Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of gamma radiation on luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor expression, signal transduction and steroidogenesis in cultured rat Leydig cells

Purpose: To investigate the dose-dependent effects of gamma radiation on rat Leydig cell luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor expression, signal transduction and steroidogenesis. Materials and methods: Leydig cells isolated from testicles of adult male albino rats were cultured and exposed to different doses (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 Gy) of fractioned gamma radiation for three days. Normal as well as irradiated cells were used for the quantification of cell surface LH receptor or LH/cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) stimulation test or total ribonucleic acid (RNA) isolation to study the LH receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) expression by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Radiation was found to have dose-dependent effects on rat Leydig cell surface LH receptor, basal and LH-stimulated cAMP production, basal, LH and cAMP-stimulated steroidogenesis. Lower doses (2 and 4 Gy) of radiation did not induce any change, whereas higher doses (6, 8 and 10 Gy) of radiation exposure diminished the above said parameters significantly. In spite of the low level of cell surface LH receptors following higher doses of radiation exposure, its mRNA level was not altered under any dose level. Conclusion: From these observations, it is concluded that gamma radiation has dose-dependent inhibitory effects on Leydig cell LH signal transduction and steroidogenesis. Decreased cell surface LH receptor following higher doses of radiation exposure is not coupled with altered LH receptor mRNA level.
Distribution of antibiotic resistance and the presence of vancomycin-resistance genes (vanA and vanB) in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from the Sea of Marmara, the Canakkale Strait and the Istanbul Strait, Turkey

Abstract We investigated the frequency of antibiotic resistance of Enterobacteriaceae and the presence of vancomycin-resistance genes in samples taken from the Sea of Marmara, and the Istanbul and Canakkale Straits, Turkey. Different colony-forming bacteria were isolated and identified with the VITEK 2 Compact 30 system. The antibiotic resistance of the isolates was determined by the disc diffusion method. The isolates were tested against amoxicillin, ampicillin, aztreonam, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, cefuroxime, ofloxacin, vancomycin, tetracycline, kanamycin and gentamycin. The presence of vancomycin-resistance genes (vanA and vanB) was also investigated. The level of Enterobacteriaceae species was higher in the Sea of Marmara than in the Istanbul Strait and the Canakkale Strait. Isolates showing resistance to the greatest number of antibiotics were identified from E. coli isolates. The resistance of the selected bacterial isolates were as follows: kanamycin (82%), vancomycin (78%) and ampicillin (60%). Some intermediately vancomycin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates had the vanA gene. This study provides evidence of widespread bacterial resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics in marine environments. It also contributes to the knowledge on the distribution of antibiotic resistance among Enterobacteriaceae and indicates the importance of control measures in domestic water treatment.
Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for lower‐limb critical ischaemia

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) alone was used to treat 54 (23 per cent) of 232 lower limbs with critical ischaemia. Technical success was achieved in 49 cases (91 per cent) with an immediate symptomatic improvement in 47 (87 per cent). There was no death or limb loss attributable to PTA and three embolic complications were successfully treated by percutaneous aspiration. Symptomatic improvement and haemodynamic patency rates at 24 months were 77 and 78 per cent respectively; 27 of 34 limbs with ulceration or gangrene had healed with minor surgery by a median of 7.5 (range 3.0–18.0) months. Patient survival and limb salvage rates at the same time interval were 76 and 89 per cent respectively. These results demonstrate that, for a selected group of patients with lower‐limb‐critical ischaemia, PTA can be a highly successful therapeutic option with a low associated morbidity.
Acaricide residues in honeys from Galicia (N.W. Spain).

Honey samples (101) from Galicia (N.W. Spain) were analyzed by gas chromatography (electron capture and flame ionization) for the presence of acaricides (amitraz, bromopropylate, coumaphos, and fluvalinate). Seventy-three samples were free from detectable residues. Bromopropylate residues were found in 16 samples in levels ranging from 5 to 60 microg/kg. Fluvalinate residues were found in 11 samples in levels ranging from 10 to 40 microg/kg. One sample contained 100 microg of fluvalinate per kg. Neither amitraz nor coumaphos residues were detected.
roduction of polymeric micelles by microfluidic technology for combined drug elivery : Application to osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal igament mesenchymal stem cells ( hPDLSCs )

The current paper reports the production of polymeric micelles (PMs), based on pluronic blockcopolymers, as drug carriers, precisely controlling the cellular delivery of drugs with various physico-chemical characteristics. PMs were produced with a microfluidic platform to exploit further control on the size characteristic of the PMs. PMs were designed for the co-delivery of dexamethasone (Dex) and ascorbyl-palmitate (AP) to in vitro cultured human periodontal ligament mesenchymal stem cells (hPDLSCs) for the combined induction of osteogenic differentiation. Mixtures of block-copolymers and drugs in organic, water miscible solvent, were conveniently converted in PMs within microfluidic channel leveraging the fast mixing at the microscale. Our results demonstrated that the drugs can be efficiently co-encapsulated in PMs and that different production parameters can be adjusted in order to modulate the PM characteristics. The comparative analysis of PM produced by microfluidic and conventional procedures confirmed that the use of microfluidics platforms allowed the production of PMs in a robust manner with improved controllability, reproducibility, smaller size and polydispersity. Finally, the analysis of the effect of PMs, containing Dex and AP, on the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs is reported. The data demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of PM treatment on hPDLSC. In conclusion, this report indicates that microfluidic approach represents an innovative and useful method for PM controlled preparation, warrant further evaluation as general methodology for the proms fo duction of colloidal syste
Does uranium induce circulatory diseases? First results from a French cohort of uranium workers

Objectives Increased risk of circulatory system diseases (CSDs) was observed in nuclear workers handling uranium and plutonium in Russia and the UK. This work examines the CSD mortality after chronic intake of uranium among 2897 workers (79 892 person-years) at a uranium processing plant (1960–2006) in France. Methods Cumulative exposure to different uranium compounds, classified by their isotopic composition and solubility type, was quantified on the basis of a plant-specific job-exposure matrix and individual job histories. HRs and associated 95% CI for CSD (n=111) and specific CSD categories were estimated using Cox regression models, stratified on sex and birth cohort and adjusted for potential confounders. The effect of smoking was analysed among 260 smokers (42 CSD deaths). Results Compared to unexposed workers, CSD mortality was increased among workers exposed to slowly soluble reprocessed uranium (RPU) (HR=2.13, 95% CI=0.96 to 4.70) and natural uranium (HR=1.73, 95% CI=1.11 to 2.69). The risk increased with cumulative exposure and exposure duration. In the subgroup of smokers, the risk estimates were higher but with larger CIs: HR=1.91 (95% CI=0.92 to 3.98) for natural uranium and HR=4.78 (95% CI=1.38 to 16.50) for RPU. Conclusions The authors observed that exposure to slowly soluble uranium, namely RPU, may increase the risk of CSD mortality. However, these results are preliminary since the study is lacking statistical power and many other biological and lifestyle-related factors may cause CSD. More detailed investigations are necessary to confirm these findings and analyse in depth the effects of internal radiation exposure on the circulatory system.
UC Davis UC Davis Previously Published Works Title What You Say Is What You Get : How Self-Disclosure in Support Seeking Affects Language Use in Support Provision in

This experimental study examined how depth of self-disclosure (baseline, peripheral, core) in support-seeking posts influenced forum viewers’ interaction involvement and reciprocal self-disclosure in their responses. A series of competing hypotheses derived from several theoretical frameworks were tested. Results obtained from computerized text analyses showed that self-concept self-disclosure was associated with higher levels of interaction involvement and reciprocal self-disclosure in viewers’ response messages. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.
Hypervariable Region 1 Differentially Impacts Viability of Hepatitis C Virus Strains of Genotypes 1 to 6 and Impairs Virus Neutralization

ABSTRACT Hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 envelope glycoprotein has been implicated in virus neutralization and persistence. We deleted HVR1 from JFH1-based HCV recombinants expressing Core/E1/E2/p7/NS2 of genotypes 1 to 6, previously found to grow efficiently in human hepatoma Huh7.5 cells. The 2aΔHVR1, 5aΔHVR1, and 6aΔHVR1 Core-NS2 recombinants retained viability in Huh7.5 cells, whereas 1aΔHVR1, 1bΔHVR1, 2bΔHVR1, 3aΔHVR1, and 4aΔHVR1 recombinants were severely attenuated. However, except for recombinant 4aΔHVR1, viruses eventually spread, and reverse genetics studies revealed adaptive envelope mutations that rescued the infectivity of 1aΔHVR1, 1bΔHVR1, 2bΔHVR1, and 3aΔHVR1 recombinants. Thus, HVR1 might have distinct functional roles for different HCV isolates. Ultracentrifugation studies showed that deletion of HVR1 did not alter HCV RNA density distribution, whereas infectious particle density changed from a range of 1.0 to 1.1 g/ml to a single peak at ∼1.1 g/ml, suggesting that HVR1 was critical for low-density HCV particle infectivity. Using chronic-phase HCV patient sera, we found three distinct neutralization profiles for the original viruses with these genotypes. In contrast, all HVR1-deleted viruses were highly sensitive with similar neutralization profiles. In vivo relevance for the role of HVR1 in protecting HCV from neutralization was demonstrated by ex vivo neutralization of 2a and 2aΔHVR1 produced in human liver chimeric mice. Due to the high density and neutralization susceptibility of HVR1-deleted viruses, we investigated whether a correlation existed between density and neutralization susceptibility for the original viruses with genotypes 1 to 6. Only the 2a virus displayed such a correlation. Our findings indicate that HVR1 of HCV shields important conserved neutralization epitopes with implications for viral persistence, immunotherapy, and vaccine development.
Elective Cesarean Delivery: The Pelvic Perspective

Elective cesarean delivery, or cesarean delivery on maternal request, was the focus of a recent State-of-the-Science Conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. On the basis of the information from comprehensive literature review and expert speakers, the panelists determined that weak-quality evidence supported elective cesarean delivery over planned vaginal delivery for urinary incontinence, although the duration of effect is not clear. For other maternal outcomes related to pelvic floor function, including pelvic organ prolapse, fecal incontinence and other anorectal symptoms, and sexual function, weak-quality evidence did not favor either route of delivery.
Phylogenetic positions of Aspidisca steini and Euplotes vannus within the order Euplotida (Hypotrichia: Ciliophora) inferred from complete small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences

Summary. The small subunit rRNA (SSrRNA) genes were sequenced for the hypotrichous ciliates, Aspidisca steini and Euplotes vannus. These two genera form a monophyletic clade and branch first in the euplotid clade at a long level with strong bootstrap support in both distance matrix and maximum parsimony tree construction methods. The phylogenetic trees further suggest the postulated relationships among families within the order Euplotida that (1) the order Euplotida, represented by Uronychia, Diophrys, Euplotidium, Euplotes and Aspidisca, forms a paraphyletic group; (2) the families Euplotidae and Aspidiscidae, likely as a monophyletic clade, share a common ancestor; (3) two other irelatedi genera, Uronychia and Diophrys, which were usually placed in the family Uronychiidae, branch later and share closer relationship each other than they are to other euplotids. On the contrary, Euplotidium arenarium, placed in the family Gastrocirrhidae, might be more closely related to Uronychia-Diophrys than to the Aspidisca-Euplotes group.
Natural Resource Management and Gender: Reflections from Watershed Programmes in India

This paper examines a watershed project in India which adheres to the fourth type of policy intervention that is within the gender, environment and development perspective. These policy interventions are projects for men and women, jointly, where the objectives are the improvement of the community as a whole or the economic growth of a state. It is noted that the existing approach in watershed development in the country lays special emphasis on vegetative measures for conservation of soil water as compared to the earlier emphasis on soil works and water harvesting structures. This approach is considered to be more beneficial environmentally as opposed to intensive agriculture. In the context of gender issues, although women's participation is emphasized in the implementation of the project, several limitations have been specified. In view of this, alternative approaches for ensuring sustainable livelihood and women's role within it are explored and recommended. Moreover, an analysis of the GED interface in the specific context of rain-fed farming in the western part of the country is included.
Duty of care and autonomy: how support workers managed the tension between protecting service users from risk and promoting their independence in a specialist group home.

BACKGROUND In the UK those paid to support adults with intellectual disabilities must manage two potentially conflicting duties that are set out in policy documents as being vital to their role: protecting service users (their duty of care) and recognising service users' autonomy. This study focuses specifically on the support of people with the genetically determined condition, Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Due to the behaviours associated with PWS, the support of this group of people vividly illustrates the tension between respect for autonomy and duty of care. This article explores how support workers working in a residential group home managed their competing duties of managing risk and promoting independence in practice. METHODS An ethnographic study, comprising of qualitative observations, semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis, was undertaken to investigate the work of support workers in a UK residential group home specialising in the support of adults diagnosed with PWS. The study focused on how support workers attempted to reconcile the tension between protecting service users from the risks associated with the syndrome and acknowledging service users' autonomy by enabling independence. RESULTS Findings demonstrate that risk was central to the structure of care delivery at the group home and support workers often adhered to standardised risk management procedures. The organisation also required support workers to promote service users' independence and many thought acknowledging service users' autonomy through the promotion of their independence was important. To manage tensions between their differing duties, some support workers deviated from standardised risk management procedures to allow service users a degree of independence. CONCLUSIONS There is a tension between the duty of care and the duty to recognise autonomy at the level of service delivery in residential homes. Support workers attempt to manage this tension; however, further work needs to be done by both residential services and policy makers to facilitate the reconciliation of the duty of care with the duty to recognise service users' autonomy in practice.
Antagonistic effects of fluconazole and 5-fluorocytosine on candidacidal action of amphotericin B in human serum

This study addressed the effects of fluconazole and 5-fluorocytosine on the candidacidal activity of amphotericin B in the presence of human serum. A Candida albicans isolate that was susceptible to all three agents according to standard testing procedures was employed. Fungicidal activity was estimated by using a flow cytometric procedure that exploited the fact that yeast cells killed by amphotericin B diminish in size and take up propidium iodide. The following findings were made. (i) Fluconazole and 5-fluorocytosine each failed to inhibit pseudohyphal formation and cell aggregation even when applied at 10 and 50 micrograms/ml, respectively, for up to 10 h. Hence, these agents were not fungistatic when tested in the presence of serum. (ii) Simultaneous application of 5-fluorocytosine had neither enhancing nor inhibitory effects on the fungicidal activity of amphotericin B. However, yeasts that were preincubated for 20 h with 5-fluorocytosine became less susceptible to killing by amphotericin B. (iii) Fluconazole exerted a frank antagonistic effect on the fungicidal activity of amphotericin B. Thus, under our in vitro conditions, both fluconazole and 5-fluorocytosine can overtly antagonize the candidacidal action of amphotericin B.
Temperature-sensitive mutants of herpes simplex virus type 1 defective in lysis but not in transformation

Twelve temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), representing seven complementation groups, were isolated subsequent to 5-bromodeoxyuridine mutagenesis. These mutants were identified by their inability to replicate in a line of monkey (CV-1) cells at 39 C. Seven of these mutants, representing six complementation groups, induced thymidine kinase (tk) and transformed Ltk- cells, a line of mouse L cells lacking tk, to a tk+ phenotype at both the permissive (34 C) and nonpermissive (39 C) temperatures. Thus, the defective cistrons in these six complementation groups, although necessary for lysis, have no essential function in this transformation system. Transformation by these 12 mutants was dependent on prior UV irradiation. Infection of cells with unirradiated virus under conditions which did not permit virus replication was not sufficient to allow cell transformation. Five mutants, representing two complementation groups, were tk- and were incapable of causing the tk--to-tk+ transformation at either 34 C of 39 C. The tk defects in these mutants are probably unrelated to the ts defects, since one of these complementation groups contains a tk+ member. Therefore, transformation of Ltk- cells to a tk+ phenotype by HSV-1 requires an active viral tk gene. One complementation group was represented by a single tk- member. The role of this cistron in transformation remains undetermined since the primary block to transformation is presumed to be the tk- phenotype. Mutants representing the seven complementation groups were unable to replicate at 39 C in two lines of HSV-1-transformed cells, indicating that the activities of resident wild-type copies of the defective cistrons, if present, could not be detected by complementation.
Pharmacological Management of Refractory Depression

Managing patients with “treatment resistant depression” offers a major challenge to clinical psychiatrists, psychopharmacologists, and others. Firstly, patient heterogeneity must be recognized in terms of symptom presentation, biological variables, co-morbidity with other psychiatric and medical disorders and associated personality disorder. Secondly, a rigorous approach to the treatment resistant patient must allow for adequate individual and combination therapies including heterocyclic agents, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, electroconvulsive therapy, and augmentation with lithium carbonate or thyroid hormone. The novel antidepressant therapies have not so far altered the relapsing course of depressive illness for many patients.
Psychosocial benefits of a cancer support group

Many clinicians use group support to reduce the psychosocial difficulties of persons with cancer. This study compared the long‐term benefits of a thematic counseling model used both as a structure for group support and for counseling patients individually. The thematic model included eight counseling sessions focused on information about cancer and positive health strategies such as progressive relaxation, diet, and exercise. The psychosocial status of women newly diagnosed with gynecologic cancer was assessed before the counseling, immediately after counseling, and again 6 months later. The women who participated in thematic counseling were significantly less depressed and less anxious and had more knowledge of their illness, better relationships with care givers, fewer sexual difficulties, and more participation in leisure activities. Data confirmed the model to be equally helpful whether it was used as a structure for individual counseling or more cost‐effective group counseling. This model is easily adaptable to the needs of persons with other forms of cancer.
Smart Tirana

Albania represents an interesting case of a newly emerging destination in the international tourist market, with intensive pressures coming from seasonal visit flows and the related impacts on the environment. The Albanian Culture Marketing Strategy, while correctly focusing on heritage for the de-seasoning of visits in congested areas and for awareness-raising about the country’s cultural identity among tourists and residents, presents some limitations in the definition of application patterns and concrete solutions. In particular, the active contribution of potential users, of ICTs and, in particular, the potentialities of widespread tools such as mobile apps seem to be overlooked. In this article, the current scenario of the Albanian tourism sector, with particular emphasis on the cultural segment, is presented through a detailed analysis of relevant program documents in order to outline strengths and weaknesses of the underlying approach. Then, the potential contribution of mobile apps to the sustainable development of destinations are analyzed and the market of available technologies is presented through a taxonomy of a consistent number of representative cases. Finally, the SOS-Tirana app is presented and its adequateness to the context is discussed.
SPECTRAL-DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY EVALUATION OF RETINAL STRUCTURE IN PATIENTS WITH SUSACS SYNDROME

Purpose: To report spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) features in patients diagnosed with Susacs syndrome. Methods: Clinical report of two cases. Results: Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was performed in two patients diagnosed with Susacs syndrome. Both the patients had normal macular perfusion on fluorescein angiography (FA). However, SD-OCT revealed bilateral, temporal macular atrophy with disorganization and thinning of the retinal layers. The outer plexiform layer showed nodularity and waviness suggestive of ischemic swelling of the bipolar cells. Conclusion: Retinal structural changes in Susacs syndrome have not been described earlier. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography may be more sensitive than fluorescein angiography in detecting microstructural retinal alterations in various layers, especially in apparently perfused retina. These findings may provide an insight into the pathogenesis of Susacs syndrome.