Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pneumocystis carinii f. sp. hominisDNA in Immunocompetent Health Care Workers in Contact with Patients with P. carinii Pneumonia

ABSTRACT The possible transmission of Pneumocystis carinii f. sp. hominis from patients with P. cariniipneumonia to asymptomatic health care workers (HCW), with or without occupational exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with P. carinii pneumonia, was examined. HCW in a specialist inpatient HIV-AIDS facility and a control group in the general medical-respiratory service in the same hospital provided induced sputum and/or nasal rinse samples, which were analyzed for the presence of P. carinii f. sp.hominis DNA by using DNA amplification (at the gene encoding the mitochondrial large subunit rRNA [mt LSU rRNA]). P. carinii f. sp. hominis DNA was detected in some HCW samples; those with the closest occupational contact were more likely to have detectable P. carinii DNA. P. carinii DNA was detected in one HCW who carried out bronchoscopy over a 2-year period. P. carinii-positive samples were genotyped by using DNA sequence variations at the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the nuclear rRNA operon, along with bronchoalveolar lavage samples from patients with P. carinii pneumonia hospitalized at the same time. Genotyping identified 31 different P. cariniif. sp. hominis ITS genotypes, 26 of which were found in the patient samples. Five of the eight ITS genotypes detected in HCW samples were not observed in the patient samples. The results suggested that HCW in close occupational contact with patients who had P. carinii pneumonia may have become colonized with P. carinii. Carriage was asymptomatic and did not result in the development of clinical disease.
Board and audit committee effectiveness in the post-ASX Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations era

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the corporate governance literature by examining the aggregate effect of board and audit committee characteristics on earnings management practices, particularly in the period following the introduction of the second edition of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations. ,This paper begins by embarking on an extensive review of extant empirical research on boards of directors and audit committees. Then, the paper reports on the use of a quantitative analysis approach to specify the relationship between board and audit committee characteristics (introduced by the ASX Corporate Governance Council) and the level of absolute discretionary accruals as a proxy for earnings management. ,The findings suggest that greater compliance with board and audit committee principles is linked to lower earnings management, indicating that deliberate structuring of boards and audit committees is an effective approach for enhancing a firm’s financial reporting quality and providing support for the efficacy of the second edition of principles and recommendations related to boards and audit committees suggested by the ASX Corporate Governance Council. ,This study significantly extends the literature and has notable implications for financial reporting regulators, as the findings regarding the monitoring role of boards and audit committees should be beneficial for future revisions of corporate governance principles and recommendations. ,This study focuses on the aggregate effect of board characteristics recommended by the Australian Corporate Governance Council on earnings management practices, and the results support the effectiveness of the board and audit committee characteristics recommended by the ASX Corporate Governance Council. New directions for future improvements to the principles and recommendations are identified.
Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Basic Life Support Among Health Students at a Saudi Women's University.

OBJECTIVES Awareness of basic life support (BLS) is paramount to ensure the provision of essential life-saving medical care in emergency situations. This study aimed to measure knowledge of BLS and attitudes towards BLS training among female health students at a women's university in Saudi Arabia. METHODS This prospective cross-sectional study took place between January and April 2016 at five health colleges of the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All 2,955 students attending the health colleges were invited to participate in the study. Participants were subsequently asked to complete a validated English-language questionnaire which included 21 items assessing knowledge of BLS and six items gauging attitudes to BLS. RESULTS A total of 1,349 students completed the questionnaire (response rate: 45.7%). The mean overall knowledge score was very low (32.7 ± 13.9) and 87.9% of the participants had very poor knowledge scores. A total of 32.5% of the participants had never received any BLS training. Students who had previously received BLS training had significantly higher knowledge scores (P <0.001), although their knowledge scores remained poor. Overall, 77.0% indicated a desire to receive additional BLS training and 78.5% supported mandatory BLS training. CONCLUSION Overall knowledge about BLS among the students was very poor; however, attitudes towards BLS training were positive. These findings call for an improvement in BLS education among Saudi female health students so as to ensure appropriate responses in cardiac arrest or other emergency situations.
Expression of Notch Signaling Components in Cutaneous Foreign Body and Sarcoidal Granulomas and Fusing Macrophages

Abstract:The evolutionarily conserved Notch signaling pathway affects tissue-specific cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. In the immune system, Notch has been implicated in the development and function of both adoptive and innate immune cells. Notch signaling is initiated by Notch receptor binding to cognate ligands, which results in the enzymatic cleavage and intranuclear translocation of the intracellular domain of Notch receptor (ICN). Recent murine models of chronic inflammation highlighted a critical role for a Notch ligand, Delta-like ligand (Dll)-4, in granuloma formation. In this study, we aimed to assess Notch-1 receptor activation and Dll4 expression in human cutaneous granulomas and in cultured human macrophages and multinucleated giant cells. ICN1 and Dll4 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry of cutaneous foreign body (n = 15) and sarcoidal (n = 19) granulomas. The results showed consistent intranuclear staining for ICN1 in foreign body but not in sarcoidal granulomas and strong cytoplasmic staining for Dll4 in mononuclear histiocytes and multinucleate giant cells in both types of granulomas. Additionally, immunofluorescence confocal microscopy showed ICN1 and Dll4 expression by cultured human macrophages undergoing fusion in the presence of granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-4. These findings indicate a potential role for the Notch-1-Dll4 signaling pathway in foreign body-induced granulomatous reactions and possibly distinct Notch pathway utilization in sarcoidal granulomas.
Feasibility Study of Catheter-directed Thrombolysis with Recombinant Staphylokinase in Deep Venous Thrombosis

Summary The feasibility of catheter-directed thrombolysis with recombinant staphylokinase was evaluated in six selected patients with deep vein thrombosis. The patients underwent intrathrombus infusion of recombinant staphylokinase (2 mg bolus followed by a continuous infusion of 1 mg/h). Heparin was given via the catheter as a bolus (5000 U) and as a continuous infusion (1000 U/h). Complete lyis was obtained in five patients and partial lysis in one patient. Complications consisted of minor bleeding in four subjects. Symptomatic reocclusion occurred in one. Debulking of the thrombus mass by a high speed rotating impeller (n = 1) and stenting (n = 3) were used as additional interventions. An underlying anatomical abnormality was present in two patients. Long term follow up revealed normal patency in all patients and normal valve function in four patients. Symptomatic venous insufficiency with valve dysfunction was present in the two with a second thrombotic episode. Thus catheter-directed infusion of recombinant staphylokinase in patients with deep vein thrombosis appears feasible and may be associated with a high frequency of thrombolysis. Larger studies to define the clinical benefit of this treatment appear to be warranted.
Innate Immunity: Toll-Like Receptors and Some More

The discovery of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) as essential components of the innate immune system has greatly advanced our knowledge and understanding of immune responses to infection and how these are regulated. Innate immunity in general and TLRs in particular play a crucial role in the front line of host defenses against microbes, but also are a key element in the proper functioning of the immune system at large in vertebrate animals. The innate immune system has been identified as a collection of factors, both cell-associated and cell-free, that comprises an impressively effective and well-organized system that is capable of immediate recognition of a whole array of microbes and microbial components. The cell-bound TLRs fulfill a central role in the process from pathogen recognition to activation of adaptive immunity. From the cell-free factors the plasma protein mannose-binding lectin (MBL) has been studied most extensively. Associations have already been documented between TLR polymorphisms in man and TLR deficiency in animals and an increased susceptibility to infection. The effect of MBL on infectious disease susceptibility only seems to emerge when host defenses are compromised by a severe underlying condition. The functional state of the various components of innate immunity at birth is largely unknown and only recently a number of studies have assessed this feature of the innate immune system. In addition, for the human newborn the innate immune systemmay have a broader significance; it may well be the key system determining the course of inflammatory events associated with premature birth, a notion that is emphasized by the recently described association between TLR polymorphisms and prematurity. However, there are still many open questions, particularly about the exact relation between individual TLRs and infectious disease susceptibility and how TLRs cooperate in resistance to infection and in initiating adaptive immune responses. With regard to the human newborn, the most relevant question that needs to be resolved is the precise role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of prematurity.
Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in the Texas Juvenile Correctional System

Most studies assessing the burden of psychiatric disorders in juvenile correctional facilities have been based on small or male-only samples or have focused on a single disorder. Using electronic data routinely collected by the Texas juvenile correctional system and its contracted medical provider organization, we estimated the prevalence of selected psychiatric disorders among youths committed to Texas juvenile correctional facilities between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2008 (N = 11,603). Ninety-eight percent were diagnosed with at least one of the disorders. Highest estimated prevalence was for conduct disorder (83.2%), followed by any substance use disorder (75.6%), any bipolar disorder (19.4%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (18.3%), and any depressive disorder (12.6%). The estimated prevalence of psychiatric disorders among these youths was exceptionally high and showed patterns by sex, race/ethnicity, and age that were both consistent and inconsistent with other juvenile justice samples.
Capacity, sustainability, and the community benefits of municipal utility ownership in the United States

ABSTRACT Most literature on utility sustainability focuses on internal operations; this misses the role that utilities could play within a community. This study measures the impact of municipal ownership of water and electric utilities on the sustainability policymaking of local governments. I find that municipalities with government-owned water utilities adopt more sustainability measures than those with investor-owned service. Similarly, municipally-owned electric utilities have higher levels of energy sustainability in the community, but not in government operations. The utilities provide fiscal and technical capacity to municipalities. Interdepartmental coordination also strongly predicts sustainability policymaking. This study brings potential community benefits to the discussion of private investment in public service delivery.
Extensive association analysis between the CETP gene and coronary heart disease phenotypes reveals several putative functional polymorphisms and gene‐environment interaction

An extensive association analysis of a candidate gene for coronary heart disease, Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) gene, was performed. Ten polymorphisms, out of which three were newly identified in regulatory regions, were investigated for association with myocardial infarction (MI) and 2 MI endophenotypes (CETP mass and HDL‐cholesterol level) in 568 MI patients and 668 controls. The polymorphisms affecting codon 405 (Ile405Val) and the nucleotide 524 downstream from the stop codon (G+524T) were almost completely concordant and associated with plasma CETP mass (P < 0.001). The polymorphisms –629 (located in promoter), intron1 (Taq1B) and intron7 were almost completely concordant and associated with plasma CETP mass (P < 0.0001) and HDL‐cholesterol levels (P < 0.0001). This latter association was not found in teetotalers and increased with the quantity of alcohol consumed. Heavy drinkers (>75g/day) homozygous for the –628A allele had a reduced risk of MI (OR = 0.33, P < 0.02). Subjects both homozygous for 451Arg and heterozygous for 373Pro had decreased plasma HDL‐cholesterol levels and this effect increased with alcohol consumption. The results illustrate the complexity of polymorphism‐phenotype associations. They suggest that the CETP gene may carry several functional polymorphisms. Observed interactions between alcohol consumption and polymorphisms associated with HDL‐cholesterol level constitute concrete examples of gene‐environment interactions. Furthermore, the pattern of association between HDL‐cholesterol levels and the polymorphisms at codons 373 and 451 illustrated how two polymorphisms may be confounders (in the usual epidemiological sense) one for the other: their marginal effects are neutralized because of linkage disequilibrium and thus are not detectable by standard univariate association analysis. Genet. Epidemiol. 19:64–80, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Absence of linkage or association for osteoarthritis with the vitamin D receptor/type II collagen locus: the Framingham Osteoarthritis Study.

OBJECTIVE Studies have suggested that polymorphisms or mutations either in the COL2A1 or VDR gene. both on chromosome 12q, are associated with the occurrence of osteoarthritis (OA). We examined linkage and association between the VDR/COL2A1 locus and hand/knee OA in the Framingham Osteoarthritis Study (FOS). METHODS Hand and knee joints were characterized radiographically in the FOS. An overall score for OA using the standard Kellgren and Lawrence grading scheme was determined, as well as scores for individual features of OA including osteophytes and joint space narrowing. For linkage studies, polymorphic microsatellite markers near the VDR-COL2AI genes on chromosome 12 were tested in a collection of 296 of the largest Framingham Heart Study families and the results analyzed using variance component linkage (SOLAR). For association studies, we characterized the allele status of a subset of subjects at the BsmI site of the VDR gene. RESULTS Overall, we found no linkage or association between OA and the COL2A1/VDR locus for either knee or hand OA, nor did we find an association or linkage between COL2AI or VDR with any individual radiographic features of OA. CONCLUSION Despite studies suggesting associations of OA with both COL2A1 and VDR loci, our results suggest that mutations at the COL2A1/VDR locus do not play an important role as a cause of common OA in the population at large.
RORα and ROR γ are expressed in human skin and serve as receptors for endogenously produced noncalcemic 20‐hydroxy‐ and 20,23‐dihydroxyvitamin D

RORα and RORγ are expressed in human skin cells that produce the noncalcemic 20‐hydroxyvitamin D3 [20(OH)D3] and 20,23‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 [20,23(OH)2D3]. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably expressing a Tet‐on RORα or RORγ expression vector and a ROR‐responsive element (RORE)‐LUC reporter, and a mammalian 2‐hybrid model examining the interaction between the ligand binding domain (LBD) of RORα or RORγ with an LBD‐interacting LXXLL‐peptide, were used to study ROR‐antagonist activities. These assays revealed that 20(OH)D3 and 20,23(OH)2D3 function as antagonists of RORα and RORγ. Moreover, 20(OH)D3 inhibited the activation of the promoter of the Bmal1 and G6pase genes, targets of RORα, and 20(OH)D3 and 20,23(OH)2D3 inhibited Il17 promoter activity in Jurkat cells overexpressing RORα or RORγ. Molecular modeling using crystal structures of the LBDs of RORα and RORγ revealed docking scores for 20(OH)D3, 20, 23(OH)2D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 similar to those of the natural ligands, predicting good binding to the receptor. Notably, 20(OH)D3, 20,23(OH)2D3, and 1,25(OH)2D3 inhibited RORE‐mediated activation of a reporter in keratinocytes and melanoma cells and inhibited IL‐17 production by immune cells. Our study identifies a novel signaling pathway, in which 20(OH)D3 and 20,23(OH)2D3 act as antagonists or inverse agonists of RORα and RORγ, that opens new possibilities for local (skin) or systemic regulation. —Slominski, A. T. , Kim, T. ‐K. , Takeda, Y. , Janjetovic, Z. , Brożyna, A. A. , Skobowiat, C. , Wang, J., Postlethwaite, A. , Li, W. , Tuckey, R. C. , Jetten, A. M. RORα and ROR γ are expressed in human skin and serve as receptors for endogenously produced noncalcemic 20‐hydroxy‐ and 20,23‐dihydroxyvitamin D. FASEB J. 28, 2775–2789 (2014). www.fasebj. org
Radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma in elderly patients fitting the Milan criteria: A single centre with 13 years experience

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in treating elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients and methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 391 patients with HCC fitting the Milan criteria and treated with RFA for the first time from 1999 to 2012 at the Southwest Hospital, China. The patients were divided into two groups, an elderly group (age ≥70 years, n = 102) and a non-elderly group (age <70 years, n = 289). Long-term outcomes were assessed on all patients and survival rates were calculated. Results: The overall survival rates of the two groups differed significantly. The recurrence-free survival rates of the two groups did not differ significantly. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Excluding comorbid diseases related deaths, the overall survival rates of the two groups did not differ significantly. Conclusions: The safety and outcomes of RFA in treating early HCC were similar among elderly and non-elderly patients. Co-morbid diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease, rather than HCC or liver diseases, contributed to the relatively low overall survival rate found in elderly patients.
Autonomous demand and the investment share

This paper looks at the effect of demand shocks on the investment share of the economy. Using panel data on 20 OECD countries, we show that the rate of growth of autonomous demand (exports, public spending, and housing investment) is positively correlated with subsequent values of the share of business investment in GDP. By means of an instrumental-variables (IV) strategy, we confirm a positive effect of demand dynamics on the business investment share. We instrument autonomous demand with (i) US demand for imports interacted with exposure to trade with the US, (ii) openness to trade of a country's main export destinations, and (iii) military spending. A permanent 1-percentage-point increase in autonomous-demand growth raises the investment share by 1.5 to 1.9 percentage points of GDP in our preferred panel IV specification. Our results provide empirical support for the view that the influence of aggregate demand on capital accumulation can be a major source of hysteresis. Our results are inconsistent with the canonical New Keynesian three-equations model, the Neo-Kaleckian model with flexible equilibrium utilization, and Classical–Marxian growth models. A positive influence of autonomous demand on the investment share is instead compatible with demand-led models in which capacity adjusts to demand in the long run.
The NSAID Dilemma: Managing Osteoarthritis in High-Risk Patients

Abstract For decades, evidence-based data and reported experience have warned that the common chronic oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy for osteoarthritis (OA) in elderly patients is ultimately dangerous. Elderly patients with OA are at heightened risk for developing serious gastrointestional and cardiovascular adverse events, including gastrointestinal bleeding, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Prescribing NSAIDs, especially in an elderly population, continues to be discouraged because of these significant risks. A dilemma exists for individuals who need the established efficacy associated with oral NSAIDs but who are at increased risk for serious adverse events associated with these agents. The goal of this clinical review was to evaluate the risks versus benefits of current options in the treatment of OA. This review found that topical NSAIDs seem to be the safest choice among all options to mitigate gastrointestinal and cardiovascular risks and should be considered prior to the intitation of oral nonselective or cyclooxygenase (COX)-2–selective NSAIDs for individuals presenting with a localized expression of OA. Further research is needed to evaluate and compare these therapies in treating both pain and inflammation effectively while mitigating safety risks in high-risk populations.
Relationship between economic openness and economic growth : issue of openness measurement

The paper aims to compare different measurements of openness and calculate what impact economics open­ness has on economic growth. Economic openness is measured by using: KAOPEN index; tariffs; and trade ra­tio. The methods of comparative, statistical and econometric analysis were used in this paper. The results of this study confirmed that economic openness has an impact on the country’s economic growth. The study found that all three ways of measuring economic openness reveal only part of the concept of economic openness.