Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli versus susceptible E. coli in surgical site infections among cancer patients in Mexico.

BACKGROUND Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli are of increasing concern as a cause of healthcare-associated infections. STUDY DESIGN Using a matched case-control design, demographics, antibiotic use, and relevant surgical data were obtained for 173 cases (ESBL E. coli surgical site infections, [SSI]) and 173 controls (antibiotic-susceptible E. coli SSI) in an oncology hospital in Mexico City. Conditional logistic regression modeling was used to calculate odds ratios (OR). RESULTS The mean age of patients was 53.6 years, 214 (62%) were female. Demographics and comorbidities were similar between groups. Although antibiotic prophylaxis was common among both cases and controls (84% and 89%), more than one-half of cases (53%) were given prophylaxis outside the recommended window or were exposed for more than 24 h in comparison to 29% of controls. Patients who received untimely (OR=3.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-6.4) and discontinued inappropriately (OR 6.38, 95% CI=2.5-16.2) prophylaxis were more likely to develop an ESBL SSI. In addition, patients with an organ/space infection compared with superficial had a higher rate of a resistant infection (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.3-13.9). Among patients not given timely or appropriately discontinued prophylaxis, post-operative cephalosporin use (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.4-7.7) was associated with ESBL E. coli SSIs. CONCLUSIONS The appropriate timing and duration of perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis were associated with lower risk of ESBL E. coli in SSIs. Even though compliance to antimicrobial prophylaxis guidelines is of the utmost importance, reduced exposure to cephalosporins may also potentially decrease the risk of ESBL SSI.
Mutation of luxS of Streptococcus pneumoniae Affects Virulence in a Mouse Model

ABSTRACT The LuxS protein is required for the biosynthesis of the type 2 autoinducer (AI-2), which is involved in quorum sensing in a wide range of bacterial species. We have determined the effects of a defined luxS mutation on the virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Although the luxS mutant displayed reduced virulence relative to its wild-type parent, the type 2 strain D39, it was by no means avirulent in a mouse model. After intranasal administration, the luxS mutant was able to colonize the nasopharynx of the mouse as efficiently as the wild type. However, it was less able to spread from the nasopharynx to the lungs or the blood. Intraperitoneal coadministration studies indicated that the luxS mutant was less fit and was readily outcompeted by wild-type D39. However, when administered on its own by this route, the mutant was able to proliferate and cause fatal systemic disease, albeit at a lower rate than the wild type. Western blot analysis of whole-cell lysates of the mutant and its parent did not reveal any differences in the levels of several well-characterized virulence proteins. However, analysis of Coomassie blue-stained protein profiles after separation by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that mutation of luxS had pleiotropic effects on protein expression in all cellular compartments. This is consistent with the product of luxS having a regulatory role in S. pneumoniae. This is the first report of a direct role for luxS (and by inference, AI-2) in the virulence of a gram-positive pathogen. However, the fact that mutagenesis of luxS does not completely attenuate S. pneumoniae has implications for the possible use of AI-2 antagonists for treatment of pneumococcal infections.
Predictive values of psychiatric symptoms for internet addiction in adolescents: a 2-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the predictive values of psychiatric symptoms for the occurrence of Internet addiction and to determine the sex differences in the predictive value of psychiatric symptoms for the occurrence of Internet addiction in adolescents. DESIGN Internet addiction, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, social phobia, and hostility were assessed by self-reported questionnaires. Participants were then invited to be assessed for Internet addiction 6, 12, and 24 months later (the second, third, and fourth assessments, respectively). SETTING Ten junior high schools in southern Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS A total of 2293 (1179 boys and 1114 girls) adolescents participated in the initial investigation. MAIN EXPOSURE The course of time. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Internet addiction as assessed using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. RESULTS Depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, social phobia, and hostility were found to predict the occurrence of Internet addiction in the 2-year follow-up, and hostility and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were the most significant predictors of Internet addiction in male and female adolescents, respectively. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, hostility, depression, and social phobia should be detected early on and intervention carried out to prevent Internet addiction in adolescents. Also, sex differences in psychiatric comorbidity should be taken into consideration when developing prevention and intervention strategies for Internet addiction.
The ECG in pulmonary embolism. Predictive value of negative T waves in precordial leads--80 case reports.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY OBJECTIVE The value of the ECG for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) is debatable. Once the diagnosis of PE has been established, however, the ECG could allow the massive forms to be distinguished. The purpose of our study was to analyze the ECG signs in patients hospitalized for PE in a cardiology unit. DESIGN Taking a series of 80 consecutive patients hospitalized for PE, we analyzed the ECGs on admission and then during hospitalization. We sought to evaluate changes in ECG signs compared with angiographic and hemodynamic changes in PE. RESULTS T-wave inversion in the precordial leads is the most common abnormality (68%), and represents the ECG sign best correlated to the severity of the PE. Among those patients with anterior T-wave inversion, 90% had a Miller index over 50% (mean, 60 +/- 8%). Eighty-one percent had a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) over 30 mm Hg (mean, 37 +/- 8%). This subepicardial ischemic pattern is an even stronger marker of severity when it appears as early as the first day (p < 0.01). Its reversibility is correlated to the changes in PE. After thrombolysis in particular, normalization of repolarization systematically indicates mean Miller and PAP indexes of < 20% and < 20 mm Hg, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The anterior subepicardial ischemic pattern is the most frequent ECG sign of massive PE. This parameter is easy to obtain and reflects the severity of PE. Its reversibility before the sixth day points to a good outcome or high level of therapeutic efficacy.
MR‐based hippocampal volumetry in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

We evaluated a new magnetic resonance (MR)-based technique for performing volumetric measurements of temporal lobe structures. The technique was designed to assist in making the clinical diagnosis of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT). We chose specific anatomic regions of interest because of their known involvement in memory function and in the neuropathology of DAT and used a regression model to assess the effects of age on the volumes of the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) and the hippocampal formation (HF). These measurements were normalized by total intracranial volume (TIV). The volumetric measurements of both the normalized ATL and HF were significantly smaller (p < 0.001) in DAT patients (N = 20) than in controls (N = 22), but the HF volumes provided much better separation between the two groups. Eighty-five percent of the DAT patients fell below the range of the HF/TIV measurement for the control subjects. This separation held up over the entire age range studied. Normalized volumes of both the HF and ATL decreased with age significantly for both the DAT patients and the controls. These results support the contention that MR-based HF volumetric measurements are accurate in differentiating DAT patients from cognitively normal elderly individuals. This technique may be a useful adjunct in making the clinical diagnosis of DAT.
A Review on the Practical Application of Human Biomonitoring in Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment

Environmental health sciences focus on the link between the presence of contaminants in the environment and their relation with possible adverse health effects. Within this context, human biomonitoring (HBM) data have proven to be a valuable addition to, or have even surpassed, estimates of exposure based on environmental measures. Probably the main achievement of HBM data is that it provides an integrated overview of the pollutant dose any constituent is exposed to and incorporates bioaccumulation, excretion, half-life, and other potentially critical toxicokinetic parameters. In an integrated environmental health impact assessment framework, HBM serves as a pivotal point between environment and health, on the one hand leaning on environmental data to provide information on sources and pathways of exposure, and on the other hand clarifying hypotheses on the relationship between internal dose and prevalence of disease clusters. This study reflects the work performed in the INTARESE project (Integrated Assessment of Health Risk of Environmental Stressors in Europe). Because it was perceived that there was an overall lack of knowledge on the general methodology and potential application of HBM data in integrated environmental health impact assessment, an extensive review of literature was performed on past and current developments, potential, and applicability of HBM within the context of integrated environmental health impact assessment. This study covers three main topics that provide guidance for improved interpretation and application of HBM data: (1) sample collection and storage, (2) sample measurement, and (3) data interpretation. These main issues were discussed for 15 of the most common or relevant (classes of) chemicals. For more detailed information, the reader is pointed to the unabridged review (INTARESE, 2007), and consultation is available through the INTARESE web site (www.intarese.org).
A model of the response of visual area V2 to combinations of orientations

The role of the V2 area in visual processing is still almost entirely unexplored. Recently, several studies revealed the tuning of V2 neurons in the macaque to stimuli consisting of two segments with different orientations. By measuring orientation tuning inside subunits of the overall receptive field, units with non uniform orientation selectivity have been found. In this work, the emergence of a computational organization supporting similar responses is explored, using an artificial model of cortical maps. This model, called LISSOM (Laterally Interconnected Synergetically Self-Organizing Map) includes excitatory and inhibitory lateral connections. In this simulation two LISSOM maps are arranged as V1 and V2 areas. In the first area, the classical domains of orientation selectivity develop, while in V2 most neurons become sensitive to pairs of orientations. The overall activation of these units depend on the presence of oriented segments at a finer grain than the whole receptive fields, with complex nonlinear interactions.
The Redox State of the Cell Regulates the Ligand Binding Affinity of Human Neuroglobin and Cytoglobin*

Neuroglobin and cytoglobin reversibly bind oxygen in competition with the distal histidine, and the observed oxygen affinity therefore depends on the properties of both ligands. In the absence of an external ligand, the iron atom of these globins is hexacoordinated. There are three cysteine residues in human neuroglobin; those at positions CD7 and D5 are sufficiently close to form an internal disulfide bond. Both cysteine residues in cytoglobin, although localized in other positions than in human neuroglobin, may form a disulfide bond as well. The existence and position of these disulfide bonds was demonstrated by mass spectrometry and thiol accessibility studies. Mutation of the cysteines involved, or the use of reducing agents to break the S–S bond, led to a decrease in the observed oxygen affinity of human neuroglobin by an order of magnitude. The critical parameter is the histidine dissociation rate, which changes by about a factor of 10. The same effect is observed with human cytoglobin, although to a much lesser extent (less than a factor of 2). These results suggest a novel mechanism for the regulation of oxygen binding; contact with an appropriate electron donor would provoke the release of oxygen. Hence the oxygen affinity would be directly linked to the redox state of the cell.
L-Citrulline Supplementation Enhances Fetal Growth and Protein Synthesis in Rats with Intrauterine Growth Restriction.

BACKGROUND Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) results from either maternal undernutrition or impaired placental blood flow, exposing offspring to increased perinatal mortality and a higher risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease during adulthood. l-Citrulline is a precursor of l-arginine and nitric oxide (NO), which regulates placental blood flow. Moreover, l-citrulline stimulates protein synthesis in other models of undernutrition. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to determine whether l-citrulline supplementation would enhance fetal growth in a model of IUGR induced by maternal dietary protein restriction. METHODS Pregnant rats were fed either a control (20% protein) or a low-protein (LP; 4% protein) diet. LP dams were randomly allocated to drink tap water either as such or supplemented with l-citrulline (2 g · kg(-1) · d(-1)), an isonitrogenous amount of l-arginine, or nonessential l-amino acids (NEAAs). On day 21 of gestation, dams received a 2-h infusion of l-[1-(13)C]-valine until fetuses were extracted by cesarean delivery. Isotope enrichments were measured in free amino acids and fetal muscle, liver, and placenta protein by GC-mass spectrometry. RESULTS Fetal weight was ∼29% lower in the LP group (3.82 ± 0.06 g) than in the control group (5.41 ± 0.10 g) (P < 0.001). Regardless of supplementation, fetal weight remained below that of control fetuses. Yet, compared with the LP group, l-citrulline and l-arginine equally increased fetal weight to 4.15 ± 0.08 g (P < 0.05) and 4.13 ± 0.1 g (P < 0.05 compared with LP), respectively, whereas NEAA did not (4.05 ± 0.05 g; P = 0.07). Fetal muscle protein fractional synthesis rate was 35% lower in the LP fetuses (41% ± 11%/d) than in the control (61% ± 13%/d) fetuses (P < 0.001) and was normalized by l-citrulline (56% ± 4%/d; P < 0.05 compared with LP, NS compared with control) and not by other supplements. Urinary nitrite and nitrate excretion was lower in the LP group (6.4 ± 0.8 μmol/d) than in the control group (17.9 ± 1.1 μmol/d; P < 0.001) and increased in response to l-citrulline or l-arginine (12.1 ± 2.2 and 10.6 ± 0.9 μmol/d; P < 0.05), whereas they did not in the LP + NEAA group. CONCLUSION l-Citrulline increases fetal growth in a model of IUGR, and the effect may be mediated by enhanced fetal muscle protein synthesis and/or increased NO production.
Transfusions and patient burden in chemotherapy-induced anaemia in France

Objectives: To estimate the patient burden in terms of the time spent on outpatient red blood cell (RBC) transfusions indicated for chemotherapy induced-anaemia (CIA) in patients with cancer in France. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients with cancer receiving an outpatient RBC transfusion was conducted at seven treatment centres in France. Total treatment time for one transfusion visit per patient was measured as the elapsed time between pre- and post-transfusion vital sign assessment, including time from transfusion start to stop. Elapsed time from haemoglobin (Hb) level testing to transfusion start and from blood draw for compatibility testing to transfusion start were recorded. In addition, estimated travel time and distance to the transfusion centre, and clinical and demographic information were collected. Results: A total of 103 patients [63.1% men; mean age 66.2 years, standard deviation (SD) 11.9] were enrolled in the study (1 August 2010–31 October 2010). The four most frequent diagnoses were lung cancer (31.1%), urological cancer (15.5%), gynecological cancer (14.6%) and gastrointestinal/colorectal cancer (14.6%). Mean elapsed time between prevital and postvital sign assessment was 4.0 h [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9–6.1], including a mean of 3.4 h (95% CI 2.5–4.2) for the transfusion itself. Hb level testing (mean pre-transfusion Hb level 8.0 g/dl, SD 0.8) and blood draw for compatibility testing were completed in a mean of 28.8 h (95% CI 1.3–56.2) and 9.4 h (95% CI 0–21.4) prior to transfusion respectively. Patients’ one-way mean travel time to the transfusion centre was 32.9 min (95% CI 28.5–37.4) and mean distance travelled was 25.4 km (95% CI 11.6–39.3). Conclusion: In France, CIA treatment with RBC transfusion is a time-consuming activity for patients that includes multiple trips to a medical facility, blood testing and the transfusion procedure itself. This burden is important to consider in the context of optimizing proactive monitoring and planning for supportive oncology care.
Slice router: For fine-granularity fault-tolerant Networks-on-Chip

Almost all existing Networks-on-Chip (NoC) fault-tolerant schemes are based on fault-tolerant routing algorithms. In these fault-tolerant schemes, faulty links or routers will be discarded all together. However, only a few part of the discarded link or router is faulty in most cases. It is wasteful to discard the whole link or router. In this paper, we present a slice router architecture which can be used in fine-granularity fault-tolerant NoC. The major motivation of presenting slice router is to refine faulty links and routers. The major idea is that a router is split into several sub-link routers, noted slices. Different from several physically independent routers, slices are coupled together in input/output ports. The coupling of slices makes the network to be able to fine-granularity fault-tolerant. In order to evaluate the fault-tolerant capability of slice routers, we design a loosely-coupled 4-slices router with a backup sub-link in each link. Each slice is a single-cycle output buffered switch. Simulation results prove its fault-tolerant capability in the present of high faulty rates. The critical latency is only increased 0.04ns, because the configuration of slice interfaces is parallel with the output arbiter of slices. Under 65nm technology synthesized results show that, the increased area overhead of a slice router is only a few logic gates compared with the non-coupled slice router.
Interaction of melatonin with human lymphocytes: Evidence for binding sites coupled to potentiation of cyclic AMP stimulated by vasoactive intestinal peptide and activation of cyclic GMP

Abstract: Melatonin binding sites were characterized in human blood lymphocytes. The specific binding 2‐[125I]iodomelatonin ([125I]MEL) to human lymphocytes was dependent on time and temperature, stability, saturation, and reversibility. Moreover, guanine nucleotides decreased the specific binding of [125I]MEL to crude membranes of human lymphocytes, suggesting the coupling of these binding sites to a guanosine nucleotide binding regulatory protein(s). In competition studies, the specific binding of [125I]MEL to lymphocytes was inhibited by increasing concentrations of native melatonin. Scatchard analysis showed that data were compatible with the existence of two classes of binding sites: a high‐affinity site with a Kd of 5.20 ± 0.79 nM and a binding capacity of 50.6 ± 11.0 fmol/107 cells, and a low‐affinity site with a Kd of 208.5 ± 50.2 nM and a binding capacity of 2691 ± 265 fmol/107 cells. However, concentration‐dependent binding of [125I]MEL to lymphocytes was saturable and resulted in a linear Scatchard plot, suggesting binding to a single class of binding sites. The Kd for the single site was 1.02 ± 0.34 nM with a binding capacity of 10.1 ± 1.6 fmol/107 cells. Their affinities closely correlated with the production of cyclic nucleotides, suggesting a physiological role for the melatonin binding sites. Thus, melatonin potentiated the effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on cyclic AMP production (ED50= 1.9 nM) and stimulated cyclic GMP accumulation (ED50= 125 nM). Results demonstrate the existence of two binding sites for [125I]MEL in human blood lymphocytes, with a high‐affinity binding site coupled to the potentiation of the effect of VIP on cyclic AMP production and a low‐affinity binding site coupled to activation of cyclic GMP production.
Effects of smoking cessation on pain in older adults.

INTRODUCTION Smokers are at increased risk of developing chronic pain and suffering higher pain intensity. However, nicotine has analgesic properties, and smokers may view smoking as a means to cope with pain. Smoking cessation is clearly beneficial to the long-term health of smokers. However, it is not known how abstinence from smoking affects pain. The aim of this study was to determine the association between smoking cessation and changes in pain symptoms by secondary analysis of a large longitudinal dataset of older adults. METHODS Secondary analyses were performed of longitudinal biennial survey data (1992 through 2006) from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study of United States adults older than 50 years. Multivariate logistic regressions were utilized to determine the relationship between the changes in smoking status and changes in pain symptoms, controlling for demographics, depression, self-rated health, history of arthritis, and body mass index. RESULTS In multivariate analyses, among the 4,695 smokers who reported no pain or mild pain at enrollment, smoking status was not independently associated with exacerbation of pain (odds ratio [OR]: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.84, 1.08). Among the 1,118 smokers who reported moderate to severe pain at enrollment, smoking status was not independently associated with improvement of pain (OR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.70, 1.08). CONCLUSIONS Smoking cessation was not independently associated with changes in pain symptoms in older adults. These results suggest that concerns regarding the effects of abstinence from smoking on pain should not pose a barrier to offering tobacco use interventions to smokers with chronic pain.
'Hunger Makes a Thief of Any Man': Poverty and Crime in British Colonial Asia

This study uses rainfall variation as an instrumental variable for rice production to estimate the impact of poverty on different types of crime across British colonies in South and South East Asia (1910-–1940). Using original primary sources retrieved from annual administrative and statistical reports, it provides some of the first evidence in a historical setting on the causal relationship between poverty and crime. Extreme rainfall, both droughts and floods, lead to a large increase in property crimes (such as robbery, petty theft, and cattle raiding), but not to an increase in interpersonal violent crimes (such as murder, homicides, and assault). In line with a growing body of literature on the climate-economy nexus, this study offers evidence that loss of agricultural income is one of the main causal channels leading to property crime. Additional historical information on food shortages, poverty, and crime is used to explore the connection in greater detail.