Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Foetal plasma magnesium levels during maternal hypo- or hypermagnesaemia in ewes

1. The influence of maternal hypo- or hypermagnesaemia of foetal plasma magnesium levels was studied in pregnant ewes between the 120th and the 145th day of gestation using a permanent catheter inserted in utero into the left aorta of the foetus on the 115th day of gestation. 2. In seven ewes, carrying eleven foetuses, the injection of 1 α-hydroxycholecalciferol induced a hypomagnesaemia which lasted 72 h. This had no significant effect on foetal plasma Mg levels. 3. In five ewes, carrying six foetuses, hypermagnesaemia induced by a 2 h magnesium chloride infusion had no significant effect on foetal plasma Mg levels. 4. These results provide evidence that in sheep during the last 20 d of gestation the foetal regulation of plasma Mg is independent of the maternal plasma Mg levels.
Pancreatic circulation: intrinsic regulation.

The purpose of the present study was to characterize the intrinsic mechanisms involved in the regulation of blood flow and oxygenation in the totally isolated, perfused canine pancreas. Arterial pressure, venous outflow pressure, blood flow, arteriovenous oxygen difference, and capillary filtration coefficient were measured during graded arterial pressure reductions and venous pressure elevation. Reductions in arterial pressure caused pancreatic blood flow and vascular resistance to decrease, whereas venous pressure elevation resulted in a decreased blood flow and increased vascular resistance. The reductions in blood flow produced by arterial and venous pressure alterations were associated with increases in oxygen extraction and capillary filtration coefficient. During the same pressure perturbations, oxygen uptake remained constant between blood flows of 40-100 ml.min-1.100 g-1, yet decreased progressively as blood flow was reduced below 40 ml.min-1.100 g-1. Arterial occlusion resulted in a postocclusive reactive hyperemia, the magnitude of which was related to the duration of occlusion. The findings of this study suggest that intrinsic regulation of pancreatic blood flow can be attributed to both metabolic and myogenic mechanisms. Resistance and exchange vessels both appear to play a role in the regulation of oxygen delivery to the pancreatic parenchyma.
Height, Age at Menarche, and Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Objective: We hypothesized that the hormonal changes of adolescence influence ovarian cancer risk particularly in younger women. We investigated this possibility by examining the relationship between ovarian cancer and adult height and age at menarche as both factors reflect pubertal hormonal levels. Methods: Participants were a population-based sample of women with incident ovarian cancer (n = 794) and control women randomly selected from the Australian Electoral Roll (n = 855). The women provided comprehensive reproductive and lifestyle data during a standard interview. Results: Although neither height nor age at menarche was significantly related to the risk of ovarian cancer overall, increasing height was associated with increasing risk of the subgroup of mucinous borderline ovarian cancer (odds ratio, 5.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-19.1 for women ≥175 cm compared with women <160 cm, Ptrend = 0.02). Similarly, later age at menarche was associated with increasing risk of mucinous borderline cancers (odds ratio, 3.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-11.4 for those with age at menarche ≥14 years compared with those <12 years, Ptrend = 0.003). Women with mucinous borderline cancers were significantly younger than the women diagnosed with invasive cancers (mean 44 versus 57 years; P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Development of mucinous borderline ovarian cancers, predominantly diagnosed in women ages under 50 years, seems to be associated with age at menarche and attained adult height. These results are consistent with our original hypothesis that pubertal levels of reproductive hormones and insulin-like growth factor-I influence ovarian cancer risk in younger women.
The effect of water exercise therapy given to patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

It is well known that patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis have a reduced muscular function. The positive effect of physical training on rheumatic patients has been shown. In this study the effect of exercise therapy performed in a heated swimming pool has been evaluated for eight patients in a non-acute stage of rheumatoid arthritis. The median pre-treatment maximal isometric and isokinetic quadriceps strength was 88 Nm (44-146) and 99 Nm (62-149) respectively, which was 61% and 70% of that found in a control group of healthy persons. After 2 months exercise therapy the median maximal isometric and isokinetic quadriceps strength increased by 38% and 16% compared to the pre-treatment value (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.05). All patients, except one who developed cardiac arrhythmia during the second test, accomplished a submaximal bicycle test (a.m. Astrand). An increase in the aerobic capacity was observed in all patients after the training period.
Cooperative Effects of Th2 Cytokines and Allergen on Normal and Asthmatic Bronchial Epithelial Cells1

In sensitized individuals, exposure to allergens such as Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) causes Th2 polarization and release of cytokines, including IL-4 and IL-13. Because Der p extracts also have direct effects on epithelial cells, we hypothesized that allergen augments the effects of Th2 cytokines by promoting mediator release from the bronchial epithelium in allergic asthma. To test our hypothesis, primary bronchial epithelial cultures were grown from bronchial brushings of normal and atopic asthmatic subjects. RT-PCR showed that each culture expressed IL-4Rα, common γ-chain, and IL-13Rα1, as well as IL-13Rα2, which negatively regulates IL-13 signaling; FACS analysis confirmed IL-13Rα2 protein expression. Exposure of epithelial cultures to either Der p extracts, TNF-α, IL-4, or IL-13 enhanced GM-CSF and IL-8 release, and this was partially suppressible by corticosteroids. Simultaneous exposure of the epithelial cultures to IL-4 or IL-13 together with Der p resulted in a further increase in cytokine release, which was at least additive. Release of TGF-α was also increased by TNF-α and combinations of IL-4, IL-13, and Der p; however, this stimulation was only significant in the asthma-derived cultures. These data suggest that, in an allergic environment, Th2 cytokines and allergen have the potential to sustain airway inflammation through a cooperative effect on cytokine release by the bronchial epithelium. Our novel finding that IL-4, IL-13, and allergen enhance release of TGF-α, a ligand for the epidermal growth factor receptor that stimulates fibroblast proliferation and goblet cell differentiation, provides a potential link between allergen exposure, Th2 cytokines, and airway remodelling in asthma.
Characterization of the Photon Counting CHASE Jr., Chip Built in a 40-nm CMOS Process With a Charge Sharing Correction Algorithm Using a Collimated X-Ray Beam

This paper presents the detailed characterization of a single photon counting chip, named CHASE Jr., built in a CMOS 40-nm process, operating with synchrotron radiation. The chip utilizes an on-chip implementation of the C8P1 algorithm. The algorithm eliminates the charge sharing related uncertainties, namely, the dependence of the number of registered photons on the discriminator’s threshold, set for monochromatic irradiation, and errors in the assignment of an event to a certain pixel. The article presents a short description of the algorithm as well as the architecture of the CHASE Jr., chip. The analog and digital functionalities, allowing for proper operation of the C8P1 algorithm are described, namely, an offset correction for two discriminators independently, two-stage gain correction, and different operation modes of the digital blocks. The results of tests of the C8P1 operation are presented for the chip bump bonded to a silicon sensor and exposed to the 3.5- $\mu \text{m}$ -wide pencil beam of 8-keV photons of synchrotron radiation. It was studied how sensitive the algorithm performance is to the chip settings, as well as the uniformity of parameters of the analog front-end blocks. Presented results prove that the C8P1 algorithm enables counting all photons hitting the detector in between readout channels and retrieving the actual photon energy.
Effects of carbonate species on the kinetics of dechlorination of 1,1,1-trichloroethane by zero-valent iron.

The effect of precipitates on the reactivity of iron metal (Fe0) with 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) was studied in batch systems designed to model groundwaters that contain dissolved carbonate species (i.e., C(IV)). At representative concentrations for high-C(IV) groundwaters (approximately 10(-2) M), the pH in batch reactors containing Fe0 was effectively buffered until most of the aqueous C(IV) precipitated. The precipitate was mainly FeCO3 (siderite) but may also have included some carbonate green rust. Exposure of the Fe0 to dissolved C(IV) accelerated reduction of TCA, and the products formed under these conditions consisted mainly of ethane and ethene, with minor amounts of several butenes. The kinetics of TCA reduction were first-order when C(IV)-enhanced corrosion predominated but showed mixed-order kinetics (zero- and first-order) in experiments performed with passivated Fe0 (i.e., before the onset of pitting corrosion and after repassivation by precipitation of FeCO3). All these data were described by fitting a Michaelis-Menten-type kinetic model and approximating the first-order rate constant as the ratio of the maximum reaction rate (Vm) and the concentration of TCA at half of the maximum rate (K(1/2)). The decrease in Vm/K(1/2) with increasing C(IV) exposure time was fit to a heuristic model assuming proportionality between changes in TCA reduction rate and changes in surface coverage with FeCO3.
Within- and between- subject variability in methadone pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in methadone maintenance subjects.

AIMS To investigate within- and between-subject variability of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of (R)- and (S)-methadone in methadone maintenance subjects at steady-state. METHODS Six non-holder subjects were studied on three occasions at 7-16 day intervals; doses (20-170 mg/day) remained unchanged. Blood samples and pharmacodynamic data were collected 10-12 times over a 24-h inter-dosing interval. All pharmacodynamic data were expressed as the area under the end-point versus time curve. Using analyses of variance with mixed effects, best estimates were made of the ratio of between- to within-subject variation, with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for within-subject variation at the average value. RESULTS Subjects were relatively consistent between occasions, whereas there was much greater between-subject variability (P < 0.02) for all measures. Estimates of the ratio of between- to within-subject variation ranged from 2.2-12.8 for pharmacodynamic measures, and 1.3-7.9 for pharmacokinetic parameters. For pain, total mood disturbance, withdrawal, pupil size and respiration rate, 95% CI for within-subject measures ranged < or = 2-fold, while this was greater for subjective direct opioid effects (4.2-fold). For CL/F of the active (R)-methadone, the variance ratio was 4.9 (P < 0.0003), with 95% CI for within-subject measures ranging < or = 2-fold. (S)-methadone CL/F demonstrated greater within-subject variability (3.4-fold), possibly contributing to a smaller (2.7; P < 0.0003) ratio of between- to within-subject variance. CONCLUSIONS Non-holder methadone maintenance treatment participants appear to respond consistently with respect to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics over a 1-2 month period. Such knowledge may help prescribers to determine whether alternative dosing regimens or treatments might be more appropriate in this population.
Biodiversity of the Bacterial Flora on the Surface of a Smear Cheese

ABSTRACT The bacteria on the surface of a farmhouse smear-ripened cheese at four stages of ripening (4, 16, 23, and 37 days) from inoculated (i.e., deliberately inoculated with Brevibacterium linens BL2) and noninoculated (not deliberately inoculated with B. linens BL2) cheese were investigated. The results show that, contrary to accepted belief, B. linens is not a significant member of the surface flora of smear cheese and no microbial succession of species occurred during the ripening of the cheeses. Of 400 isolates made, 390 were lactate-utilizing coryneforms and 10 were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. A detailed analysis of the coryneforms was undertaken using phenotypic analysis, molecular fingerprinting, chemotaxonomic techniques, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. DNA banding profiles (ramdom amplified polymorphic DNA [RAPD]-PCR) of all the coryneform isolates showed large numbers of clusters. However, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of the isolates from the cheeses showed that all isolates within a cluster and in many contiguous clusters were the same. The inoculated and noninoculated cheeses were dominated by single clones of novel species of Corynebacterium casei (50.2% of isolates), Corynebacterium mooreparkense (26% of isolates), and Microbacterium gubbeenense (12.8% of isolates). In addition, five of the isolates from the inoculated cheese were Corynebacterium flavescens. Thirty-seven strains were not identified but many had similar PFGE patterns, indicating that they were the same species. C. mooreparkense and C. casei grew at pH values below 4.9 in the presence of 8% NaCl, while M. gubbeenense did not grow below pH 5.8 in the presence of 5 to 10% NaCl. B. linens BL2 was not recovered from the inoculated cheese because it was inhibited by all the Staphylococcus isolates and many of the coryneforms. It was concluded that within a particular batch of cheese there was significant bacterial diversity in the microflora on the surface.
Immunochemotherapy with rituximab and cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone significantly improves response and time to treatment failure, but not long-term outcome in patients with previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma: results of a prospective randomized trial of the Germa

PURPOSE Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is characterized by a poor prognosis with a low to moderate sensitivity to chemotherapy and a median survival of only 3 to 4 years. In an attempt to improve outcome, the German Low Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG) initiated a randomized trial comparing the combination of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) and rituximab (R-CHOP) with CHOP alone as first-line therapy for advanced-stage MCL. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred twenty-two previously untreated patients with advanced-stage MCL were randomly assigned to six cycles of CHOP (n = 60) or R-CHOP (n = 62). Patients up to 65 years of age achieving a partial or complete remission underwent a second randomization to either myeloablative radiochemotherapy followed by autologous stem-cell transplantation or interferon alfa maintenance (IFNalpha). All patients older than 65 years received IFNalpha maintenance. RESULTS R-CHOP was significantly superior to CHOP in terms of overall response rate (94% v 75%; P = .0054), complete remission rate (34% v 7%; P = .00024), and time to treatment failure (TTF; median, 21 v 14 months; P = .0131). No differences were observed for progression-free survival. Toxicity was acceptable, with no major differences between the two therapeutic groups. CONCLUSION The combined immunochemotherapy with R-CHOP resulted in a significantly higher response rate and a prolongation of the TTF as compared with chemotherapy alone. Hence, R-CHOP may serve as a new baseline regimen for advanced stage MCL, but needs to be further improved by novel strategies in remission.
Association of serum uric acid with level of blood pressure in type 2 diabetic patients.

This study was conducted to investigate the association between serum uric acid level and blood pressure in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Sixty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled to the study. None of the patients had a history of gout, were treated with allopurinol, or were treated with antihypertensive drugs previously. The mean duration of DM was 9.2 ± 4.9 years. The mean serum creatinine level was 0.98 ± 0.22 mg/dL, and the mean serum UA level was 4.4 ± 1.2 mg/dL. The mean protein level in 24-hour urine sample was 388 ± 22 mg/d. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure values were 133.0 ± 13.0 mm Hg and 84.0 ± 7.4 mm Hg, respectively. There was no significant difference in levels of serum uric acid, hemoglobin A1c, serum creatinine, proteinuria, or systolic and diastolic pressure between the men and the women. A significant positive correlation was seen between serum UA and systolic (r = 0.312, P = .02) and diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.297, P = .03). Results of this study suggest that serum uric acid had a strong association with levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in type 2 diabetic patients. More attention to the serum uric acid level and treatment of hyperuricemia could halt the progress of diabetic nephropathy.
Therapeutic potential of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors in atherosclerosis

The activity of matrix-degrading metalloproteinases (MMPs) is essential for many of the processes involved in atherosclerotic plaque formation, for example, infiltration of inflammatory cells, smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation and angiogenesis. Furthermore, matrix degradation by MMPs may cause the plaque instability and rupture that leads to the clinical symptoms of atherosclerosis; unstable angina, myocardial infarction and stroke. Together, the family of MMPs can degrade all of the components of the blood vessel extracellular matrix and their activity therefore, is tightly regulated in normal blood vessels. The increased MMP activity during atherosclerotic plaque development and instability must therefore be caused by increased cytokine and growth factor-stimulated gene transcription, elevated zymogen activation and an imbalance in the MMP:TIMP ratio. It is therefore conceivable that inhibition of MMPs or re-establishing the MMP:TIMP balance may be useful in treating the symptoms of atherosclerosis. Recent studies using synthetic MMP inhibitors and gene therapy have highlighted the potential of such an approach.
Nevirapine Plasma Concentrations and Concomitant Use of Rifampin in Patients Coinfected with HIV-1 and Tuberculosis

Objectives In countries with high numbers of HIV/tuberculosis coinfection nevirapine and rifampin are used extensively. However, limited data are available about whether or not nevirapine and rifampin can be safely coadministered without the plasma concentration of nevirapine falling below therapeutic levels. Methods Blood samples for determination of nevirapine plasma concentrations were collected from patients using nevirapine 200 mg twice daily with or without concomitant rifampin. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression models were used to investigate factors possibly related to nevirapine concentrations. Results We received 74 blood samples from patients using nevirapine plus rifampin, and collected blood samples from an equal number of controls using nevirapine only. Groups were similar for age, gender, weight, height and body mass index (BMI). In the rifampin group the mean nevirapine concentration was 5.47 ±2.66mg/l, whereas in the control group the mean nevirapine concentration was 8.72 ±3.98 mg/l. In the rifampin group seven nevirapine trough concentrations were low (<3.1 mg/l), while in the control group two patients had low nevirapine trough concentrations (P=0.164). In the multivariate linear regression analysis, corrected for time after drug intake, the use of rifampin was significantly (P<0.001) associated with lower nevirapine plasma concentrations, whereas higher BMI reached borderline significance (P=0.065). Conclusion Although nevirapine plasma concentrations were 3.3 mg/l lower when co-administered with rifampin, still more than 86% of these patients had nevirapine plasma concentrations >3.1 mg/l. Our results suggest that from a pharmacological point of view the majority of Thai coinfected patients, who have low BMIs, reach nevirapine plasma concentrations that are adequate for treatment of HIV. However this can only be undertaken if nevirapine plasma concentration monitoring is available and can be closely followed.
Preparation of a thermally modified diatomite and a removal mechanism for 1-naphthol from solution.

The adsorption of 1-naphthol (NAP) in aqueous solution was investigated using unmodified and modified diatomite at different temperature, pH, adsorbent mass and contact time. The adsorption capacity of the modified diatomite significantly improved (about 2 times at 298 K) compared to the unmodified diatomite. The adsorption showed a good fit with the Langmuir model. The further data analysis demonstrated that the adsorption of 1-NAP on both materials could be best described by the pseudo second-order kinetic model. The thermodynamic parameters, including Gibbs’ free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy changes (ΔS) were determined. It was observed that the ΔH values (less than 40 kJ/mol) was positive, which indicated that the adsorption process is endothermic, physical adsorption. The ΔG values were negative, indicating that the adsorption of 1-NAP onto raw and modified adsorbent was spontaneous.
Sarcopenia in diabetic nephropathy: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Objective. To investigate the relationship between sarcopenia and diabetic nephropathy. Methods. 56 diabetic patients without complications, 50 diabetic patients with nephropathy, 53 healthy controls included in this present study. Demographic characteristics such as sex, age, anthropometric measurements such as weight, body mass index [BMI], hip circumference, waist circumference and upper arm circumference were measured. Sarcopenia diagnosis was based on European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People [EWGSOP] criteria which consist of hand grip strength, 6-meter walking test and muscle mass. Results. The frequency of sarcopenia increased gradually from 15.1% in healthy control group to 21.4% in the diabetes group, and 34% in diabetic nephropathy group (X2 for trend, p = 0.029). The frequency of sarcopenia was similar in diabetes and diabetic nephropathy group. However, the frequency of sarcopenia was higher in diabetic nephropathy than healthy controls (OR = 2.89, CI [1.11-7.51] in logistic regression). Conclusion: In the present study, the prevalence of sarcopenia was higher in patients with diabetic nephropathy compared to healthy controls.
Temperature and pH effect on lindane removal by Streptomyces sp. M7 in soil extract

This work was conduced to study the removal of γ‐hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane) in a soil extract liquid medium (SE) by Streptomyces sp. M7 and to determine the influence of pH and temperature on bacterial growth and pesticide removal in this medium. When Streptomyces sp. M7 was cultured in SE supplemented with lindane 100 μg l–1 at different initial pH, the maximum growth was observed at pH 7 and the microorganism was not able to grow at pH 5 and 9; the highest pesticide removal (70.4%) by Streptomyces sp. M7 was noted at an initial pH of 7 at 4 weeks of incubation. The maximum removal (70% approximately) was observed when the microorganism was incubated in SE at 30 °C; although the optimal temperature for Streptomyces sp. M7 growth, with and without lindane, was 25 °C, and for the pesticide removal was 30 °C. The results of this study suggest that this actinomycete strain appears as an effective alternative in the remediation of lindane polluted sites. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)