Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Enterococcus faecalis isolates by chicken embryo lethality assay and ERIC-PCR

ABSTRACT Enterococcus faecalis is the major causative agent of amyloid arthropathy in chickens. Given the difficulty of estimating the risk from field strains, the embryo lethality assay (ELA) is proposed in this study as a model to predict the virulence of 68 avian E. faecalis strains. Additionally, Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus Polymerase Chain Reaction (ERIC-PCR) was used to characterize the genetic diversity of the E. faecalis strains. The ELA was performed 10 times with subsets of 7–8 E. faecalis strains each on a sample of 9987 eggs, including control groups. An estimated 3–24 colony-forming units were inoculated into the allantoic cavity of 10-day-old embryos. The embryonic mortality rate (EMR) was determined by means of candling the eggs over a period of seven days. The ELA was able to distinguish the virulence of the E. faecalis strains. Twenty-six strains were considered as avirulent strains with an EMR of below 40%. Five strains were highly virulent with an EMR above 80%. The remaining 37 strains were classified as strains of moderate virulence, causing an EMR between 40% and 80%. The highest EMR occurred three and four days post-inoculation (p.i.). From the fourth day p.i. , almost no embryonic mortality was observed. Therefore, the ELA could be optimized by reducing experiment duration to four days p.i. ERIC-PCR did not cluster the strains according to its virulence, although ERIC banding patterns revealed a considerable genetic diversity. In conclusion, the ELA can be considered a reliable and useful tool to predict the virulence of avian E. faecalis strains.
Aged-Care Professionals' and Health Care Professionals' Self-Reported Impact of Printed Educational Material on Clinical Practice

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the printed educational material (PEM), the Residential Aged-Care (RAC) Communiqué, on the changing clinical practice of health and aged-care professionals. Methods: The RAC Communiqué is a PEM that contains case narratives from Coroners' investigations into potentially preventable deaths in nursing homes. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted, using an anonymous electronic survey distributed to all subscribers of the RAC Communiqué. The questionnaire consisted of 40 questions in five sections, such as respondent characteristics, respondent preferences and reading behavior, respondent opinion about the RAC Communiqué content, and the mode of its delivery, impact of the RAC Communiqué, and the details of changes in professional practice. Results: The response rate was 58.3% (367/630). Respondents were mostly women aged 45 years and older (n = 319, 86.9%) with more than 10 years of experience (n = 241, 65.7%) in management (n = 171, 46.6%) or nursing (n = 65, 17.7%). Of the 367 respondents, 204 (55.6%) reported changing their practice. Multivariate analysis revealed that women (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01–4.35) aged between 45 and 54 (OR = 2.06, CI = 1.13–3.75), who read most of the RAC Communiqué (OR = 2.77, CI = 1.34–5.72) and were subscribed for more than 1 year (OR = 3.58, CI = 1.61–7.95) were significantly associated with practice change. Discussion: More than half of the survey respondents who read the RAC Communiqué self-reported a change in practice highlighting its impact and efficacy as PEM.
A Theory-Based Study of Factors Explaining General Practitioners' Intention to Use and Participation in Electronic Continuing Medical Education

Introduction: Electronic modes of continuing medical education (eCME) can provide an appropriate and scalable way of updating the knowledge and skills of general practitioners (GPs). To optimize the adoption of eCME and develop efficient and cost-effective eCME programs, factors explaining GPs' intention to use eCME must first be elucidated. Methods: Using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a framework, we developed a questionnaire and administered it to GPs in seven CME seminars in Isfahan, Iran, in 2014. Three domains of GPs' intention to use eCME were measured: attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms. We used linear and logistic regression to identify the main predictors of intention and behavior. Results: GPs who had high score in perceived behavioral control and a more positive attitude toward e-learning had a higher intention to adopt it for CME. In contrast, subjective norms (eg, social pressures to use eCME) were not a predictor. Attitude toward usefulness of eCME was the main predictor of being an actual eCME user. Discussion: Perceived behavioral control and attitude constitute the main predictors of the intention to use eCME. Establishing discussions forums and strengthening organizational support for eCME through an increased awareness among clinical superiors and CME managers would be expected to increase GPs' intention to use eCME.
Audit in clinical practice: evaluating use of a nutrition screening tool developed for trauma nurses

Background: The Nutrition Checklist screening tool was developed by dietitians for the trauma nursing staff at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Its purpose was to identify those at nutritional risk so that dietetic assessment and intervention could be implemented. This paper focuses on a single day audit that was devised 5 months post-initiation of the Nutrition Checklist. Method: Data from 48 nursing care plans was used to measure compliance of recording a nutrition score (and re-scoring where applicable) alongside the timing of dietetic referral and intervention. Results: Sixty-seven per cent (32/48) of trauma patients had a nutrition score recorded, however only 75% (24/32) of these patients were scored within 24 h of admission. Of those due for reassessment, only 38% (11/29) were rescored. Eighty-eight per cent (23/26) of the patients who scored ≥ 3 (automatic referrals) were referred to the dietitian; the dietitian documented 100% (23/23) of referrals. Conclusion: The audit suggests limited use of the screening tool by nurses. Collaboration between the nursing team, dietitian, consultant team, catering and clinical auditors could improve compliance in the use of the Nutrition Checklist and ultimately lead to improved clinical practice in nutritional care delivery. Despite its limitations, the audit exercise was a valuable learning experience in the maintenance of a nursing Nutrition Checklist. Further research is needed to assess whether the introduction of such a screening tool improves patient outcomes by minimizing nutrition-related complications.
Phytochemical and Cytogenetic Characterization of Centaurea solstitialis L. (Asteraceae) from Croatia

The cytogenetic characterization of Centaurea solstitialis L. (Asteraceae) showed a chromosome number of 2n = 16. Karyotype is composed by four pairs of metacentric, two pairs of submetacentric and two pairs of subtelocentric chromosomes. Physical mapping of two rDNA probes revealed two loci of 35S and one locus of 5S rRNA genes. Chromomycin fluorochrome banding revealed that all rDNA loci were GC rich. The genome size (2C‐value) of 1.95 pg classes this species in the group of very small genomes. Chemical composition of C. solstitialis volatile oil (VO) from Croatia, studied with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry showed dominant components as it follows: hexadecanoic acid, α‐linolenic acid, germacrene D and heptacosane. Antioxidant capacity, measured by ferric reducing power assay and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl methods, as well as inhibition of acetyl‐ and butyrylcholinesterase of VO was lower comparing to a standard solutions. Volatile oil tested with disc diffusion method showed good inhibitory potential against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and all tested fungi: Candida albicans, Penicillium funiculosum and Aspergillus fumigatus. The microdilution method showed best activity against Chronobacter sakazakii and A. fumigatus.
Usefulness of Random Fecal α1-Antitrypsin and Chymotrypsin Determinations in Children

Random fecal chymotrypsin activity and fecal α1-antitrypsin (FA-1-AT) concentrations were determined in 11 children with cystic fibrosis, 5 children with Crohn's disease, 9 children with chronic aspecific diarrhea, 85 children with acute gastroenteritis, and 54 control children. Cystic fibrosis patients showed only very low fecal chymotrypsin values that did not overlap with values obtained in patients with either acute or chronic diarrhea. When compared with our control group, a significant increase of FA-1-AT concentrations was found only in children with Crohn's disease. Normal values were found in all patients with either chronic aspecific diarrhea or cystic fibrosis, while 12 of 85 children with acute gastroenteritis showed FA-1-AT concentrations above the 95th percentile of control children. We conclude that diarrhea (either acute or chronic) does not significantly decrease the clinical usefulness of fecal chymotrypsin activity measurements in the diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency, while acute (gastroenteritis) but not chronic (chronic aspecific diarrhea, cystic fibrosis) diarrhea can give rise to protein losing and FA-1-AT concentrations similar to those found in Crohn's disease.
Comparing day care at green care farms and at regular day care facilities with regard to their effects on functional performance of community-dwelling older people with dementia

Day care at green care farms (GCFs) is a new care modality for community-dwelling older people with dementia. In view of the more physical and normal daily life activities available at GCFs than at RDCFs, we investigated whether functional decline differed between subjects from both day care settings. In this observational cohort study, primary caregivers of 47 subjects from GCFs and 41 subjects from RDCFs rated the subjects’ functional performance three times during one year. They also provided information on the subjects’ diseases and medication use. Generally, no significant change over time in functional performance, the number of diseases and the number of medications was observed, and no differences in these rates of change were found between subjects from both day care settings. This study suggests that GCFs are not more effective in maintaining functional performance or slowing down its decline in community-dwelling older people with dementia than RDCFs.
Changes in trends in colorectal cancer incidence rate by anatomic site between 1978 and 2004 in Japan

Although colorectal cancer (CRC), a major type of cancer worldwide, has shown a proximal or right-sided shift in subsite distribution in western countries, trends in subsite incidence in Asian countries remain unclear. Here, we evaluated subsite-specific trends in CRC incidence rate between 1978 and 2004 in Japan using large data from 10 population-based cancer registries. The colorectal sites (C18–C20) were categorized into three groups: proximal colon (C18.0–C18.5), distal colon (C18.6–C18.7), and rectum (C19.9 and C20.9). Trends in age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) were characterized by joinpoint regression analysis. A total of 303 802 CRC cases were analyzed. Overall, ASRs increased remarkably until 1993, with an annual percentage change (APC) of 4.9%, and then stabilized thereafter. By subsite, however, ASRs of proximal colon significantly increased, with APCs of 7.1% (1978–1991), 3.8% (1991–1996), and 0.9% (1996–2004); distal colon showed an initial significant increase, with an APC of 7.6%, but stabilized from 1991 until the end of observation; and rectal cancer showed an initial significant increase, with APCs of 1.9% (1978–1988) and 5.6% (1988–1992), but then decreased abruptly in 1992, the year CRC screening was introduced nationwide, with an APC of −1.0%. Thus, we revealed that changes in incidence trends for the three anatomic sites apparently began to differ in the 1990s. Careful monitoring is necessary to confirm whether these trends are changing in the Japanese population.
Effect of Spirulina platensis Supplementation on Nutritional and Biochemical Parameters of Under Five Years Malnourished Children from an Orphanage in Douala, Cameroon

Malnutrition is the underlying cause of 50% of morbidity and mortality in the under-five age group. Its frequencies have been increasing in young Cameroon children during the past three decades (stunting â‰¥ 38%; anemia â‰¥ 58%; Zinc â‰¥ 69% and vitamin A â‰¥ 38%) We carried out a prospective study to assess the supplementation effect of Spirulina platensis on moderate and mild malnutrition on children under five years old. Seven children (4-5 years) were enrolled in this study. Children were enrolled in nutritional rehabilitation for 25 days. Each child received 8g of supplement daily, 4g in the morning and 4g in the evening. Anthropometric and haematologic parameters were measured before and after rehabilitation. Mild and moderate malnutrition, wasting and underweight was seen in 4 children anthropometrically (no child was stunted) and haematologically in all 7 children before rehabilitation started. The children were weighted four times (First week at enrollment (W1), week 2 (W2), Week 3 (W3), Week 4 (W4)). After 25 days, a significant gain in weight was observed and varying from 17.21 Â± 2.00Kg (W 1 ) to 18.45 Â± 2.07Kg (W 2 ) and from 18.143 Â± 1.77Kg (W 3 ) to 18.67 Â± 1.93Kg (W 4 ) with their respective P- values at 0.02 (W 2 ), 0.02 (W 3 ) and 0.04 (W 4 ) after rehabilitation. The following biomarkers and their constants also showed a significant variation: calcium (73.91 Â± 16.89mg/L vs 88.41 Â± 14.83mg/L (p = 0.03), mean cell volume (86.14 Â± 4.38 fl vs 83.86 Â± 4.83 fl (p = 0.04) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (32.10 Â± 0.38 g/dL vs 34.27 Â± 3.35 g/dL (p = 0.03) respectively before and after rehabilitation. Other biomarkers (proteins, haemoglobin, haematocrit, platelets, red blood cells, white blood cells, neutrophiles, eosinophiles, basophiles, monocytes, lymphocytes) had also increased in non a significant manner. The study showed that spirulina platensis impact positively in the fight against malnutrition by improving weight and raising the blood content of biomarkers due to its high content of proteins (60-70%) and pigments.
Prostatic Diseases and Male Voiding Dysfunction Detection of Nanobacteria Infection in Type III Prostatitis

After anti-NB treatment, the NB-positive rates had decreased from 62.5% to 16.7% in the expressed prostatic secretions and from 12.5% to 0% in the urine samples after prostatic massage (P 0.001). In the patients receving a placebo, the positive rates had no obvious change in either the expressed prostatic secretions or the urine samples after prostatic massage (P 0.05). The NB were coccoid or coccobacillary and clustered in a diameter of 100 to 500 nm. The BLAST result revealed that the 16s rRNA gene sequence from the NB in the patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome was 97%, similar to that of the known NB with identity (97%). After anti-NB treatment, the Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index scores decreased significantly. In contrast, no change in the Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index scores was seen after placebo treatment. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study have shown that nanobacterial infection might be an important etiologic factor of type III prostatitis. Anti-NB treatment could be an effective therapy against refractory type III prostatitis. UROLOGY 71: 1091‐1095, 2008. © 2008 Elsevier Inc.
STAPHYLOCOCCIC IMPETIGO CONTAGIOSA

Two types of impetigo contagiosa of Tilbury Fox can be differentiated, the streptococcic and the staphylococcic. It is the purpose of this article to present the pertinent facts and some additional evidence for the etiology and epidemiology of staphylococcic impetigo contagiosa. CLINICAL PICTURE The clinical characteristics of staphylococcic impetigo are best pointed out by comparison with the streptococcic type. Streptococcic impetigo (figs. 1 and 2) is characterized by lesions with thick, so-called stuck-on crusts of a yellowish, honey-like or dirty color. The regional glands are not infrequently swollen. The original vesicle of streptococcic impetigo is so short lived that usually it is not observed; however, on the fingers, where the horny layer is thicker, larger persisting purulent blisters appear, so-called whitlows. On the limbs streptococcic impetigo, otherwise a superficial infection of the epidermis, may penetrate into the cutis and produce crusted ulcerations, which are called ecthyma. Staphylococcic impetigo (figs. 3
Interleukin-10 −592C/A, but not −1082A/G promoter single nucleotide polymorphism, is associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer in an ethnic Kashmiri population: a case–control study

Chronic inflammation influences the development of various cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). Interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory cytokine, plays a vital role in several homeostatic physiological processes occurring in the human gastrointestinal tract including intestinal inflammation and is a key regulator of several gastrointestinal tract pathophysiological processes such as inflammatory bowel diseases that are associated with an increased predisposition to CRC. Several studies have reported the association of various polymorphisms in the human IL-10 gene including IL-10 −592C/A and IL-10 −1082A/G single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with various cancers including CRC, but these SNPs are yet to be studied in a Kashmiri population with respect to CRC risk. The aim of this study was to analyze the association of IL-10 −592C/A and IL-10 −1082A/G promoter SNPs with CRC risk in an ethnic Kashmiri population through a case–control design. The genotype frequencies of IL-10 −592C/A and IL-10 −1082A/G promoter SNPs were compared between 142 CRC patients and 184 individually matched healthy controls using the PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The association between the IL-10 −592C/A and IL-10 −1082A/G SNPs and CRC risk was examined through conditional logistic regression models adjusted for multiple possible confounding (third) variables. The possible effect measure modification of the association between the relevant SNP genotypes and CRC risk by various CRC risk factors including age, sex, and smoking status was also evaluated. Further, the associations between these SNPs and various clinicopathological parameters, demographic variables, and environmental factors in the case group patients with respect to CRC risk were also analyzed. The overall association between the IL-10 −592C/A SNP and the modulation of CRC risk was found to be significant (P=0.001). The variant genotype (AA) was significantly associated with a decreased risk of CRC (odds ratio: 0.25; 95% confidence interval: 0.11–0.61; P=0.002). Further, the less common IL-10 −592A allele was associated with a decreased risk of CRC (odds ratio: 0.64; 95% confidence interval: 0.46–0.88; P=0.0092). The overall association between the IL-10 −1082A/G SNP and the modulation of CRC risk was not found to be significant (P=0.141). This study has shown that there is a significant association between the IL-10 −592C/A promoter SNP and a decreased risk of CRC in an ethnic Kashmiri population, but the association between IL-10 −1082A/G SNP and the risk of CRC in the population under study is not significant. However, to substantiate our findings, this study needs to be replicated with a larger sample size and with other ethnically defined populations with comparable CRC incidence.
Thrombosis and nephritic syndrome in a dog with visceral leishmaniasis

Visceral leishmaniasis with glomerulonephritis and nephrotic syndrome was diagnosed in a six-year-old dog presented with thromboembolic manifestations. A blood coagulation test indicated low levels of antithrombin III, prolonged partial thromboplastin time, hypofibrinogenaemia, an increase in fibrin degradation products and decreased plasminogenic activity. These results confirmed the diagnosis of thrombosis induced by glomerulonephritis, accompanied by secondary fibrinolysis. Bone marrow aspiration revealed an abundance of parasites of the genus Leishmania. Histopathology confirmed the presence of membranous glomerulonephritis due to Leishmania species parasites, as well as the presence of thrombosis in the aorta, iliac arteries, vena cava and femoral veni.
Vimentin affects the mobility and invasiveness of prostate cancer cells

A significant proportion of prostate cancer patients treated with curative intent go on to develop advanced disease. At a fundamental biological level, very little is known about what makes the disease aggressive and metastatic. Observational pathology reports and experimental data suggest that epithelial‐mesenchymal transition is involved in prostate cancer invasiveness. Here, we investigated vimentin expression of prostate cancer cells, and explored the potential mechanism of vimentin promoting prostate cancer cells invasion. Vimentin expression was not detected in well differentiated tumors or in moderately differentiated tumors, but the majority of poorly differentiated cancers (5/11 with negative bone scan, 11/14 bone with positive scan) and bone metastases (8/8) had high vimentin expression in tumor cells. Downregulation of vimentin expression in PC‐3 cells by transfection with antisense‐vimentin led to a significant decrease in tumor cells motility and invasive activity. Furthermore, the expression of E‐cadherin was inversely associated with expression of vimentin. Our results suggest that vimentin affects prostate cancer cells motility and invasiveness. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tinnitus of futures past: Modern tinnitus clinical practice guidelines and the practice of Edmund Prince Fowler Snr (1872–1966)

Abstract Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of an external sound source. Fifty years ago Edmund Prince Fowler Snr (1872–1966) was one of the world's leading tinnitus clinicians. In this review, Fowler's practice is compared to the clinical practice guidelines for tinnitus recently released by the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Despite half a century passing since Fowler's last publication, his approach to tinnitus is, in many ways, still best practice. Fowler's progressive approach to tinnitus and focus on the individual is still a benchmark for current and future practice, and an example of how we can learn from the past.
Androgen receptor gene CAG repeats, estrogen exposure status, and breast cancer susceptibility

The length of a polymorphic CAG repeat in exon 1 of the androgen receptor (AR) is inversely correlated with AR transactivation activity. As heightened androgenic stimulation may oppose breast cell proliferation, which is mediated by AR, we examined whether AR-CAG repeat lengths are related to breast cancer susceptibility. A nested case–control study of 88 newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer between 1992 and 2000 and 334 matched controls was carried out in Taiwanese women. Risk factors were obtained through a standardized questionnaire interview and blood samples were collected and used to determine the number of AR-CAG repeats. Women with one or more long AR (CAG)n repeat alleles (>22 repeats) were not at significantly increased risk of breast cancer [odds ratio (OR), 1.52; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.80–2.90]. Of particular interest was a significantly increased risk associated with the long-allele AR genotype that was present mostly among women with a short duration (<10 years) of early estrogen exposure, as indicated by the interval between age at menarche and age at first full-term pregnancy, as compared with short AR allele genotypes (OR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.00–7.31), although no such significant association in women with a long duration of early estrogen exposure (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.25–1.59) was detected. These data suggest that longer AR (CAG)n repeat alleles may confer an increased risk of breast cancer among particular subsets of individuals, although these findings need replication in other populations.