Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Noninvasive Ventilation Using a Mouthpiece in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Acute Respiratory Failure

Background: Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) delivered via a mouthpiece (mNPPV) has been successfully used in stable chronic restrictive respiratory insufficiency, but not in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute respiratory failure (ARF). Objectives: The purpose of this matched case-control study was to compare the usefulness of mNPPV to noninvasive ventilation using a nasal or oronasal mask (nNPPV) or standard medical treatment (SMT) in COPD patients with ARF. Methods: Twenty-nine patients receiving mNPPV were matched with 29 patients receiving nNPPV and 29 patients receiving SMT regarding age, SAPSII, admission PaCO2 and pH. Results: In the mNPPV group, admission PaCO2 and pH were 78.6 ± 12 mm Hg and 7.30 ± 0.04, respectively. mNPPV and nNPPV avoided the need for endotracheal intubation in 27 and 25 patients, respectively (nonsignificant) whereas SMT resulted in a higher mechanical ventilation rate (13 patients). At the end of the treatment protocol, PaCO2 was lower in the mNPPV group (62.2 ± 9.6 mm Hg) than in the SMT group (72.4 ± 20.4 mm Hg, p < 0.018) leading to a significantly higher pH. No significant differences were observed between the mNPPV and nNPPV groups. Conclusions: In case of moderate respiratory acidosis, noninvasive ventilation using a mouthpiece significantly reduces the endotracheal intubation rate in comparison with SMT and therefore appears to be a second-line alternative to noninvasive ventilation delivered via a mask, especially when poorly tolerated.
Corneal Langerhans cell dynamics after herpes simplex virus reactivation.

PURPOSE The authors investigated the progressive changes in the distribution of corneal Langerhans cells (LC) after reactivation of latent herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in mice. METHODS After corneal inoculation of National Institutes of Health inbred mice with HSV-1 and the establishment of latency, viral reactivation was induced by irradiating the ocular surface with 250 mJ/cm2 of ultraviolet B (UV-B) light. RESULTS Subsequent viral replication in the cornea was followed by the migration of the LC toward the paracentral and central corneal epithelium. These areas are normally devoid of LC. The number of LC in the paracentral and central regions of the eye reached a peak at day 14 post-UV-B irradiation. After UV-B irradiation of mice latently infected with HSV-1, the development of corneal stromal opacification and neovascularization closely followed the migration of LC toward the central cornea and paralleled the influx of T-cells into the corneal stroma. This pattern was not observed in irradiated uninfected mice. CONCLUSIONS LC migrate centrally in the corneal epithelium after viral reactivation. There is a direct correlation between the number of LC in the cornea and the degree of persistent stromal opacification.
Using Symptom Validity Tests to Detect Malingered ADHD in College Students

Recently there has been growing concern that college students may feign symptoms of ADHD in order to obtain academic accommodations and stimulant medication. Unfortunately research has only begun to validate detection tools for malingered ADHD. The present study cross-validated the results of Sollman, Ranseen, and Berry (2010) on the efficacy of several symptom validity tests for detection of simulated ADHD among college students. Undergraduates with a history of diagnosed ADHD were randomly assigned either to respond honestly or exaggerate symptoms, and were compared to undergraduates with no history of ADHD or other psychiatric disorders who were also randomly assigned to respond honestly or feign symptoms of ADHD. Similar to Sollman et al. (2010) and other recent research on feigned ADHD, several symptom validity tests, including the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), Letter Memory Test (LMT), Digit Memory Test (DMT), Nonverbal Medical Symptom Validity Test (NV-MSVT), and the b Test were reasonably successful at discriminating feigned and genuine ADHD. When considered as a group, the criterion of failure of 2 or more of these SVTs had a sensitivity of. 475 and a specificity of 1.00.
The Effect of Preoperative Pregabalin on Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: A Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND:Nonopioid adjuvant medications are increasingly included among perioperative Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocols. Preoperative pregabalin has been shown to improve postoperative pain and limit reliance on opioid analgesia. Our group investigated the ability of preoperative pregabalin to also prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). METHODS:Our group performed a meta-analysis of randomized trials that report outcomes on the effect of preoperative pregabalin on PONV endpoints in patients undergoing general anesthesia. RESULTS:Among all included trials (23 trials; n = 1693), preoperative pregabalin was associated with a significant reduction in PONV (risk ratio [RR] = 0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39–0.73; P = 0.0001), nausea (RR = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.46–0.83; P = 0.002), and vomiting (RR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52–0.88; P = 0.003) at 24 hours. Subgroup analysis designed to account for major PONV confounders, including the exclusion trials with repeat dosing, thiopental induction, nitrous oxide maintenance, and prophylactic antiemetics and including high-risk surgery, resulted in similar antiemetic efficacy. Preoperative pregabalin is also associated with significantly increased rates of postoperative visual disturbance (RR = 3.11; 95% CI, 1.34–7.21; P = 0.008) compared with a control. CONCLUSIONS:Preoperative pregabalin is associated with significant reduction of PONV and should not only be considered as part of a multimodal approach to postoperative analgesia but also for prevention of PONV.
New insights into SMA pathogenesis: immune dysfunction and neuroinflammation

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by motor neuron degeneration, although defects in multiple cell types and tissues have also been implicated. Three independent laboratories recently identified immune organ defects in SMA. We therefore propose a novel pathogenic mechanism contributory to SMA, resulting in higher susceptibility to infection and exacerbated disease progression caused by neuroinflammation. Overall, compromised immune function could significantly affect survival and quality of life of SMA patients. We highlight the recent findings in immune organ defects, their potential consequences on patients, our understanding of neuroinflammation in SMA, and new research hypotheses in SMA pathogenesis.
Interleukin 13 in synovial fluid and serum of patients with psoriatic arthritis

Objectives: To compare the pattern of interleukin (IL) 13 production in synovial fluid (SF) and serum of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with that in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA), investigating its relation to the proinflammatory cytokine IL12. Methods: SF and serum IL13 levels were determined in 35 patients with PsA, 36 with RA, and 15 with OA. The main clinical and laboratory variables, including number of painful and/or swollen joints, Ritchie index, morning stiffness, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, level of C reactive protein, level of rheumatoid factor, and SF analysis, were also evaluated. Results: SF IL13 levels were significantly higher in patients with PsA (p<0.02) or RA (p<0.012) than in patients with OA, with no significant difference between the former two. SF IL12 levels were significantly higher in patients with PsA (p<0.023) than in those with OA. Serum IL13 (p<0.0001) and IL12 (p<0.02) levels were lower in patients with PsA than in those affected by RA. Only patients with PsA had higher IL13 levels in SF than in serum (p<0.002). The IL13 SF/serum ratio was higher in the PsA group than in the group with RA (p<0.005) or OA (p<0.026). SF IL13 levels correlated with serum IL13 levels (p<0.0001) in RA and with SF IL12 levels (p<0.03) in PsA. Conclusions: In PsA, there appears to be localised production of IL13, in balance with IL12, in the inflamed joints. The distinct IL13 secretion profiles in PsA, RA, and OA may be related to the clinical pictures, reflecting the different pathogenic mechanisms involved in inflammatory and degenerative joint diseases.
Metastatic anaplastic oligodendroglioma

We report 7 patients, ages 21 to 49 years, with systemic metastasis from anaplastic oligodendroglioma. Metastases developed in the scalp, cervical lymph nodes, bone, and other organs 1 to 76 months after the most recent surgery and 18 to 86 months after diagnosis. Systemic metastases responded to focal radiotherapy or nitrosourea-based chemotherapy for 6 to 18 months. Five patients have died, 4 to 24 months after the appearance of systemic metastases, all with progressive cerebral and systemic tumor. We observed 2 distinct patterns of spread of oligodendroglioma. Pattern 1, initial scalp or regional lymph node involvement followed by distant metastasis, was associated with multiple craniotomies. Pattern 2, distant metastasis without scalp or regional lymph node spread, was associated with early radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Longer-than-expected survival was not essential to metastasis. We speculate that anaplastic oligodendrogliomas possess special characteristics favoring metastasis and that early aggressive treatment alters the biology of this disease.
Reliability of Single-Item Ratings of Quality in Higher Education: A Replication

Single-item ratings of the quality of instructors or subjects are widely used by higher education institutions, yet such ratings are commonly assumed to have inadequate psychometric properties. Recent research has demonstrated that reliability of such ratings can indeed be estimated, using either the correction for attenuation formula or factor analytic methods. This study replicates prior research on the reliability of single-item ratings of quality of instruction, using a different, more student-fo-cussed approach to teaching and learning evaluation than used by previous researchers. Class average data from 1,097 classes, representing responses from 59,815 students, were analysed. At the “class” level of analysis, both methods of estimation suggested the single item of quality had high reliability: . 96 using the correction for attenuation formula, and . 94 using the factor analytic method. An alternative method of calculating reliability, which takes into account the hierarchical nature of the data, likewise suggested high estimated reliability (.92) of the single-item rating. These results indicate the suitability of the overall class rating for quality improvement in higher education, with a large sample.
Effect of long-term intensive lipid-lowering therapy with rosuvastatin on progression of carotid intima-media thickness--Justification for Atherosclerosis Regression Treatment (JART) extension study.

BACKGROUND Recently, it was reported from the Justification for Atherosclerosis Regression Treatment (JART) Study that intensive therapy with rosuvastatin significantly slowed progression of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) compared with conventional therapy with pravastatin at 12 months. To assess the long-term efficacy of intensive therapy, the present extension study was conducted. METHODS AND RESULTS Subjects in the intensive therapy group of the JART Study were asked to participate in the extension study and to continue rosuvastatin treatment. A total of 113 subjects were enrolled into the extension study and were included in the analysis. At 24 months, the mean daily dose of rosuvastatin (±SD) was 7.9±2.9 mg. Mean change in mean IMT was -0.005 mm (range, -0.024 to 0.015 mm) at 24 months (P=0.633, compared with baseline). Rosuvastatin lowered low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mean±SD) by 46.4±13.8% and elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mean±SD) by 8.9±24.0% at 24 months compared with baseline. Gray scale median was measured in 25 subjects. It increased by 16.93±33.12 (mean±SD) % at 12 months and by 22.50±52.83% at 24 months from baseline (P=0.017, P=0.044, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Two-year treatment with rosuvastatin inhibited progression of carotid IMT. Rosuvastatin also improved the plaque composition, and this qualitative change occurred relatively early after starting therapy.
Reliable regulation by high-gain feedback

This paper addresses the design of regulators which supply the control system with signal tracking and disturbance rejection. This property has to be attained, to the maximum possible extent, even under actuators and sensors faults. The problem is tackled for LTI, even unstable, plants, subject to perturbations, and unbounded and/or oscillatory exogenous signals. Both the cases of centralized and decentralized regulators are considered. The proposed regulator is composed of an LTI nominal controller supervised by a reconfiguration block. First, the actions of the reconfiguration block are described. Then, the nominal controller is synthesized by finding high-gain solutions to a suitable regulation problem.
Persistent Hyperplastic Tunica Vasculosa Lentis and Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous in Transgenic Line TgN3261Rpw

Persistent hyperplastic tunica vasculosa lentis and persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous are congenital ocular anomalies that can lead to cataract formation. A line of insertional mutant mice, TgN3261Rpw, generated at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in a large-scale insertional mutagenesis program was found to have a low incidence (8/243; 3.29%) of multiple developmental ocular abnormalities. The ocular abnormalities include persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous, persistent hyperplastic tunica vasculosa lentis, failure of cleavage of the anterior segment, retrolental fibrovascular membrane, posterior polar cataract, and detached retina. This transgenic mouse line provides an ontogenetic model because of the high degree of similarity of this entity in humans, dogs, and mice.
COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE EFFICACY OF HORMONAL AND NON HORMONAL TREATMENT METHODS IN OVARIAN AFUNCTION AFFECTED DAIRY COWS

The study was carried out on 1090 Polish Black and White breed cows. Rectal examinations accompanied by blood plasma progesterone determinations performed twice in a 10-d interval diagnosed 178 ovarian afunction (OA) cases, which were consequently divided into 5 groups according to treatment regimen: controls; progesterone (PRID); massage; Lugol’s solution; GnRH. Oestrus, first insemination and total pregnancy rates, artificial insemination (AI) index, and service period length were determined following treatment. The service period in all, except GnRH, treated groups, was statistically shorter (P ≤ 0.05) than in control. The overall results showed that PRID treatment of OA affected cows was the most effective method. Other regimens such as Lugol’s solution and uterine as well as ovarian massage could be considered.
Gender differences in mutual-help attendance one year after treatment: Swedish and U.S. samples.

OBJECTIVE In the United States, many people turn to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other mutual-help groups as a first source of help for an alcohol or drug problem, whereas others are introduced to AA while in treatment. Because AA and similar groups in the United States add to the treatment system and function without governmental funds, they represent an important element in ongoing care for individuals with substance-use disorders in the health care system. In countries with free (or more affordable) and more comprehensive systems of care, their role is less clearly defined. METHOD In this study, we compared men and women from representative treatment samples from studies with parallel designs, one Swedish (n = 1,525) and the other American (n = 926), to explore whether rates and correlates of attendance at 1-year follow- up (63% and 78% followed) differ by gender. We explore individual characteristics (demographic, severity, motivational) and formal and informal influences (treatment, mutual help, coercive, social) as possible help-seeking correlates of attendance. RESULTS In both countries, similar proportions of men and women attended mutual-help groups. However, twice as many U.S. clients reported attendance. Moreover, twice as many U.S. clients set abstinence as a treatment goal. In multivariate models, having an abstinence goal, a perceived need for treatment, suggestions from one's employment environment, and prior mutual-help attendance predicted posttreatment attendance for men and women in both countries. Gender differences were also found. CONCLUSIONS Given the stages in which individuals seek care and the cyclical nature of relapse and recovery, mutual-help groups are an efficient resource in the continuum of services.
Physiological race and mating type of Phytophthora infestans on potato in Heilongjiang Province

Physiological races of 51 isolates of Phytophthora infestans on potato which were collected in 2004 from Heilongjiang Province were identified on 11 mono-gene hosts of late blight,i.e.r,R1,R2,R3,R4,R5,R6,R7,R8,R9 and R11,And the mating type of these isolates were also determined as well as.The results showed that there were 21 races among 51 isolates.The race 3.4.6.7.8.9.11,distributing in the four of six areas where the isolates were collected,was the most common with the frequency of 15.7%,then followed by 1.3.4.6.7.8.9.11,3.4. 7.11 and 3.4. 7. ,all with the frequency of 11.8%. Meanwhile,a high virulence race 1.3.4.5. 6.7.8.9.11 was also detected with low frequency.51 isolates were all A1 mating type,and no A2 was detected.
Screening for celiac disease in Down's syndrome patients revealed cases of subtotal villous atrophy without typical for celiac disease HLA-DQ and tissue transglutaminase antibodies.

AIM To investigate the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) as well as CD marker antibodies and susceptibility HLA-DQ haplotypes in 134 karyotyped Down's syndrome (DS) patients. METHODS Immunoglobulin A (IgA) and G (IgG) type anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA), IgA type anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibodies (anti-tTG) with antigen of guinea pig and human source were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and endomysium antibodies (EMA) by indirect immunofluorescence test. HLA-DQA1*0501/DQB1*0201 (DQ2) was revealed by polymerase chain reaction. Celiac disease was diagnosed by revised ESPGHAN criteria. RESULTS 41% of DS patients had AGA, 6.0% IgA anti-tTG with guinea pig antigen, and 3.0% IgA EMA (all positive for anti-tTG with human tTG). Subtotal villous atrophy was found in 5 out of 9 DS patients who had agreed to small bowel biopsy. One of them had DQA1*0501/DQB1*0201 and anti-tTG and EMA i.e. typical for CD markers (this case also fulfilled the ESPGHAN diagnostic criteria),but other four lacked these markers. Three non-biopsied DS patients had also most probably CD because DQA1*0501/DQB1*0201 and IgA anti-tTG (EMA) were detected. Thus, the prevalence of CD among our DS patients population is 3.0% (95 % of confidence interval [CI]: 0.1-5.9%). CONCLUSION We confirm the increased frequency of CD among DS patients. In addition, we have revealed a subgroup of patients with subtotal villous atrophy but without characteristic for CD immunological and genetic markers. Whether these cases represent CD (with atypical immunopathogenesis) or some other immune enteropathy, requires further investigations.
Cannabinoids modulate spontaneous neuronal activity and evoked inhibition of locus coeruleus noradrenergic neurons

The noradrenergic pathway arising from the locus coeruleus (LC) is involved in the regulation of attention, arousal, cognitive processes and sleep. These physiological activities are affected by Cannabis exposure − both in humans and laboratory animals. In addition, exogenous cannabinoids, as well as pharmacological and genetic manipulation of the endocannabinoid system, are known to influence emotional states (e.g. anxiety) for which a contributory role of the LC‐noradrenergic system has long been postulated. However, whether cannabinoid administration would affect the LC neuronal activity in vivo is still unknown. To this end, single‐unit extracellular recordings were performed from LC noradrenergic cells in anaesthetized rats. Intravenous injection of both the synthetic cannabinoid agonist, WIN55212‐2, and the main psychoactive principle of Cannabis, Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol, dose‐dependently increased the firing rate of LC noradrenergic neurons, with WIN55212‐2 being the most efficacious. Similar results were obtained by the administration of these drugs into a lateral ventricle. Cannabinoid‐induced stimulation of LC noradrenergic neuronal activity was counteracted by SR141716A, a cannabinoid receptor antagonist/reverse agonist, which by itself slightly reduced LC discharge rate. Moreover, WIN55212‐2 suppressed the inhibition of noradrenergic cells produced by stimulation of the major γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic afferent to the LC, the nucleus prepositus hypoglossi. Altogether, these findings suggest the involvement of noradrenergic pathways in some consequences of Cannabis intake (e.g. cognitive and attention deficits, anxiety reactions), as well as a role for cannabinoid receptors in basic brain activities sustaining arousal and emotional states.
Autoantibodies interacting with purified native thyrotropin receptor.

Native thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography from membrane extracts of stably transfected L cells. An ELISA test was devised to study anti-TSHR autoantibodies directly. Comparison of native TSHR with bacterially expressed, denatured TSHR showed that the latter was not recognized by the autoantibodies, suggesting that they bind to conformational epitopes only present on the native receptor. The use of deglycosylated TSHR and of purified receptor ectodomain (alpha-subunit) showed that the autoantibodies recognized only the protein backbone moiety of the receptor and that their epitopes were localized entirely in its ectodomain. Autoantibodies were detected in 45 of 48 subjects with untreated Graves' disease and in 26 of 47 healthy volunteers. The affinity for the receptor was similar in the two groups (Kd = 0.25-1 x 10-10 M) and the autoantibodies belonged to the IgG class in all cases. Although the concentration of autoantibodies was higher in Graves' disease patients (3.50 +/- 0.36 mg.L-1) than in control subjects (1.76 +/- 0.21) (mean +/- SEM), there was an overlap between the groups. Receptor-stimulating autoantibodies (TSAb) were studied by measuring cAMP synthesis in stably transfected HEK 293 cells. Their characteristics (recognition of alpha-subunit, of deglycosylated TSHR, nonrecognition of bacterially expressed denatured receptor) were similar to those of the antibodies detected by the ELISA test. TSAb were only found in individuals with Graves' disease. The ELISA test measures total anti-TSHR antibodies, whereas the test using adenylate cyclase stimulation measures antibodies that recognize specific epitopes involved in receptor activation. Our observations thus disprove the hypothesis according to which Graves' disease is related to the appearance of anti-TSHR antibodies not present in normal subjects. Actually, anti-TSHR antibodies exist in many euthyroid subjects, in some cases even at concentrations higher than those found in patients with Graves' disease. What distinguishes the latter from normal subjects is the existence of subpopulation(s) of antibodies directed against specific epitope(s) of the receptor involved in its activation.