Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Disease

Measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQL) is becoming an increasingly important endpoint to researchers and clinicians. In the context of upper gastrointestinal disorders, understanding the impact of the symptoms and their treatments on physical, psychological, and emotional well-being is crucial. The objective of this review is to provide a background for HRQL assessment for patients with upper GI disease. We assess and critique available generic and disease-specific HRQL instruments, and specify the factors that should be considered when evaluating an instrument. If employed correctly, HRQL assessments for patients with upper GI disease could improve quality of care.
Cardiac Tissue Vascularization

Myocardial infarction results from a blockage of a major coronary artery that shuts the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to a region of the myocardium, leading to massive cardiomyocytes death and regression of microvasculature. Growth factor and cell delivery methods have been attempted to revascularize the ischemic myocardium and prevent further cell death. Implantable cardiac tissue patches were engineered to directly revascularize as well as remuscularize the affected muscle. However, inadequate vascularization in vitro and in vivo limits the efficacy of these new treatment options. Breakthroughs in cardiac tissue vascularization will profoundly impact ischemic heart therapies. In this review, we discuss the full spectrum of vascularization approaches ranging from biological angiogenesis to microfluidic blood vessels as related to cardiac tissue engineering.
Single dose surfactant early rescue therapy in respiratory distress syndrome-experience and outcome at a tertiary care centre

Background: Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a progressive respiratory failure that is caused primarily by a deficiency of pulmonary surfactants (PS). We undertook a prospective study to evaluate outcomes of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) patients treated with early rescue pulmonary surfactant. Methods: This was a prospective cross sectional study conducted at level III NICU. A total of 47 eligible patients out of 142 diagnosed RDS on chest x-ray or FiO2 ≥40 was needed to reach SpO2 between 85 and 93% received early recue surfactant therapy (within 2hrs of life) and maternal ,neonatal and clinical data was analysed using SPSS software. Results: In this study prevalence of RDS amongst neonates admitted in NICU was 16.4%, early rescue surfactant therapy could be given only to 47 cases. There was male predominance (2.62:1). Mean age of administration of surfactant was 1.30±0.8 hr and Antenatal steroid was given in only 21.3% of mothers. Fraction of inspired oxygen concentration (Fio 2 ) requirement also significantly decreases before and after therapy (p value˂0.0001) at 6,12, and 24 hrs. PEEP also shows decreasing trend at 24 hrs (p value ˂0.05). Sepsis was the commonest complication leading to mortality. Conclusion: Implementation of early rescue administration of surfactant in infants at high risk for developing RDS in neonatal ICU is a safe and effective modality of respiratory support which decreases ventilatory requirements, improves respiratory status, and causes early extubation.
Treatment of Anxiety and Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer are a unique population of patients who experience a period of intense and dramatic life changes when they are diagnosed. Overall, AYAs with cancer are resilient; however, their psychosocial needs are often underestimated or unmet. Currently, there are inconsistencies in how AYAs are screened and treated for anxiety and depression. Barriers to treatment include clinicians’ lack of confidence in distinguishing between side effects of treatment and depression/anxiety. Additional barriers include the black box warning for prescribing antidepressants and difficulty partnering with mental health professionals. This article seeks to provide recommendations for pediatric oncology clinicians on how to identify and address anxiety and depression in AYAs and how to partner with mental health professionals in their treatment, and it suggests directions for future research.
The mobility transition revisited, 1500–1900: what the case of Europe can offer to global history*

Abstract Historians of migration have increasingly criticized the idea of a ‘mobility transition’, which assumed that pre-modern societies in Europe were geographically fairly immobile, and that people only started to move in unprecedented ways with the onset of modernization in the nineteenth century. In line with this critique, this article attempts to apply thorough quantitative tests to the available data. The focus is on ‘cross-community migration’, following Patrick Manning's argument that migrants moving over a cultural border are most likely to accelerate the rate of innovation. Six forms of migration are considered: emigration out of Europe, immigration from other continents, rural colonization of ‘empty spaces’, movements to large cities, seasonal migration, and the movement of sailors and soldiers. To illustrate regional variations, the examples of the Netherlands and Russia are contrasted. The reconstruction presented here is partial and preliminary, but it unequivocally shows that early modern Europe was much more mobile than modernization scholars allowed for. There was indeed a sharp increase in the level of migration after 1850, but it was due to improvements in transport rather than to modernization in a more general sense. This model has been elaborated for Europe but it can also be applied to other parts of the world and can hopefully contribute to the debate on the ‘Great Divergence’ between Europe and Asia.
Negotiation of parental roles within family-centred care: a review of the research.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To review research published in the past 15 years about how children's nurses' negotiate with parents in relation to family-centred care. BACKGROUND Family-centred care is a basic tenet of children's nursing and requires a process of negotiation between health professionals and the family, which results in shared decision-making about what the child's care will be and who will provide this. The literature highlights inconsistencies in the degree to which nurses are willing to negotiate with parents and allow them to participate in decisions regarding care of their child. There is need to explore further the extent to which nurses communicate and negotiate shared care with children and their parents. CONCLUSIONS Three themes emerged from this review of the literature relating to whether role negotiation occurred in practice, parental expectations of participation in their child's care and issues relating to power and control. Parents wanted to be involved in their child's care but found that nurses' lack of communication and limited negotiation meant that this did not always occur. Nurses appeared to have clear ideas about what nursing care parents could be involved with and did not routinely negotiate with parents in this context. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE For family-centred care to be a reality nurses need to negotiate and communicate with children and their families effectively. Parents need to be able to negotiate with health staff what this participation will involve and to negotiate new roles for themselves in sharing care of their sick child. Parents should be involved in the decision-making process. However, research suggests that a lack of effective communication, professional expectations and issues of power and control often inhibit open and mutual negotiation between families and nurses.
Comparative adverse cardiac effects of pimobendan and benazepril monotherapy in dogs with mild degenerative mitral valve disease: a prospective, controlled, blinded, and randomized study.

BACKGROUND Pimobendan (PIMO) is an inodilator that may have some beneficial effects in canine degenerative mitral valve disease (MVD). However, little information is available about its cardiac effects in dogs without systolic myocardial dysfunction. HYPOTHESIS Compared to benazepril (BNZ), an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, PIMO may worsen valve regurgitation in early canine MVD. ANIMALS Twelve Beagles with asymptomatic MVD were randomized into 2 groups (n = 6) receiving BNZ or PIMO at dosages of 0.25 mg/kg PO q24h and q12h respectively, for 512 days. METHODS The study followed a blinded, randomized, prospective, and parallel group design. After day 512, the dogs were necropsied, and cardiac histopathology was performed in a blinded manner. RESULTS A significant treatment effect was observed as soon as day 15 with increased systolic function in the PIMO group by comparison to baseline value as assessed by fractional shortening (P < .0001) and tissue Doppler variables (P = .001). Concurrently, the maximum area and peak velocity of the regurgitant jet signal increased (P < .001), whereas these variables remained stable in the BNZ group. Histologic grades of mitral valve lesions were more severe in the PIMO group than in the BNZ group. Moreover, acute focal hemorrhages, endothelial papillary hyperplasia, and infiltration of chordae tendinae with glycosaminoglycans were observed in the mitral valves of dogs from the PIMO group but not in those of the BNZ group. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE PIMO has adverse cardiac functional and morphologic effects in dogs with asymptomatic MVD. Additional investigation in dogs with symptomatic MVD is now warranted.
Prionemia and Leukocyte-Platelet-Associated Infectivity in Sheep Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Models

ABSTRACT The dynamics of the circulation and distribution of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agents in the blood of infected individuals remain largely unknown. This clearly limits the understanding of the role of blood in TSE pathogenesis and the development of a reliable TSE blood detection assay. Using two distinct sheep scrapie models and blood transfusion, this work demonstrates the occurrence of a very early and persistent prionemia. This ability to transmit disease by blood transfusion was correlated with the presence of infectivity in white blood cells (WBC) and peripheral blood mononucleated cells (PBMC) as detected by bioassay in mice overexpressing the ovine prion protein PrP (tg338 mice) and with the identification of abnormal PrP in WBC after using protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA). Platelets and a large variety of leukocyte subpopulations also were shown to be infectious. The use of endpoint titration in tg338 mice indicated that the infectivity in WBC (per ml of blood) was 106.5-fold lower than that in 1 g of posterior brainstem sample. In both WBC and brainstem, infectivity displayed similar resistance to PK digestion. The data strongly support the concept that WBC are an accurate target for reliable TSE detection by PMCA. The presence of infectivity in short-life-span blood cellular elements raises the question of the origin of prionemia.
Roux-en-Y versus Billroth I reconstruction after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a meta-analysis.

AIM To conduct a meta-analysis to compare Roux-en-Y (R-Y) gastrojejunostomy with gastroduodenal Billroth I (B-I) anastomosis after distal gastrectomy (DG) for gastric cancer. METHODS A literature search was performed to identify studies comparing R-Y with B-I after DG for gastric cancer from January 1990 to November 2012 in Medline, Embase, Science Citation Index Expanded and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in The Cochrane Library. Pooled odds ratios (OR) or weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95%CI were calculated using either ﬁxed or random effects model. Operative outcomes such as operation time, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative outcomes such as anastomotic leakage and stricture, bile reﬂux, remnant gastritis, reﬂux esophagitis, dumping symptoms, delayed gastric emptying and hospital stay were the main outcomes assessed. Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.0 software (Cochrane library). RESULTS Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 9 non-randomized observational clinical studies (OCS) involving 478 and 1402 patients respectively were included. Meta-analysis of RCTs revealed that R-Y reconstruction was associated with a reduced bile reﬂux (OR 0.04, 95%CI: 0.01, 0.14; P < 0.00 001) and remnant gastritis (OR 0.43, 95%CI: 0.28, 0.66; P = 0.0001), however needing a longer operation time (WMD 40.02, 95%CI: 13.93, 66.11; P = 0.003). Meta-analysis of OCS also revealed R-Y reconstruction had a lower incidence of bile reﬂux (OR 0.21, 95%CI: 0.08, 0.54; P = 0.001), remnant gastritis (OR 0.18, 95%CI: 0.11, 0.29; P < 0.00 001) and reﬂux esophagitis (OR 0.48, 95%CI: 0.26, 0.89; P = 0.02). However, this reconstruction method was found to be associated with a longer operation time (WMD 31.30, 95%CI: 12.99, 49.60; P = 0.0008). CONCLUSION This systematic review point towards some clinical advantages that are rendered by R-Y compared to B-I reconstruction post DG. However there is a need for further adequately powered, well-designed RCTs comparing the same.
The GENCODE v7 catalog of human long noncoding RNAs: Analysis of their gene structure, evolution, and expression

The human genome contains many thousands of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). While several studies have demonstrated compelling biological and disease roles for individual examples, analytical and experimental approaches to investigate these genes have been hampered by the lack of comprehensive lncRNA annotation. Here, we present and analyze the most complete human lncRNA annotation to date, produced by the GENCODE consortium within the framework of the ENCODE project and comprising 9277 manually annotated genes producing 14,880 transcripts. Our analyses indicate that lncRNAs are generated through pathways similar to that of protein-coding genes, with similar histone-modification profiles, splicing signals, and exon/intron lengths. In contrast to protein-coding genes, however, lncRNAs display a striking bias toward two-exon transcripts, they are predominantly localized in the chromatin and nucleus, and a fraction appear to be preferentially processed into small RNAs. They are under stronger selective pressure than neutrally evolving sequences—particularly in their promoter regions, which display levels of selection comparable to protein-coding genes. Importantly, about one-third seem to have arisen within the primate lineage. Comprehensive analysis of their expression in multiple human organs and brain regions shows that lncRNAs are generally lower expressed than protein-coding genes, and display more tissue-specific expression patterns, with a large fraction of tissue-specific lncRNAs expressed in the brain. Expression correlation analysis indicates that lncRNAs show particularly striking positive correlation with the expression of antisense coding genes. This GENCODE annotation represents a valuable resource for future studies of lncRNAs.
Morphometric analysis of diameter and relationship of vertebral artery with respect to transverse foramen in Indian population

Abstract Purpose: To study the location, origin, size and relationship of the vertebral artery and the transverse foramina in the lower cervical spine by computed tomographic angiography (CTA) measurements in the Indian population. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of multi-detector CT (MDCT) cerebral angiography scans was done between June 2011 and February 2014. A total of 120 patients were evaluated. The diameter of the vertebral artery (AL) and the shortest distance between the vertebral artery and the medial (M), lateral (L), anterior (A), and posterior (P) borders of transverse foramen were studied. In addition, the shortest distance between the vertebral artery and pedicle (h) was also analyzed. Statistical Analysis: The means and their standard deviations (SD) were calculated in both the sexes. The t-tests were performed to look for significant sexual difference. Results: The largest vertebral artery diameter (AL) was at level C7 on the right side (3.5 ± 0.8) and at the level of C5 on the left side (3.7 ± 0.4). Statistically significant difference between males and females were seen at levels C4, C5, and C7. The diameter of the vertebral artery was smaller in females than males. The L value was greater than other parameters (M, A, P) at the same level in all the measurements. The h value was greatest at C6 level and shortest at C5. Conclusion: CTA is necessary before pedicle screw fixation due to variation in measurements at all levels. The highest potential risk of vertebral artery injury during cervical pedicle screw implantation may be at C5, then at C4, and the safest is at C7.
Comparative Analysis of the 16S to 23S Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Sequences of Bacillus thuringiensis Strains and Subspecies and of Closely Related Species

Volume 61, no. 4, p. 1624, column 2, lines 38-41: The sentence should read "For example, at position 21, the G nucleotide (Fig. 1) was present in all the ISR B. thuringiensis subspecies except for B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis (Te4), which contained an A. " Page 1624, column 2, line 45: "Position 62" should read "position 11. " Page 1624, column 2, line 47: "Position 90" should read "position 39. " Page 1624, column 2, line 49: "Position 83" should read "position 32. " Page 1625, column 1, line 3: "Position 83" should read "position 32. " Page 1626, column 1, line 1: "Positions 62, 90, and 165, and one deletion at position 83" should read "positions 11, 39, and 114, and one deletion at position 32. " [This corrects the article on p. 1623 in vol. 61. ].
Evidence of Alu and B1 Expression in dbEST

Alus and B1s are short interspersed repeat elements (SINEs) derived from the 7SL RNA gene. Alus and B1s exist in the cytoplasm as non-coding RNA indicating that they are actively transcribed, but their function, if any, is unknown. Transcription of individual SINEs is a prerequisite for retroposition, but it is also possible that individual Alu and B1 elements have some cellular functions. Previous studies suggest that transcription of Alu elements depends on the presence of an RNA polymerase-III bipartite promoter and the poly-A tail. Sequencing of small RNAs has demonstrated that the members of the Y and S subfamily are expressed. We analyzed almost one million Alu sequences longer than 200 nucleotides for the presence of RNA polymerase-III bipartite promoter sequences. More than half contained a promoter indicating some potential for expression. We searched 7.7 million human EST sequences in dbEST for the presence of Alu non-coding RNAs and found evidence for the expression of 452. Analysis of mouse spermatogenic dbEST libraries revealed an apparent relationship between the level of differentiation and the level of B1-related sequences in the EST library.
Mobile phone design for older persons

Just like computers and the Internet, mobile phones are becoming common personal items for older persons. In early 2006, 60 percent of people aged 65 to 74 years and 36 percent of people aged 75 years and over owned and used mobile phones in the UK [1]. Actually, older people have a much higher adoption rate of mobile phones than of Internet usage [2]. Many older persons use mobile phones in both leisure and work contexts.
Effect of soya bean diet preparations on some haematological and biochemical indices in the rat

Effects of Soya bean diet preparations on the hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, total plasma protein, plasma albumin, sodium, potassium and chloride concentrations were studied in male albino rats. The animals were fed diets containing 75%, 50% and 25% Soya bean in groups II, III and IV respectively. Group I rats served as the control and were fed normal mouse cubes. There were steady but significant increases in the concentrations of hematocrit, hemoglobin, total plasma protein and plasma albumin in rats fed 25% to 75% concentration of Soya bean in the diets . Although there were significant increases in the electrolytes concentrations between the Soya bean diets and rats fed normal diet, there was no significant difference in the electrolytes concentrations of rats fed different concentrations of Soya bean. This study therefore seems to confirm the nutritional value of Soya bean in alleviating malnutrition
Protective Effects of Lycopene Against Ultraviolet B-Induced Photodamage

Lycopene, an acyclic hydrocarbon carotenoid found in tomatoes and their products, is a well-established potent antioxidant, and its anticancer properties have been shown in cultured cells and animal models. We investigated the protective effects of two concentrations of topical lycopene against acute ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced photodamage. Application of lycopene dose dependently inhibited UVB-induced ornithine decarboxylase (P < 0.05) and myeloperoxidase (P < 0.05) and significantly reduced bifold skin thickness (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining revealed increased active caspase-3 of apoptotic pathway in the UVB-exposed group compared with the unexposed control. Application of topical lycopene prevented the cleavage of caspase-3. UVB irradiation completely diminished proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and the untreated skin maintained positively stained cells throughout the basal epidermis. Topical application of lycopene significantly reversed UVB-induced PCNA inhibition, and normal PCNA staining was restored in the lycopene-treated skin. Our results suggest that topical lycopene is able to exert its protective effects against acute UVB-induced photodamage. Furthermore, it may act as a preventative agent via inhibition of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity, reducing inflammatory responses, maintaining normal cell proliferation, and possibly preventing DNA damage as indicated by blocking the necessitating step of apoptosis following UVB injury.
Comparative study of different surface decontaminants on chicken quality

1. A comparative study on the effect of different surface decontaminants: hot water at 70°C for one minute; 2% lactic acid for 30 s; 1200 p.p.m. acidified sodium chlorite (ASC) solution for 5 s and 50 p.p.m. chlorine solution for 5 min in the form of dips and sprays on the surface of dressed broilers for 0, 24 and 48 h of storage was conducted. 2. The variables studied were, total plate count (TPC), presumptive coliform count (PCC), pH and extract release volume (ERV). All treatments reduced TPC and PCC. 3. Lactic acid dip and hot water dip were the most effective for reducing TPC (1·36 and 1·28 log/cm2, respectively) with no significant difference between them. 4. ASC and hot water in dip could diminish PCC (1·37 and 1·34 log/cm2, respectively) and did not vary significantly. 5. No treatment affected muscle pH, water holding capacity (WHC), ERV, appearance, smell, tenderness and overall acceptability of treated broilers significantly. 6. Hot water treatment is the cheapest, most convenient and simplest decontamination technique for hygienic and wholesome poultry production.