Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Study and Subsequent Infection : A Relation Between Splenectomy

Six years ago, in a treatise on 'Splenic Function', Hayhoe and Whitby (1955) stated as one of their conclusions that 'the spleen can be removed with relative impunity and low mortality and is not in any way essential to life'. The present study, however, provides evidence to prove that the spleen may be essential to life; that its absence, in infancy particularly, may result in serious and overwhelming infection. Such a relation was suggested first by King and Schumacker (1952), and later by Smith and his colleagues (Smith, Erlandson, Schulman and Stern, 1956; Smith, Erlandson, Schulman and Stern, 1957; Smith, Erlandson, Stern and Schulman, 1960), Gofstein and Gellis (1956), Robinson and Sturgeon (1960) and Lucas and Krivit (1960). On the other hand, this view has been opposed by certain authors, particularly by Gross (1953), and Laski and MacMillan (1959). When the present study was commenced, a critical review of the relevant English and French literature indicated that the essential problem remained unsolved: does splenectomy itself significantly increase the susceptibility of the child to serious infection? To the clinician there seem to be very important reasons for obtaining a definite answer to this question. One is that the recent developments in anaesthetic and surgical techniques and in antibiotic therapy have made the operation of splenectomy far safer than it was a generation ago, when the operative mortality was three or four times as high as it is today. As a result, splenectomy may appear to be justifiable far more often nowadays, even in the neonatal period. Another reason is that in certain disorders, for which splenectomy in infancy was hitherto advocated in some centres, medical treatment has now been developed to the stage where it may effectively replace splenectomy, at least until the later years of childhood when the operation carries less surgical risk. For such cogent and practical reasons it was decided to assess critically the evidence in the literature and to investigate further the problem of the relation between splenectomy and subsequent serious infection. The present study involved a follow-up of 142 patients in whom splenectomy had been performed in childhood. The purposes were first to determine whether there was a significant incidence of serious infections following this operation, secondly to determine whether the incidence of such infections was influenced by the age of the patient at operation, and thirdly to determine whether the incidence was influenced by the nature of the condition for which splenectomy was performed. The incidence of serious bacterial infections following splenectomy in this series was 12-0%. A statistically significant relation of infection to age was shown in infancy: of 10 infants aged 8 months or less at the time of operation, five developed serious infections, three of which were fatal. The findings suggested also that when splenectomy was performed for an underlying disease, it carried a greater risk of subsequent infection than when it was performed for traumatic rupture.
N-terminal tripeptide of IGF-1 improves functional deficits after 6-OHDA lesion in rats

Central administration of N-terminal tripeptide of IGF-1 (GPE) prevents the loss of dopamine neurons. We now examine effects of GPE administered peripherally, on long-term functional recovery after 6-OHDA lesion in rats. GPE treatment (3 mg/kg, i.p.), 3 days after the lesion reduced the number of rotations (p<0.005) and the time over meter (p<0.005) compared to vehicle treatment. Step length and number of adjusting steps were increased in the GPE group (p<0.005), particularly at 12 weeks post lesion. However, GPE treatment did not prevent the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase in the substantia nigra pars compacta and the striatum. The study suggests that peripheral administration of GPE after onset of nigrostriatal dopamine depletion improves long-term Parkinsonian motor deficits, independent of neuronal outcome.
Ultra-Low-Dose Buprenorphine as a Time-Limited Treatment for Severe Suicidal Ideation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE Suicidal ideation and behavior currently have no quick-acting pharmacological treatments that are suitable for independent outpatient use. Suicidality is linked to mental pain, which is modulated by the separation distress system through endogenous opioids. The authors tested the efficacy and safety of very low dosages of sublingual buprenorphine as a time-limited treatment for severe suicidal ideation. METHOD This was a multisite randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of ultra-low-dose sublingual buprenorphine as an adjunctive treatment. Severely suicidal patients without substance abuse were randomly assigned to receive either buprenorphine or placebo (in a 2:1 ratio), in addition to their ongoing individual treatments. The primary outcome measure was change in suicidal ideation, as assessed by the Beck Suicide Ideation Scale at the end of each of 4 weeks of treatment. RESULTS Patients who received ultra-low-dose buprenorphine (initial dosage, 0.1 mg once or twice daily; mean final dosage=0.44 mg/day; N=40) had a greater reduction in Beck Suicide Ideation Scale scores than patients who received placebo (N=22), both after 2 weeks (mean difference -4.3, 95% CI=-8.5, -0.2) and after 4 weeks (mean difference=-7.1, 95% CI=-12.0, -2.3). Concurrent use of antidepressants and a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder did not affect the response to buprenorphine. No withdrawal symptoms were reported after treatment discontinuation at the end of the trial. CONCLUSIONS The time-limited, short-term use of very low dosages of sublingual buprenorphine was associated with decreased suicidal ideation in severely suicidal patients without substance abuse. Further research is needed to establish the efficacy, safety, dosing, and appropriate patient populations for this experimental treatment.
Field Anesthesia of Wild Ring-tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta) Using Tiletamine–Zolazepam, Medetomidine, and Butorphanol

Abstract Telazol® has been commonly used for field anesthesia of wild lemurs, including ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta). Telazol alone provides good induction, but doesn't cause adequate muscle relaxation and sedation for collecting consistent somatic measurements and high-quality dental impressions that are sometimes needed. Variability in induction response has been seen between individuals that have received similar dosages, with young lemurs seeming to need more anesthetic than mature lemurs. This investigation evaluated Telazol induction in young (2.0–4.9 yr) and mature (≥5.0 yr) ring-tailed lemurs and compared postinduction supplementation with medetomidine or medetomidine–butorphanol. Forty-eight lemurs were anesthetized with Telazol administered via blow dart; then, 20 min after darting, they were supplemented via hand injection with either medetomidine (0.04 mg/kg) or medetomidine–butorphanol (0.04 mg/kg and 0.2 mg/kg, respectively). The odds ratio for young lemurs to need more than one dart for induction, relative to mature lemurs, was 3.8, even though the initial dose of Telazol received by young lemurs (19 ± 7 mg/kg) was significantly higher than the initial dose administered to mature lemurs (12 ± 5 mg/kg). The total Telazol dosage was also significantly different between young lemurs (33 ± 15 mg/kg) and mature lemurs (18 ± 9 mg/kg). Both medetomidine and medetomidine–butorphanol provided good muscle relaxation and sedation for all procedures. Physiologic values were similar between the two protocols. Oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry was generally good, although there were a few SaO2 values <90%. Recoveries were smooth, but long. Time to head up was correlated with total Telazol dosage in mature lemurs. In young lemurs, time to standing was correlated with Telazol induction dosage and time of last Telazol administration. Lemurs that received hand injections of Telazol took longer to recover than those that did not. Further refinements are needed to increase induction reliability and to decrease recovery time, particularly in young lemurs.
A transmission-virulence evolutionary trade-off explains attenuation of HIV-1 in Uganda

Evolutionary theory hypothesizes that intermediate virulence maximizes pathogen fitness as a result of a trade-off between virulence and transmission, but empirical evidence remains scarce. We bridge this gap using data from a large and long-standing HIV-1 prospective cohort, in Uganda. We use an epidemiological-evolutionary model parameterised with this data to derive evolutionary predictions based on analysis and detailed individual-based simulations. We robustly predict stabilising selection towards a low level of virulence, and rapid attenuation of the virus. Accordingly, set-point viral load, the most common measure of virulence, has declined in the last 20 years. Our model also predicts that subtype A is slowly outcompeting subtype D, with both subtypes becoming less virulent, as observed in the data. Reduction of set-point viral loads should have resulted in a 20% reduction in incidence, and a three years extension of untreated asymptomatic infection, increasing opportunities for timely treatment of infected individuals. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.20492. 001
The Determinants of Breastfeeding for Mexican Migrant Women

This article develops an economic model for assessing Mexican agricultural migrants decision to breastfeed. The resulting hypotheses from our model are linked to health care and welfare program access, cultural factors, and employment. Using a probit analysis of our variables, a major finding is that non-traditional practices such as out of home childcare, birth control and alcohol use have a negative impact on the probability of breastfeeding. We also found that working women in our sample population are less likely to breastfeed.
Effectiveness of ultrasonography in diagnosis of maxillary sinus disease: a prospective comparison with radiographic and sinusoscopic examinations.

AIM To assess the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in comparison to radiographic and sinusoscopic techniques of maxillary sinuses examinations in acute and chronic sinus inflammations. METHODS Ninety diseased sinuses in 50 patients (32 male and 18 female) were examined radiographically, ultrasonographically, and sinusoscopically. Ultrasonography was performed with Sinuscan 102 Sinusprint with 3.0 MHz transducer frequency, with A-mode curve display and Bulk-display. Radiography was performed in occipitonasofrontal and occipitonasomental projection, and sinusoscopy by local anesthesia using an optic instrument under 0 degrees, 30 degrees, and 70 degrees. Statistical assessment of ultrasonography sensitivity and specificity in relation to radiographic and sinusoscopic techniques was carried out. The data were compared using McNemar's test for paired data. RESULTS Negative ultrasonographic agreed with negative radiographic findings in 18 of 20 sinuses. When ultrasonographic findings revealed mucosal thickening, complete filling, polyp or cyst, the agreements with radiographic findings were 24/30, 21/25, and 11/15, respectively. Negative ultrasonography agreed with negative sinusoscopic findings in 17/20 sinuses. When ultrasonographic findings revealed mucosal thickening, complete filling, polyp or cyst of the maxillary sinuses, the agreements with sinusoscopic findings were 26/30, 23/25, and 13/15, respectively. In comparison to radiological findings, the sensitivity of ultrasonography was 0.93 and specificity 0.60, and in comparison to sinusoscopic examination, sensitivity of ultrasonography was 0.93 and specificity 0.74. CONCLUSIONS Ultrasonography can be used as a diagnostic method in the early diagnosis of sinus diseases. Compared to radiographic and sinusoscopic findings, it shows a high agreement in negative and positive findings, i.e., a high sensitivity and specificity.
Home Cervical Ripening With Dinoprostone Gel in Nulliparous Women With Singleton Pregnancies

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether home cervical ripening is safe and results in shorter hospital stay. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of women with singleton pregnancies having induction of labor for postmaturity at a single center between January 2007 and June 2010. Women were offered home cervical ripening with 1 mg dinoprostone gel if they were nulliparous, had uncomplicated singleton pregnancies, and the indication for induction was postmaturity. RESULTS: Nine hundred seven of 1,536 (59.1%) nulliparous women having induction of labor for postmaturity were eligible for home cervical ripening. The median number of hours at home was 11.76 hours (range 0–24.82 hours). There were no cases of birth outside of the hospital, uterine rupture, or significant neonatal morbidity or neonatal death related to home cervical ripening. Eighty-five (5.5%) women who underwent hospital cervical ripening because of maternal preference or social issues formed a hospital cervical ripening comparison group. There was no significant difference in the total number of hours before delivery spent in the hospital between the two groups (26.25; 95% confidence interval [CI] 25.27–27.23 in home cervical ripening group compared with 24.28; 95% CI 22.5–26.0 in the hospital group; P=.26). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical outcomes are comparable in nulliparous women who receive a single dose of dinoprostone gel for home cervical ripening compared with those who undergo hospital cervical ripening. However, preadmission home cervical ripening with 1 mg dinoprostone does not decrease the number of hours women spend in the hospital. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Peptidoglycan synthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is organized into networks with varying drug susceptibility

Significance The rise of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) underscores the critical need for a better understanding of essential physiological processes. Among these is cell-wall synthesis, the target of many antibiotics. To understand how Mtb orchestrates synthesis of its cell wall, we performed whole-genome interaction studies in cells with different peptidoglycan synthesis mutations. We found that different enzymes become required for bacterial growth in ΔponA1, ΔponA2, or ΔldtB cells, suggesting that discrete cell envelope biogenesis networks exist in Mtb. Furthermore, we show that these networks’ enzymes are differentially susceptible to cell-wall–active drugs. Our data provide insight into the essential processes of cell-wall synthesis in Mtb and highlight the role of different synthesis networks in antibiotic tolerance. Peptidoglycan (PG), a complex polymer composed of saccharide chains cross-linked by short peptides, is a critical component of the bacterial cell wall. PG synthesis has been extensively studied in model organisms but remains poorly understood in mycobacteria, a genus that includes the important human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The principle PG synthetic enzymes have similar and, at times, overlapping functions. To determine how these are functionally organized, we carried out whole-genome transposon mutagenesis screens in Mtb strains deleted for ponA1, ponA2, and ldtB, major PG synthetic enzymes. We identified distinct factors required to sustain bacterial growth in the absence of each of these enzymes. We find that even the homologs PonA1 and PonA2 have unique sets of genetic interactions, suggesting there are distinct PG synthesis pathways in Mtb. Either PonA1 or PonA2 is required for growth of Mtb, but both genetically interact with LdtB, which has its own distinct genetic network. We further provide evidence that each interaction network is differentially susceptible to antibiotics. Thus, Mtb uses alternative pathways to produce PG, each with its own biochemical characteristics and vulnerabilities.
Ontology-driven translation of geospatial data

Current methods for specifying data models lack well-defined descriptions of the expressions, which represent data types, attributes, attribute values, and operations. It is impossible to define clear translation rules for data models, because the relation between source and target data model elements is not computable. Furthermore, translation has to account for imprecision caused by conceptual heterogeneities and measurement error. In this thesis we use the DOLCE foundational ontology to provide a semantic reference frame for geospatial data. Available extensions to DOLCE are profiled and additional geospatial characteristics, such as topological relations are included. Annotating (or semantically referencing) expressions, which are used to define geospatial data models, with this frame supports computability and allows for selecting appropriate translation rules on the attribute level. Using a logic-based approach, semantically referenced data models allow for inferring relations between source and target attributes. This includes inference on applicable translation operations and the detection of match types (exact, upper bound, and lower bound) between attributes. If detected match types fit the user’s purpose, translation scripts are extracted. The scripts are executed using an algebraic theory, which includes propagation of measurement errors. The approach allows for specifying data model semantics and imprecision. A demonstrator is provided as proof of concept. Our research is guided by an example of translating information about road width from a national data model (ATKIS road data model) to an international one (INSPIRE Data Specification for Transport Networks).
Evaluation of Interleukin-10 Levels in Patients Diagnosed with Chronic Hepatitis.

OBJECTIVE One of the most important factors playing a role in chronic hepatitis B pathogenesis is cytokine release and one of the cytokines with anti-inflammatory characteristic is interleukin-10 (IL-10). The aim of the present study is to examine IL-10 levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Sixty-three patients with chronic hepatitis B disease who had not received any antiviral treatment were included in the study. Serum IL-10 level was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. In the control group, 25 healthy individuals with mean age similar to the patient population were included. Control and patient groups were compared and data were statistically analysed. RESULTS Interleukin-10 levels of 25 patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels between 2000 and 20 000 IU/mL were compared with those of 25 subjects in the control group, and the level in the chronic hepatitis B group was statistically significantly higher (p < 0.05). Interleukin-10 levels of 38 patients with HBV DNA > 20 000 IU/mL were statistically significantly higher than those in the control group. When chronic hepatitis B patients were compared among themselves, IL-10 levels increased as HBV DNA levels increased. Also, when IL-10 levels of hepatitis B 'e' antigen (HBeAg) positive patients were compared with those of HBeAg negative patients, the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION It is believed that decreasing IL-10 levels by various methods would have significant contributions in disease progression and treatment. Moreover, IL-10 level may be an important marker in HBeAg seroconversion and evaluation of treatment response.
Algebras of Relations : from algorithms to formal proofs. (Algèbres de relations : des algorithmes aux preuves formelles)

Algebras of relations appear naturally in many contexts, in computer science as well as in mathematics. They constitute a framework well suited to the semantics of imperative programs. Kleene algebra are a starting point: these algebras enjoy very strong decidability properties, and a complete axiomatisation. The goal of this thesis was to export known results from Kleene algebra to some of its extensions. We first considered a known extension: Kleene algebras with converse. Decidability of these algebras was already known, but the algorithm witnessing this result was too complicated to be practical. We proposed a simpler algorithm, more efficient, and whose correctness is easier to establish. It allowed us to prove that this problem lies in the complexity class PSpace-complete.Then we studied Kleene allegories. Few results were known about this extension. Following results about closely related algebras, we established the equivalence between equality in Kleene allegories and equality of certain sets of graphs. We then developed an original automaton model (so-called Petri automata), based on Petri nets. We proved the equivalence between the original problem and comparing these automata. In the restricted setting of identity-free Kleene lattices, we also provided an algorithm performing this comparison. This algorithm uses exponential space. However, we proved that the problem of comparing Petri automata lies in the class ExpSpace-complete.Finally, we studied Nominal Kleene algebras. We realised that existing descriptions of these algebra were not suited to relational semantics of programming languages. We thus modified them accordingly, and doing so uncovered several natural variations of this model. We then studied formally the bridges one could build between these variations, and between the existing model and our new version of it. This study was conducted using the proof assistant Coq
Preparation and Characterization of Neisseria meningitidis Mutants Deficient in Production of the Human Lactoferrin-Binding Proteins LbpA and LbpB

ABSTRACT Pathogenic members of the family Neisseriaceae produce specific receptors facilitating iron acquisition from transferrin (Tf) and lactoferrin (Lf) of their mammalian host. Tf receptors are composed of two outer membrane proteins, Tf-binding proteins A and B (TbpA and TbpB; formerly designated Tbp1 and Tbp2, respectively). Although only a single Lf-binding protein, LbpA (formerly designated Lbp1), had previously been recognized, we recently identified additional bacterial Lf-binding proteins in the human pathogens Neisseria meningitidis and Moraxella catarrhalis and the bovine pathogen Moraxella bovis by a modified affinity isolation technique (R. A. Bonnah, R.-H. Yu, and A. B. Schryvers, Microb. Pathog. 19:285–297, 1995). In this report, we characterize an open reading frame (ORF) located immediately upstream of theN. meningitidis B16B6 lbpA gene. Amino acid sequence comparisons of various TbpBs with the product of the translated DNA sequence from the upstream ORF suggests that the region encodes the Lf-binding protein B homolog (LbpB). The LbpB from strain B16B6 has two large stretches of negatively charged amino acids that are not present in the various transferrin receptor homologs (TbpBs). Expression of the recombinant LbpB protein as a fusion with maltose binding protein demonstrated functional Lf-binding activity. Studies with N. meningitidis isogenic mutants in which thelbpA gene and the ORF immediately upstream oflbpA (putative lbpB gene) were insertionally inactivated demonstrated that LbpA, but not LbpB, is essential for iron acquisition from Lf in vitro.