Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selenium, copper, zinc, iron levels and mortality in patients with sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome in Western Black Sea Region, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the changing levels of selenium, copper, zinc and iron in patients with sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome and their influence on mortality. METHODS The prospective study was conducted at a tertiary care university hospital in Zonguldak city in the western Black Sea region of Turkey from January 2012 to December 2013, and comprised patients with sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Blood samples were taken on 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days to measure serum selenium, copper, zinc and iron levels. Patients' demographic data, presence of additional diseases and mortality were recorded. RESULTS Of the 57 patients, 28(49.1%) were female and 29(50.9%) were male, with an overall mean age of 60.3±19.4 years, mean height of 166.1±11.4cm, mean weight of 76.5±17.5kg. Copper and zinc levels were in the normal range, while selenium and iron levels were lower than the limit values at all measuring periods. There was no significant difference between first and other days in accordance with element levels (p>0.05). Baseline copper levels in patients with malignancy were lower than patients without malignancy (p< 0.05). In hypertensive patients, baseline copper levels were higher and 7th day levels were lower than non-hypertensive (p< 0.05). Baseline selenium levels of those who died were lower than the other patients (p< 0.05). Selenium and iron levels were decreased in patients with sepsis-systemic inflammatory response syndrome and copper levels were lower in patients with malignancy, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p< 0.05). There was no change in zinc levels of the patients. CONCLUSIONS Reduced basal selenium levels of patients with sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome were associated with mortality.
Repression of the Virulence of Yersinia pestis by an F' Plasmid

An F-lac plasmid from Escherichia coli was transferred to virulent Yersinia pestis, resulting in the repression of virulence. The Y. pestis F-lac clones retained all of the known virulence traits but were avirulent and calcium independent. Every lac segregant derived from the F-lac clones was fully virulent and calcium dependent.
Coplanar stripline microchamber for electrical detection of live and dead biological cells

An improved microchamber for electrical detection of biological cells was designed, fabricated and tested. The microchamber was formed between a gold coplanar stripline fabricated on a sapphire microscope slide and a single microfluidic channel fabricated in a polydimethylsiloxane cover. Compared with the previous design of a coplanar waveguide on a quartz slide with multiple microfluidic channels, the present microchamber was more sensitive, compact, rugged, and transparent. Tests on Jurkat cells in both time and frequency domains demonstrated single-cell sensing potential, as well as discrimination of live vs. dead cells. The test results could be explained by a simple equivalent-circuit model, which efficiently de-embedded the intrinsic cell properties from solution and electrode effects.
African tick bite fever in elderly patients: 8 cases in French tourists returning from South Africa.

BACKGROUND African tick-bite fever, a tickborne disease caused by Rickettsia africae, is endemic in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa and in the French West Indies. Most cases reported in the literature occurred in middle-aged, otherwise-healthy persons and corresponded to benign diseases. The course of African tick bite fever in elderly people is less well documented. METHODS The medical records of 8 elderly patients infected with R. africae during a trip to South Africa in 2005 are presented to summarize the epidemiologic, clinical, microbiological, treatment, and disease course characteristics. RESULTS Eight patients, aged 63-75 years, developed African tick bite fever symptoms after a trip to South Africa. R. africae was grown from cutaneous eschar biopsy specimens obtained from 4 patients, confirming African tick bite fever. We observed unusual findings in this elderly population. Rash was frequent (present in 87.5% of patients), vesicular (in 100% of patients with rash), and often associated with an enanthema (in 50% of patients with rash). Severe clinical manifestations occurred: lymphangitis and myocarditis in 1 patient and suspected brain involvement in 2 patients. We observed severe and long-lasting general symptoms, including fever (in 75% of patients), chills (87.5%), asthenia (50%), anorexia (50%), and weight loss (12.5%). With doxycycline therapy, the outcome was favorable in all cases, but complete recovery was slow. CONCLUSION Ecotourism to sub-Saharan Africa is expanding, and people of advanced age, often with underlying chronic diseases, account for an increasing proportion of travelers. African tick bite fever appears to be more symptomatic in this population. Recommendations advising personal prophylactic measures to prevent tick bites in travelers to regions of endemicity may be particularly important for elderly individuals.
Recurrent Supraventricular Tachycardia as a Complication of Nebulized Albuterol Treatment

An 8-year-old male with a history of asthma presented to our Emergency Department (ED) with an elevated heart rate, tremors, and diaphoresis following home treatment with nebulized albuterol. The patient had been receiving nebulized albuterol treatments at home every 4 hours for the previous 3 days for exacerbation of asthma. On the day of presentation, after his morning albuterol treatment, the patient started shaking uncontrollably and had rapid pulsations in his neck. At his pediatrician's office, his temperature was 102.70F and his heart rate 255 beats per minute. Vagal maneuvers failed to convert his tachycardia to normal sinus rhythm. The patient was then sent to the ED, where a 12lead EKG (Figure IA) demon-
A Protocol for Treatment of Unstable Ankle Fractures Using Transarticular Fixation in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Loss of Protective Sensibility

Background: Surgical treatment of ankle fractures in patients with diabetes mellitus is associated with a high complication rate. Diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy are a particularly difficult group to treat because of their inability to sense deep infection, repeat trauma, and wound complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a protocol that included transarticular fixation and prolonged, protected weightbearing in the treatment of unstable ankle fractures in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy and loss of protective sensibility. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 15 patients with diabetes mellitus, unstable ankle fractures (AO classification 44B), and loss of protective sensibility confirmed via testing with a 5.07 Semmes-Weinstein monofilament. Retrograde trans-calcaneal-talar-tibial fixation using large Steinmann pins or screws in conjunction with standard techniques of open reduction and internal fixation was used. The postoperative treatment protocol included: 1) short leg, total contact casting and nonweightbearing status for 12 weeks; 2) removal of the intramedullary implants between 12 and 16 weeks; 3) application of a walker boot or short leg cast with partial weightbearing for an additional 12 weeks; and 4) transition to a custom-molded ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) or custom total-contact inserts in appropriate diabetic footwear. Results: The major complication rate for all fractures was 25% (4/16) and for closed fractures was 23% (3/13). These are lower than previously reported rates between 30% (3/10) and 43% (9/21) for diabetic patients with and without neuropathy. The amputation rate for all fractures was 13% (2/16) and for closed fractures alone was 8% (1/13). These are similar to previously reported rates of 10% (2/10) to 20% (2/21). There were no deaths or Charcot malunions in this series. The combination of transarticular fixation and prolonged, protected weightbearing provided 13 of 15 patients with a stable ankle for weightbearing. Conclusion: Although these fractures remain a treatment challenge, this study presents a successful, multidisciplinary protocol for treatment of unstable ankle fractures in the most challenging group of diabetic patients – those with loss of protective sensibility.
Effects of metformin on clinical outcome in diabetic patients with advanced HCC receiving sorafenib

Background and objective: Several studies have reported an association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Data from several retrospective studies and meta-analyses have highlighted a reduction of about 50% in the risk of developing HCC in cirrhotic patients treated with metformin for diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the different outcomes of patients who received or did not receive metformin during treatment with sorafenib. Methods: We analyzed 93 patients consecutively treated with sorafenib. Forty-two (45.2%) patients were diabetic, of whom 31 were on metformin. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test. Results: The concomitant use of sorafenib and metformin was associated with a median PFS of 2.6 months (95% CI 1.9–3.3) compared to 5.0 months (95% CI 2.5–8.2) for patients receiving sorafenib alone (p = 0.029). The median OS of patients treated with the combination was 10.4 months (95% CI 3.9–14.4) compared to 15.1 months (95% CI 11.7–17.8) for those who were not given metformin (p = 0.014). Conclusions: Our findings could be the result of increased tumor aggressiveness and resistance to sorafenib in metformin-treated patients.
Climate change drives a shift in peatland ecosystem plant community: Implications for ecosystem function and stability

The composition of a peatland plant community has considerable effect on a range of ecosystem functions. Peatland plant community structure is predicted to change under future climate change, making the quantification of the direction and magnitude of this change a research priority. We subjected intact, replicated vegetated poor fen peat monoliths to elevated temperatures, increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), and two water table levels in a factorial design to determine the individual and synergistic effects of climate change factors on the poor fen plant community composition. We identify three indicators of a regime shift occurring in our experimental poor fen system under climate change: nonlinear decline of Sphagnum at temperatures 8 °C above ambient conditions, concomitant increases in Carex spp. at temperatures 4 °C above ambient conditions suggesting a weakening of Sphagnum feedbacks on peat accumulation, and increased variance of the plant community composition and pore water pH through time. A temperature increase of +4 °C appeared to be a threshold for increased vascular plant abundance; however the magnitude of change was species dependent. Elevated temperature combined with elevated CO2 had a synergistic effect on large graminoid species abundance, with a 15 times increase as compared to control conditions. Community analyses suggested that the balance between dominant plant species was tipped from Sphagnum to a graminoid‐dominated system by the combination of climate change factors. Our findings indicate that changes in peatland plant community composition are likely under future climate change conditions, with a demonstrated shift toward a dominance of graminoid species in poor fens.
Metabolic safety-margins do not differ between cows of high and low genetic merit for milk production

Three galactopoietic stimuli, frequent milking (4X), bovine somatotrophin (bST) and thyroxine (T4) were used in an additive stair-step design to achieve maximum output (metabolic capacity) in six peak-lactation cows of high genetic merit (HT) and six of low genetic merit (LT). A further six of each merit were untreated controls (HC, LC). Milk yield was increased significantly by 4X, increased further by the combination of 4X and bST and increased further still and significantly by the full combination of 4X, bST and T4. The magnitude of the yield response to the sequence of treatments did not differ significantly between HT and LT. The yield response to 4X and bST was sustainable without significant loss of body weight or body condition score for the 6 weeks during which these stimuli were administered. The response to the full combination, which included T4, was accompanied by significantly elevated heart rate and significant loss of body weight and condition compared with the combination of 4X and bST. As a result, treatments were discontinued, on an individual cow basis, before completion of this 6-week phase. Time on experiment did not differ between HT and LT. The results do not support the commonly held belief that selective breeding of dairy cows for high milk production has rendered them markedly more susceptible to metabolic disturbances.
Development of new cancer therapeutic agents targeting mitosis

Targeting cellular proliferation persists as a mainstay of cancer therapeutic strategy. Although microtubule-targeting drugs (such as taxanes and vinca alkaloids) have been used successfully in the clinic to treat a variety of cancers, they carry substantial liabilities that have spurred drug companies to aggressively pursue new tubulin-targeting drug candidates with improved efficacy and toxicity profiles. The recent discoveries of new mitotic targets for cancer therapy (such as kinesin spindle protein, Aurora kinases and Polo-like kinase-1) have also stimulated intense work focused on identifying novel antimitotic drugs directed at these new targets. A number of novel antimitotic drugs have demonstrated encouraging activity in preclinical models and have progressed into clinical development. This review focuses on selected new antimitotic drugs under evaluation in clinical trials.
Intra‐arterial chemotherapy for retinoblastoma: the beginning of a long journey

Conservative management of retinoblastoma has evolved from external beam radiotherapy to systemic chemotherapy by intravenous route and now to localized chemotherapy by intra‐arterial route in some cases. With 16‐year experience, systemic chemotherapy has been found effective for minimal to moderately advanced retinoblastoma with tumour control of 90% or better, few side effects and even hope for return of some vision. Localized intra‐arterial chemotherapy with delivery under fluoroscopy and catheterization of the ophthalmic artery is now undergoing evaluation and appears to provide striking control for retinoblastoma, particularly recurrent tumour seeds following other therapies. The limitations and complications of this approach have yet to be defined. Toxicity of the chemotherapy to the delicate retinal vessels is unknown. Despite its allure, intra‐arterial chemotherapy should be used with caution, as in other fields of paediatric oncology it has been found to provide no advantage over intravenous chemotherapy. Time will tell.
Pesticides, Microglial NOX2, and Parkinson's Disease

Accumulating evidence indicates that pesticide exposure is associated with an increased risk for developing Parkinson's disease (PD). Several pesticides known to damage dopaminergic (DA) neurons, such as paraquat, rotenone, lindane, and dieldrin also demonstrate the ability to activate microglia, the resident innate immune cell in the brain. While each of these environmental toxicants may impact microglia through unique mechanisms, they all appear to converge on a common final pathway of microglial activation: NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) activation. This review will detail the role of microglia in selective DA neurotoxicity, highlight what is currently known about the mechanism of microglial NOX2 activation in these key pesticides, and describe the importance for DA neuron survival and PD etiology. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J BiochemMol Toxicol 27:137‐149, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/jbt.21464
Evaluation of Malassezia and Common Fungal Pathogens in Subtypes of Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Fungal hypersensitivity and fungal microbiome dysbiosis are possible etiologies of chronic rhinosinusitis. The sinus fungal microbiome is not well characterized; novel sinus‐associated fungi, including Malassezia, have only recently been described. The goals for this study were to verify Malassezia as a dominant component of the sinus microbiome, to speciate sinus Malassezia, and to compare select fungal species in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) subtypes with known fungal association to chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps (CRSwNP) and healthy controls.
Microbiological and Physicochemical Quality of Irradiated Ground Beef as Affected by Added Garlic or Onion

The effects of garlic and onion on the microbiological and physicochemical properties of irradiated ground beef patties were evaluated. Ground beef was mixed with 0.5%(w/w) minced garlic or 2.5%(w/w) minced onion, vacuum-packed in oxygen-impermeable nylon/PE bags and then electron beam-irradiated at 2.5 kGy. All samples were kept at 4 o C for 8 d. Irradiation resulted in a 2-log CFU/g reduction in both aerobic and coliform bacteria. The microbial counts gradually increased during storage, but those in beef that contained garlic or onion were 1-log CFU/g lower than those of the control samples after 8 d of storage. The pH value decreased during storage in all meat samples, but this decrease was greater in non-irradiated beef than in irradiated beef. The lipid oxidation, volatile basic nitrogen content and Hunter color values of raw patties were generally not affected by irradiation or the addition of garlic and onion. Sensory evaluation of cooked patties showed that the off-odor was less pronounced in samples that contained added garlic or onion than in control samples, and that the overall acceptability of beef formulated with garlic was the highest. Overall, the results of this study indicate that the addition of garlic or onion in combination with irradiation treatment enhanced the microbial quality and improved the sensory quality of irradiated ground beef.
Simulation of Partial Discharge in Solid Dielectric Material

-In high voltage (HV) electrical power system, variety of solid, liquid and gaseous materials are used for insulation purpose to protect the incipient failure inside the HV power equipment. Partial discharge (PD) represents a physical phenomenon, in which discharges are involved in electrically weak regions of solid insulation materials (mostly within gaseous or liquid inclusions). They cause damage to the insulation and often start from the enclosed voids and/or at interface defects. The period in which the insulation is still in good operating condition is of great practical interest. The effect of PD also results in failure of the dielectric much before the expected life-time. This project focused on the results of the partial discharges in solid dielectric with a single cavity as defect. AC source with 50Hz frequency voltage was applied. It is observed that the discharge current is proportional with the input voltage. The discharge current amplitude for input 10 kV is half the input of 20 kV and a third of 30 kV input. All discharge currents and discharge voltages occur in nano-seconds.
Global runoff anomalies over 1993–2009 estimated from coupled Land–Ocean–Atmosphere water budgets and its relation with climate variability

Whether the global runoff (or freshwater discharge from land to the ocean) is currently increasing and the global water cycle is intensifying is still a controversial issue. Here we compute land–atmosphere and ocean–atmosphere water budgets and derive two independent estimates of the global runoff over the period 1993–2009. Water storage variations in the land, ocean and atmosphere reservoirs are estimated from different types of data sets: atmospheric reanalyses, land surface models, satellite altimetry and in situ ocean temperature data (the difference between altimetry based global mean sea level and ocean thermal expansion providing an estimate of the ocean mass component). These data sets are first validated using independent data, and then the global runoff is computed from the two methods. Results for the global runoff show a very good correlation between both estimates. More importantly, no significant trend is observed over the whole period. Besides, the global runoff appears to be clearly impacted by large-scale climate phenomena such as major ENSO events. To infer this, we compute the zonal runoff over four latitudinal bands and set up for each band a new index (combined runoff index) obtained by optimization of linear combinations of various climate indices. Results show that, in particular, the intertropical and northern mid-latitude runoffs are mainly driven by ENSO and the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) with opposite behavior. Indeed, the zonal runoff in the intertropical zone decreases during major El Nino events, whereas it increases in the northern mid-latitudes, suggesting that water masses over land are shifted northward/southward during El Nino /La Nina. In addition to this study, we propose an innovative method to estimate the global ocean thermal expansion. The method is based on the assumption that the difference between both runoff estimates is mainly due to the thermal expansion term not accounted for in the estimation of the ocean mass. We find that our reconstructed thermal expansion time series compares well with two existing data sets in terms of year-to-year fluctuations but somewhat differs on longer (multi-year) time scales. Possible explanations include non negligible steric variations from the deep ocean.
Physical activity and obesity

This paper was commissioned by the Foresight programme of the Office of Science and Innovation, Department of Trade and Industry © 2007 Queen’s Printer and Controller of HMSO; published with permission Journal compilation © 2007 The International Association for the Study of Obesity. obesity reviews 8 (Suppl. 1) , 115–121 115 OnlineOpen: This article is available free online at www.blackwell-synergy.com Blackwell Publishing LtdOxford, UKOBRObesity Reviews1467-7881© 2007 Queen’s Printer and Controller of HMSO; published with permission; Journal compilation © 2007 The International Association for the Study of Obesity ? 2007 8 115121 Review Article Physical activity and obesity K. R. Fox & M. Hillsdon
Management accounting in ERP integrated MRP and TOC environments

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine traditional costing, activity‐based costing (ABC), and through‐put accounting in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) integrated environment for decision making.Design/methodology/approach – Computer simulation is used to model a manufacturing firm operating under a manufacturing resource planning environment and a theory of constraints environment.Findings – Through the inclusion of both manufacturing and non‐manufacturing costs and the use of both volume and non‐volume‐based cost drivers, ABC captures manufacturing characteristics and resource usage more accurately than traditional costing and through‐put accounting and results in higher profit, lower inventory, and better customer service for both the short and long term.Research limitations/implications – This study only simulates industries that have a relatively high‐overhead content and relatively low labor and raw material costs and inventory evaluations includes only work‐in‐process inventory. St.