovar Ia was more frequent in blacks at both sites (urethral, P < .001; cervical, P = .02). These associations remained significant after adjusting for age and number of inclusion-forming units by multivariate analysis. Thus, specific serovars may be associated with particular racial groups; either behavioral or biologic factors could explain these findings.
The cost of implantable defibrillators: perceptions and reality.

AIMS Recent guidelines have recommended more wide-ranging indications for the use of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy, yet even more restrained previous guidelines have not been implemented for a variety of reasons. METHODS AND RESULTS This brief review critically examines the reasons most frequently put forward to explain this failure. Contrary to the frequently repeated speculation that the risk stratification for sudden death and hence prophylactic placement of ICDs is reasonably accurate, there is little cost difference between pharmacotherapy and ICD treatment over the long term. ICD therapy does not utilize an undue proportion of the healthcare budget, and the healthcare systems in Europe can afford this therapy. CONCLUSION Financial reasons are neither accurate nor adequate explanations for the failure of the European medical community to implement European guidelines for the implantation of ICDs for primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death.
Lymphokines: enhancement by granulocyte-macrophage and granulocyte colony-stimulating factors of neonatal myeloid kinetics and functional activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Colony-stimulating factors, such as the granulocyte-macrophage and the granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (GM-CSF and G-CSF), are glycoproteins with biologic specificity defined by their ability to support proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells of various lineages. Their physiologic activities include stimulation and proliferation of early stem cell precursors and functional activation of mature peripheral effector cells. Recently produced recombinant human (rh) GM-CSF and G-CSF have been demonstrated to regulate hematopoietic neutrophil progenitor colony growth; to stimulate the release of bone marrow neutrophil storage pools; and to prime mature effector functions, including chemotaxis, oxidative metabolism, phagocytosis, C3bi receptor expression, and antibody-dependent cytotoxicity in adults. We examined the effects of rh-GM-CSF on priming superoxide release and chemotaxis of neonatal (cord) polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and of rh-G-CSF and rh-GM-CSF on bone marrow neutrophil egress in the neonatal rat. A time-response evaluation of the effect of rh-GM-CSF revealed enhanced release of superoxide by PMNs. PMN chemotaxis also was enhanced by rh-GM-CSF, with a maximal response occurring earlier than enhanced superoxide release. Intraperitoneal administration of rh-G-CSF or rh-GM-CSF to 1-day-old rats resulted in significant increases in white blood cell counts and significant early neutrophilia. Bone marrow examination revealed that the neutrophilia was secondary to egress and mild depletion of the neutrophil storage pool but that the neutrophil storage pool later returned to normal. These preliminary studies suggest that rh-GM-CSF and rh-G-CSF prime neonatal effector function and induces significant PMN egress and neutrophilia. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Tandem BRCT Domains of Ect2 Are Required for Both Negative and Positive Regulation of Ect2 in Cytokinesis*

Epithelial cell transforming protein 2 (Ect2) is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Rho GTPases, molecular switches essential for the control of cytokinesis in mammalian cells. Aside from the canonical Dbl homology/pleckstrin homology cassette found in virtually all Dbl family members, Ect2 contains N-terminal tandem BRCT domains. In this study, we address the role of the Ect2 BRCT domains in the regulation of Ect2 activity and cytokinesis. First, we show that the depletion of endogenous Ect2 by small interfering RNA induces multinucleation, suggesting that Ect2 is required for cytokinesis. In addition, we provide evidence that Ect2 normally exists in an inactive conformation, which is at least partially due to an intramolecular interaction between the BRCT domains and the C-terminal domain of Ect2. This intramolecular interaction masks the catalytic domain responsible for guanine nucleotide exchange toward RhoA. Consistent with a role in regulating Ect2 GEF activity, overexpression of an N-terminal Ect2 containing the tandem BRCT domains, but not single BRCT domain or BRCT domain mutant, leads to a failure in cytokinesis. Surprisingly, although ectopically expressed wild-type Ect2 rescues the multinucleation resulting from the depletion of endogenous Ect2, expression of a BRCT mutant of Ect2 failed to restore proper cytokinesis in these cells. Taken together, the results of our study indicate that the tandem BRCT domains of Ect2 play dual roles in the regulation of Ect2. Whereas these domains negatively regulate Ect2 GEF activity in interphase cells, they are also required for the proper function of Ect2 during cytokinesis.
Emergence of extensive drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumanniiin the Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

AIM Recently increased attention and interest for Acinetobacterbaumannii are the result of the occurrence of multidrug resistant (MDR), extensive drug resistant (XDR) and pandrug resistant (PDR) isolates around the world. The aim of this study was to examine the resistance of A. baumannii isolates to antimicrobials in Clinical Centre University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHODS Two hundred and fifty-seven A.baumannii isolates were collected between July 2011 and June 2012 in different wards and from different clinical samples. Multidrug resistant, XDR and PDR were defined according to international expert proposal for interim standard definitions for acquired resistance. RESULTS A total of 257 A. baumannii isolates showed eleven different patterns of resistance, of which ten patterns corresponded to MDR and one corresponded to XDR (sensitive only to colistin). Multidrug resistant and XDR strains were the most common at Intensive Care Units and surgical departments. The largest numbers of isolates were found in wound swabs, blood and bronchial aspirate. CONCLUSION This is the first report of XDR A. baumannii in the 2000-bed Clinical Centre University of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Although XDR strains have been detected, the resistance to colistin has not. The elevated prevalence of these strains indicates that local antibiotic prescription policies should be revised and infection prevention and control should be improved.
Site-directed Mutagenesis Reveals Regions Implicated in the Stability and Fiber Formation of Human λ3r Light Chains*

Background: λ6a and λ3r are the most implicated germ lines in light chain amyloidosis. Results: Mutagenesis at N-terminal, loop 40–60, and CDR3 regions affected λ3r fibrillogenesis. Conclusion: Changes at residues 7, 48, and 91 increased fibril formation while changes at residues 8 and 40 reverted fibrillogenesis. Significance: Characterization of light chain germ lines helps to identify key regions implicated in amyloidosis. Light chain amyloidosis (AL) is a disease that affects vital organs by the fibrillar aggregation of monoclonal light chains. λ3r germ line is significantly implicated in this disease. In this work, we contrasted the thermodynamic stability and aggregation propensity of 3mJL2 (nonamyloidogenic) and 3rJL2 (amyloidogenic) λ3 germ lines. Because of an inherent limitation (extremely low expression), Cys at position 34 of the 3r germ line was replaced by Tyr reaching a good expression yield. A second substitution (W91A) was introduced in 3r to obtain a better template to incorporate additional mutations. Although the single mutant (C34Y) was not fibrillogenic, the second mutation located at CDR3 (W91A) induced fibrillogenesis. We propose, for the first time, that CDR3 (position 91) affects the stability and fiber formation of human λ3r light chains. Using the double mutant (3rJL2/YA) as template, other variants were constructed to evaluate the importance of those substitutions into the stability and aggregation propensity of λ3 light chains. A change in position 7 (P7D) boosted 3rJL2/YA fibrillogenic properties. Modification of position 48 (I48M) partially reverted 3rJL2/YA fibril aggregation. Finally, changes at positions 8 (P8S) or 40 (P40S) completely reverted fibril formation. These results confirm the influential roles of N-terminal region (positions 7 and 8) and the loop 40–60 (positions 40 and 48) on AL. X-ray crystallography revealed that the three-dimensional topology of the single and double λ3r mutants was not significantly altered. This mutagenic approach helped to identify key regions implicated in λ3 AL.
Detection of Hepatitis E Virus Shedding in Feces of Pigs at Different Stages of Production Using Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction

The aim of this study was to determine at which production stages hepatitis E virus (HEV) is shed by the highest number of pigs and to estimate the relative risk associated with each stage. For this purpose, 146 fecal samples of pigs from 21 farms were studied. In addition, 1 sample from the manure ditch and another sample of drinking water, collected directly from the trough located in the pen, were taken from 16 farms. HEV RNA was detected in fecal samples from 34 pigs (23.29%). The production stages in which most pigs excreted HEV were weaners (41.7%) and pigs in the first month of feeding (60%). The results of the statistical analysis showed that the principal significant risk stage in HEV shedding was the first month of feeding (odds ratio [OR] 19.5, 95% CI 3.59–106.07, P = 0.001) followed by the weaners stage (OR 9.3, 95% CI.78–48.42, P = 0.008). In 8 out of 16 farms tested (50%) HEV RNA was detected in raw manure and in the water trough of only 1. Detection of HEV in manure ditches raises the concern of how to deal with manure of swine origin, because it is used as soil fertilizer.