Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prophylactic antiemetic therapy with ondansetron, tropisetron, granisetron and metoclopramide in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized, double-blind comparison with placebo.

PURPOSE Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a distressing adverse effect of general anaesthesia. The aim of the current study was to compare the antiemetic activity of different 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptor antagonists with that of metoclopramide and placebo. METHODS In a prospective, randomized, double-blind study we have compared the antiemetic activity of the prophylactic administration of ondansetron 4 mg, tropisetron 5 mg and granisetron 3 mg with that of metoclopramide 10 mg and placebo in 132 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. All study drugs and placebo were given as a short iv infusion ten minutes before the induction of anaesthesia. Perioperative anaesthetic care was standardized in all patients. Nausea and vomiting were assessed by direct questioning of the patient at 1, 4, 9, 12, 18 and 24 hr after recovery from anaesthesia. If patients experienced nausea and/or vomiting, rescue antiemetic treatment (metoclopramide 10 mg iv) was administered. RESULTS For the 24-hr recovery period after surgery, the percentages of emesis-free patients were 65.5%, 52%, 48%, 29.2% and 27.6% in the ondansetron, granisetron, tropisetron, metoclopramide and placebo groups, respectively. Prophylactic antiemetic treatment with ondansetron resulted in a lower incidence (P = 0.02) of PONV than with metoclopramide or placebo. The times at which rescue antiemetic was first received were longer (P < 0.01) in ondansetron group than in the placebo and metoclopramide groups. There were no statistical differences between ondansetron, tropisetron and granisetron groups. CONCLUSIONS Ondansetron, when given prophylactically resulted in a significantly lower incidence of PONV than metoclopramide and placebo. Metoclopramide was ineffective.
The labor market consequences of race differences in health.

This article examines whether race and ethnicity disparities in health account for similar disparities in employment status and other labor-related outcomes. Two population groups whose health is systematically worse than that of whites (blacks and Native Americans) are identified. We document the distribution of labor-related outcomes-employment, earnings, public transfer program participation, and household income-for these groups. Health disparities seem to contribute to the substantial difference in employment and participation in public transfer programs between whites and blacks and between whites and Native Americans. But health disparities account for a smaller portion of the substantial differences in household income and labor earnings across racial/ethnic groups. (Bound, J, Waidmann, T., Schoenbaum, M., and Bingenheimer, J. 2003. The Labor Market Consequences of Race Differences in Health. Milbank Quarterly 81(3):441-473. )
Tgif1 Regulates Quiescence and Self-Renewal of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

ABSTRACT TG-interacting factor 1 (TGIF1) is a transcriptional repressor that can modulate retinoic acid and transforming growth factor β signaling pathways. It is required for myeloid progenitor cell differentiation and survival, and mutations in the TGIF1 gene cause holoprosencephaly. Furthermore, we have previously observed that acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients with low TGIF1 levels had worse prognoses. Here, we explored the role of Tgif1 in murine hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function. CFU assays showed that Tgif1−/− bone marrow cells produced more total colonies and had higher serial CFU potential. These effects were also observed in vivo, where Tgif1−/− bone marrow cells had higher repopulation potential in short- and long-term competitive repopulation assays than wild-type cells. Serial transplantation and replating studies showed that Tgif1−/− HSCs exhibited greater self-renewal and were less proliferative and more quiescent than wild-type cells, suggesting that Tgif1 is required for stem cells to enter the cell cycle. Furthermore, HSCs from Tgif1+/− mice had a phenotype similar to that of HSCs from Tgif1−/− mice, while bone marrow cells with overexpressing Tgif1 showed increased proliferation and lower survival in long-term transplant studies. Taken together, our data suggest that Tgif1 suppresses stem cell self-renewal and provide clues as to how reduced expression of TGIF1 may contribute to poor long-term survival in patients with AML.
Validation of the trichomycete Paramoebidium chattoni (Amoebidiales, Mesomycetozoea), a common and cosmopolitan black fly endosymbiont

Paramoebidium, along with Amoebidium, constitute the Amoebidiales, which is phylogenetically embedded within the protist clade Ichthyosporea (Mesomycetozoea). However, the order is conventionally included within the trichomycetes, an ecological and polyphyletic group of arthropod-gut endosymbionts. Paramoebidium chattoni (Léger and Duboscq) Duboscq et al. is regarded as nomen nudum because the species was incorrectly published, and its taxonomic situation has never been addressed. Thus, P. chattoni is validated here with a description and neotypification to formalize the species and to guarantee the maintenance and correct use of its name. This common species has a wide geographical range and inhabits the digestive system of aquatic black fly larvae, where it frequently appears together with other gut endosymbionts, including P. curvum.
Comparison of slow freezing and vitrification methods for Venda cockerel’s spermatozoa

An improvement in avian semen cryopreservation is essential and has the potential to improve the cryo-gene banking efficiency. This study compared two cryopreservation methods (slow freezing and vitrification) and the effect of different thawing/warming temperatures (5℃, 25℃ and 41℃) on Venda cockerel’s spermatozoa. Semen samples from Venda cockerels were diluted with modified Kobidil+ extender supplemented with 8% dimethyl sulfoxide. Semen from each ejaculate was stained with nigrosin/eosin for viability examination. The cryopreserved samples were either slow cooled in 0.25 mL straw or vitrified in a solid surface vitrification (SSV) device. Semen straw or cryovial was stored in liquid nitrogen container. The straw or cryovial with sperm was thawed or warmed at 5? C, 25? C and 41℃ and analysed by a Computer-Aided Sperm Analysis (CASA). There was a significant difference in live/normal sperm between the semen donors. Cockerels spermatozoa cryopreserved by slow freezing (43%) and thawed at 5? C had a significantly higher survival and motility rate compared to vitrification (2.5%) method. In conclusion, there was higher rate of live/normal morphology sperm. Cryopreservation process reduces sperm motility and velocity rate regardless of cryoprevervation method and thawing or warming temperatures. However, slow freezing was a better method to maintain motility of spermatozoa following cryopreservation.
Routine isotope-dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay for simultaneous measurement of the 25-hydroxy metabolites of vitamins D2 and D3.

BACKGROUND Measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 and D3 (25-OH D2 and D3) is essential for investigating vitamin D deficiency. Competitive binding techniques are unable to distinguish between the 2 metabolites and suffer from interference from other hydroxy metabolites of vitamin D. METHODS We used isotope-dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (ID-LC-MS/MS) for routine determination of 25-OH D2 and D3 with a stable-isotope-labeled internal standard (IS). Serum samples (100 microL) were denatured with methanol-propanol containing IS, vortex-mixed, extracted into hexane, and dried under nitrogen. The reconstituted extract was chromatographed on a BDS C8 HPLC column, and the metabolites and IS were detected by electrospray ionization MS/MS in multiple-reaction monitoring mode. RESULTS 25-OH D2 and D3 and the IS nearly coeluted, whereas 1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 was separated; total run time was 8 min. The interassay CVs for 25-OH D2 were 9.5% and 8.4% at 52 and 76 nmol/L, respectively, and for 25-OH D3 were 5.1% and 5.6% at 55 and 87 nmol/L, respectively. The detection limit of the present method was <4 nmol/L for both metabolites. Method comparison with a commercial RIA measuring total 25-hydroxyvitamin D showed good correlation: y=0.97x - 2.7 nmol/L (r=0.91). The analytical system can assay 100 samples in 12.5 h. CONCLUSIONS This simple robust interference-free LC-MS/MS assay is suitable for routine measurement of the 25-hydroxy metabolites of vitamins D2 and D3 in human serum. The assay has been in use for 9 months and has been used to assay more than 6000 routine samples.
Density and microhabitat use of Bengal slow loris in primary forest and non‐native plantation forest

The extent of planted forests has greatly increased in the tropics, but their conservation value while assumed to be low, is largely unknown. We compared the density and microhabitat selection of a nocturnal arboreal primate, the Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis), in mostly undisturbed, evergreen tropical forest to those in 15–18 year old Acacia/Leucaena plantations with significant secondary regrowth, and <15 year old plantations with little regrowth. Based on estimates derived from distance sampling, loris densities in older plantations were nearly identical to primary forest (4.26 vs. 4.00 lorises per square kilometer), although encounter rates were three times higher in the older plantations probably owing to the lower detection probability in the more complex vegetation of the primary forest. The mean density estimate for the younger plantation was one‐third of the above habitats (1.27 lorises per square kilometer), although not statistically different. Lorises tended to use larger diameter and taller trees, with a greater crown depth than randomly sampled trees, and tended to avoid habitats with sparsely crowned trees. The older plantations had trees with lower basal area and shorter stems than the primary forest; however, the older plantations contained higher densities of Bauhinia lianas, a commonly eaten food source and did not contain the red giant flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista), a potential competitor. Although it is unknown whether the Bengal slow loris would persist without the presence of primary forest in the landscape, we suggest that older plantations have conservation value for at least selected species and as such, could be better managed to increase this value. Am. J. Primatol. 72:1108–1117, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Entrepreneurship in the Street Food Sector of Vietnam—Assessment of Psychological Success and Failure Factors

We tested the hypothesis that process characteristics of action strategies were related to entrepreneurial success in microbusinesses in the urban informal sector of Vietnam. The process characteristics were divided into four strategies: critical point planning, complete planning, opportunistic, and reactive. Success was defined as a combination of economic and subjective measures. A survey was done in Hue and Hanoi (Vietnam) among 102 street food vendors. With 62 vendors of this sample, we held in‐depth interviews, which were used to test our hypotheses. The results showed that seventy percent of the business owners did not plan much. Opportunistic and planning strategies were most highly related to success, and a reactive strategy was related to failure. The latter replicates other studies in other developing countries.
Microscopic vascular invasion is the most relevant prognosticator after radical nephrectomy for clinically nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE Although many factors have been considered to predict the outcome after radical nephrectomy, renal cell carcinoma continues to behave unpredictably. In a retrospective study the correlation between microvascular tumor invasion and disease-free survival after surgery for renal cell carcinoma was analyzed. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 1980 and 1993, 180 patients (mean age 60 years) were followed for a mean of 52 months after radical or partial nephrectomy for clinically localized renal cell carcinoma. The relevance of microscopic vascular invasion was compared to classical tumor staging, grade and tumor diameter. RESULTS Microscopic vascular invasion was found in 51 patients (28.3%), including 20 (39.2%) with progression (mean interval to progression 72 months). Of 129 patients with no pathological evidence of microscopic vascular invasion only 8 (6.2%) showed progression at a mean interval of more than 160 months. The difference in disease-free survival as a function of microvascular invasion was statistically highly significant (log rank p < 0.00001) and on multivariate analysis this parameter was by far the most relevant predictor of progression. CONCLUSIONS In patients who underwent radical nephrectomy for clinically nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma with microvascular invasion but without lymph node involvement or macroscopic vascular invasion the chance of disease progression is estimated at 45% within 1 year. Microvascular invasion is the single most relevant prognosticator after presumed curative radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma.
Isolation and identification of pathogenic microorganisms at wastewater-irrigated fields: ratios in air and wastewater

Samples of air and corresponding wastewater samples were taken at wastewater spray-irrigated fields. The concentrations of salmonellae and enteroviruses present in these samples were determined and compared with those of coliforms, and the ratios between them were calculated. The most common Salmonella serotype in the air was Salmonella ohio, whereas in the wastewater, Salmonella anatum was the most common. Enteroviruses isolated and identified were poliovirus, echovirus, and coxsackievirus type B. From the ratios of salmonellas to coliforms and enteroviruses to coliforms in the air, as compared to these ratios in the wastewater, it was concluded that the suitability of coliforms as an indication of airborne contamination caused by spray irrigation is questionable.
Haem utilization in Vibrio cholerae involves multiple TonB‐dependent haem receptors

Vibrio cholerae has multiple iron transport systems, one of which involves haem uptake through the outer membrane receptor HutA. A hutA mutant had only a slight defect in growth using haemin as the iron source, and we show here that V. cholerae encodes two additional TonB‐dependent haem receptors, HutR and HasR. HutR has significant homology to HutA as well as to other outer membrane haem receptors. Membrane fractionation confirmed that HutR is present in the outer membrane. The hutR gene was co‐transcribed with the upstream gene ptrB, and expression from the ptrB promoter was negatively regulated by iron. A hutA, hutR mutant was significantly impaired, but not completely defective, in the ability to use haemin as the sole iron source. HasR is most similar to the haemophore‐utilizing haem receptors from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens. A mutant defective in all three haem receptors was unable to use haemin as an iron source. HutA and HutR functioned with either V. cholerae TonB1 or TonB2, but haemin transport through either receptor was more efficient in strains carrying the tonB1 system genes. In contrast, haemin uptake through HasR was TonB2 dependent. Efficient utilization of haemoglobin as an iron source required HutA and TonB1. The triple haem receptor mutant exhibited no defect in its ability to compete with its Vib– parental strain in an infant mouse model of infection, indicating that additional iron sources are present in vivo. V. cholerae used haem derived from marine invertebrate haemoglobins, suggesting that haem may be available to V. cholerae growing in the marine environment.
Steroid receptor phosphorylation: Assigning function to site‐specific phosphorylation

Steroid receptors (SRs) are hormone‐activated transcription factors important for a wide variety of cellular functions. Post‐translational modifications of SRs, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, acetylation, and sumoylation regulate their expression and function. The remarkable number of phosphorylation sites in these receptors and the wide variety of kinases shown to modulate phosphorylation influence the integration between cell‐signaling pathways and SR action. These phosphorylation sites have been identified in all of the functional domains with the majority being located within the amino‐terminal portions of the receptors. The regulation of function is receptor specific, site specific, and often dependent on the cellular context. Numerous roles for site‐specific phosphorylation have been elucidated including sensitivity of hormone response, DNA binding, expression, stability, subcellular localization, dimerization, and protein–protein interactions that can determine the regulation of specific target genes. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding receptor site‐specific phosphorylation and regulation of function. As functional assays become more sophisticated, it is likely that additional roles for phosphorylation in receptor function will be identified.
ω-3 Fatty Acid–Containing Liposomes in Cancer Therapy

Abstract ω-3 fatty acids are associated with reduced growth and incidence of certain cancers, and in this report we demonstrate that a fish oil diet (rich in ω-3 fatty acids) enhances the longevity of mice bearing the myeloid leukemia T27A. We have proposed that the ω-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6δ4,7,10,13,16,19) may induce structural changes in tumor cell plasma membranes resulting in reduced tumor growth in vitro. Here, we test whether liposomes containing DHA (18:0, 22:6 PC) have antitumor effects in vivo, leading to enhanced longevity of the tumor-bearing host. Male BALB/c mice (6-8 weeks old) were inoculated intraperitoneally with a T27A tumor dose known to cause 100% mortality of syngeneic (BALB/c) mice in less than 2 weeks. Small unilamellar vesicles (liposomes) were prepared, composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC) with 18:0 in the sn-l position and one of the following fatty acids in the sn-2 posltion: 18:0, 18:1ω9 (oleic), 18:3ω3 (α-linolenic), 20:4ω6 (arachidonic), 22:6ω3 (docosahexaenoic). The liposomes were injected intraperitoneally into tumor-bearing mice at various times: concurrently with the tumor inoculum, at select times during tumor growth, and when the mice were moribund. Mouse survival was then charted. DHA-containing lipid vesicles (18:0, 22:6 PC) caused a statistically significant increase in survival of the tumor-bearing mice when compared with 18:0, 18:1 PC. Lipid vesicles of 18:0, 18:0 PC showed no benefit, and 18:0, 20:4 PC was not significantly different than 18:0, 18:1 PC. Lipid vesicles containing a different ω-3 fatty acid, 18:0, 18:3 PC, also effectively enhanced tumor-bearing mouse survival. The greatest benefit was achieved if either the liposome treatments were spaced throughout the tumor growth period, or if the tumor inoculum was suspended in the liposome preparation (without further liposome treatments). Neither lipid peroxidation nor prolonged inflammatory responses appeared to be pertinent, leaving membrane structural changes as a feasible mode of liposome action. With antitumor properties of their own, ω-3 fatty acid-containing lipid vesicles may offer an important new avenue in combination cancer therapies. [P.S. E.B. M. 1995, Vol 210]
The Formation of Starch in Leaves of Bryophyllum Calycinum Cultured in Darkness.

In experiments carried out in this laboratory several years ago, it was noted that excised leaves of Bryophyllum calycinum collected at daybreak and cultured in water in darkness may increase appreciably in their content of starch (3). Such leaves contain a high proportion of organic acids when picked but undergo a marked loss of acidity when kept in darkness for two or three days. The suggestion was advanced that the newly formed starch may have arisen from organic acids as a result of reversal of the glycolytic reactions. Experiments on the normal diurnal variation respectively of organic acids and starch in Bryophyllum leaves (4, ? ) have lent considerable support to the view that such a course of events is possible, and an unpublished experiment carried out by the late Dr. G. W. Pucher shortly before his death in 1947 showed that starch accumulation in leaves cultured in darkness may at times reach considerable proportions. Accordingly, renewed study has been given to this problem. Bryophyllum calycinum leaves collected at daybreak were maintained in a closed dark cabinet under a continuous fine spray of water for several days, individual samples being removed for analysis at appropriate times. The leaves, which contained 3.7 gm. per kilo of initial fresh weight of starch at dawn, contained only 1 gm. after a further seven hours in darkness but then began to accumulate starch so that, after 26 hours, they contained 3 gm. and, after 75 hours, 3.6 gm. An even larger relative increase had been observed in the unpublished experiment of Pucher (see also 3) so that there appears to be no doubt of the capacity of Bryophyllum leaves to behave in this manner, notwithstanding a report to the contrary of Varner and BurRELL (5).
Psychiatric evaluation of mental capacity in the general hospital: a significant teaching opportunity.

BACKGROUND Requests for evaluation of mental capacity in general hospitals have increased in frequency. OBJECTIVE The authors sought to determine the interventions required to respond adequately and assess the initiating circumstances. METHOD Questionnaires completed by psychiatric consultants were analyzed, and chart reviews were completed. RESULTS Capacity evaluation alone resolved 32% of the requests; 31% required an evaluation plus additional interventions; 37% did not require a capacity evaluation. Patients threatening to leave against advice, and/or refusing treatments or procedures represented 64% of requests. Consultants successfully resolved 88% of such cases. CONCLUSION A mental capacity evaluation alone was insufficient to resolve two-thirds of problems eliciting requests. Consultation-liaison psychiatrists can use these evaluations as teaching opportunities.
Holomorphy of the 9th symmetric power L-functions for Re(s) > 1

Let F be a number field and denote by A its ring of adeles. Let π = ⊗vπv be a cuspidal automorphic representation of GL2(A). We normalize π so that ωπ | R+ ≡ 1, where ωπ is the central character of π and A∗ = A1 × R+. One of the consequences of the existence of Sym(π) and Sym(π) as automorphic representations of GL4(A) and GL5(A), respectively, recently proved in [2, 7], is a proof of certain analytic properties of L(s, π, Sym ρ2) for m ≤ 9 (cf. [6, 8]). While we succeeded in proving that when m ≤ 8, each of these symmetric power L-functions are invertible and even absolutely convergent for Re(s) > 1 (cf. [6, 13]), no such results were obtained for L(s, π, Sym ρ2). In fact, all that we knew (even though it is not stated explicitly in [6]) was that L(s, π, Sym ρ2) is holomorphic and nonvanishing for Re(s) ≥ 1, except possibly for finitely many poles and zeros on the real axis 1 ≤ s ≤ 2. On the other hand, Gelbart and Lapid [1] have recently established zero free regions for each of the L-functions obtained from Langlands-Shahidi method to the left
Noradrenaline vs terlipressin in the treatment of type 2 hepatorenal syndrome: a randomized pilot study

Various vasoconstrictors have shown promising results in the management of type 1 hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). However, there are very few studies on vasopressors in the management of type 2 HRS. Terlipressin has been used commonly; however, it is costly and not available in some countries. In this study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of terlipressin and noradrenaline in the treatment of type 2 HRS.