Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inflammation and immune response in acute aortic dissection

Abstract Objective. The aim of our study was to evaluate the lymphocyte subpopulations and the cytokines in the peripheral blood of patients with type-A Stanford acute aortic dissection (AAD group) and to determine whether inflammatory cells are present at the site of aortic dissection. Methods. Thirty-five consecutive patients with type-A Stanford dissection were evaluated for haemochrome and lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD19+, CD4+CD25+, CD16+CD56+, CD4+CD28−, CD8+CD28−) by flow cytometry. C-reactive protein (CRP), tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 were measured by ELISA. In addition, immunohistochemical staining with cell type-specific antibodies was performed to study the inflammatory cells detected inside the aortic wall. Results. In the AAD group, a significant increase in natural killer (NK) (P = 0.032), B cells (P = 0.022), and CD8+CD28− (P = 0.045) subpopulations was observed, whereas there was a significant decrease in total T lymphocytes (P = 0.004) and T helper fractions (P = 0.005). Moreover, a significant increase in CRP (P < 0.0001), IL-6 (P < 0.0001), IL-8 (P < 0.0001), IL-10 (P < 0.0001), TNF-α (P < 0.0001), and MCP-1 (P < 0.001) was observed; macrophages represented the main population detected inside the media. Conclusions. Our results strongly support the hypothesis of a pivotal role of innate immunity in type-A Stanford AAD.
Help-seeking behaviour and adolescent self-harm: A systematic review

Objective: Self-harm is common in adolescence, but most young people who self-harm do not seek professional help. The aim of this literature review was to determine (a) the sources of support adolescents who self-harm access if they seek help, and (b) the barriers and facilitators to help-seeking for adolescents who self-harm. Method: Using a pre-defined search strategy we searched databases for terms related to self-harm, adolescents and help-seeking. Studies were included in the review if participants were aged 11–19 years. Results: Twenty articles met criteria for inclusion. Between a third and one half of adolescents who self-harm do not seek help for this behaviour. Of those who seek help, results showed adolescents primarily turned to friends and family for support. The Internet may be more commonly used as a tool for self-disclosure rather than asking for help. Barriers to help-seeking included fear of negative reactions from others including stigmatisation, fear of confidentiality being breached and fear of being seen as ‘attention-seeking’. Few facilitators of help-seeking were identified. Conclusions: Of the small proportion of adolescents who seek help for their self-harm, informal sources are the most likely support systems accessed. Interpersonal barriers and a lack of knowledge about where to go for help may impede help-seeking. Future research should address the lack of knowledge regarding the facilitators of help-seeking behaviour in order to improve the ability of services to engage with this vulnerable group of young people.
Validation Method of a Middle Ear Mechanical Model to Develop a Surgical Simulator

Ossicular surgery requires a high dexterity for the manipulation of the fragile and small middle ear components. Currently, the only efficient technique for training residents in otological surgery is through the use of temporal bone specimens, where any existing surgical simulator does not provide useful feedback. The objective of this study was to develop a finite-element model of the human ossicular chain dedicated to surgical simulation and to propose a method to evaluate its behavior. A model was developed based on human middle ear micromagnetic resonance imaging. The mechanical parameters were determined according to published data. To assess its performance, the middle ear transfer function was analyzed. The robustness of our model and the influence of different middle ear components were also evaluated at low frequency by static force pressure simulations. The mechanical behavior of our model in nominal and pathological conditions was in good agreement with published human temporal bone measurements. We showed that the cochlea influences the transfer function only at high frequency and could be omitted from a surgical simulator. In addition, surgeons were able to manipulate the validated middle ear model with a real-time haptic feedback. The computational efficiency of our approach allowed real-time interactions, making it suitable for use in a training simulator.
Interaction of Extracellular Matrix and Activin-A in the Initiation of Follicle Growth in the Mouse Ovary1

Abstract The precise mechanism for the initiation of follicle growth and progression through the earliest stages of follicle development remains largely unknown. Activins play a role during early follicle development, and evidence suggests that the extracellular matrix plays a role during later stages of follicular growth. We investigated the role of activin-A and extracellular matrix in follicle growth initiation and early follicular development in the mouse ovary. Ovaries were collected from 5-day-old mice and cultured for 10 days on polylysine, collagen, or laminin in the presence or absence of recombinant human activin-A. Follicle density, indices of follicle growth initiation (primary:primordial follicle [PY:PD] and primary:total follicle [PY:TF] ratios), ratios of multilayer follicle:total follicle (ML:TF), and follicle growth rates were compared between groups. Follicle densities were significantly higher in the extracellular matrix treatment group compared with the polylysine group (P < 0.01). Also, compared with polylysine, both collagen and laminin significantly increased indices of follicle growth initiation (PY:PD ratio: P < 0.001, odds ratio of 3.3; PY:TF ratio: P < 0.001, odds ratio of 2.5), and these were not altered by activin treatment. In the absence of activin-A, exposure to neither collagen nor laminin had an effect on multilayer follicle development. When activin-A was added, collagen and laminin had opposing effects on multilayer follicle development. Activin-A stimulated multilayer follicle development in the presence of laminin (ML:TF ratio: P = 0.01, odds ratio of 10.8), whereas it suppressed follicle growth in collagen (P = 0.01). Activin-A did not affect the ML:TF ratio in the polylysine-treated groups. These results strongly suggest that extracellular matrix components and activin-A interact with each other, and that they regulate follicle growth initiation and multilayer follicle development.
Release of vasoactive intestinal peptide in mouse cerebral cortex: evidence for a role of arachidonic acid metabolites

In rodent cerebral cortex, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is contained in a homogeneous population of radially oriented bipolar interneurons. We have observed that 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), a K+- channel blocker, promotes a concentration- and Ca2+-dependent release of VIP from mouse cerebral cortical slices, with a significant effect already observed at 50 microM. Over 70% of VIP release elicited by 4-AP is blocked by 2 microM tetrodotoxin (TTX). Mepacrine, an inhibitor of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity and hence of arachidonic acid (AA) formation from membrane phospholipids, markedly inhibits (IC50 of approximately 15 microM) the release of VIP evoked by 4-AP. The inhibitory effect of mepacrine is not additive to that of TTX, thus indicating an involvement of PLA2 activation in the TTX-sensitive component of the 4-AP-evoked release. As a corollary, melittin (0.1–10 micrograms/ml), a PLA2 activator, promotes VIP release. Inhibition of AA metabolites of the lipoxygenase pathway by nordihydroguaiaretic acid, 5,8,11,14-eicosatetranoic acid, and caffeic acid results in a concentration-dependent inhibition of VIP release evoked by 4-AP. This set of observations indicates for the first time that the formation of AA metabolites of the lipoxygenase pathway plays a role in the release of a peptide in the mammalian CNS. Furthermore, these observations together with the previously reported potentiation by prostaglandins of the increase in cyclic AMP elicited by VIP in mouse cerebral cortex (Schaad et al., 1987) indicate that AA metabolites may act at both the presynaptic (lipoxygenase metabolites) and the postsynaptic (cyclooxygenase metabolites) levels to increase the “throughput” or “strength” of VIP-containing circuits in the rodent neocortex.
Study of smart antibacterial PCL-xFe3 O4 thin films using mouse NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells in vitro.

Surface energy plays a major role in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell interactions with biomedical devices. In the present study, poly(ε-caprolactone)-xFe3 O4 nanoparticles (PCL-xFO NPs; x = 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60 wt% FO concentration in PCL) composite thin films were developed for skin tissue regeneration. The surface properties in terms of roughness, surface energy, wettability of the thin films were altered with the incorporation of Fe3 O4 NPs. These thin films show antimicrobial properties and cyto-compatibility with NIH 3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. The porosity and thickness of the films were controlled by varying RPM of the spin coater. Interestingly, at 1000 RPM the roughness of the film decreased with increasing concentrations of FO NPs in PCL, whereas the surface energy increased with increasing FO NPs concentrations. Furthermore, the spreading of NIH-3T3 cells grown on PCL-xFO thin films was less as compared to control (TCPS), however cells overcame this effect after 48 h of seeding and cells spread similarly to those grown on TCPS after 48 h. Also, the incorporation of FO NPs in thin films induced inner membrane permeabilization in E. coli bacteria leading to bacterial cell death. The viability of E. coli bacteria decreased with increasing concentration of FO NPs in PCL. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 795-804, 2017.
Incidence of leukemia in the northwest of iran.

BACKGROUND Leukemia is cancer of the blood or bone marrow, characterized by an unusual increase in white blood cells. It is the sixth most common malignancy in the country in both males and females. The aim of this study was to document some epidemiological features of leukemia in the Northwest of Iran. METHODS The study subjects (n=669, including 377 males and 292 females) comprised all leukemia cases registered/notified to the clinical and pathology centers of Tabriz and Ardebil cities, from 2003 to 2006. All patients were classified using the ICD-10 based coding system (C91-C95, C77 and C42). Ninety-five percent confidence intervals were calculated to assess the statistical significance of the data. RESULTS Annual incidence of leukemia was 3.7 [95% CI: 3.3-4.0] and 4.9 [95% CI: 4.2-5.6] per 100 000 population in Tabriz and Ardebil, respectively, with an overall case fatality rate of 13.5 percent [95% CI: 10.8-16.0]. The sex ratio (male/female) was 1.23. Myeloid leukemia (C92) and Hematopoetic and Reticuloendothelial system (C42) accounted proportionally for more than 47 percent of cases in the region. Over the study period, the annual occurrence of leukemia in the region increased from 3.9 [95% CI: 3.4-4.5] to 4.1 [95% CI: 3.5-4.6] per 100 000 population (P>0.1). CONCLUSIONS The data from this cross-sectional study of leukemia in the North-West of Iran may be used as the baseline information to establish a population-based registry of hema-tologic disorders in the area for health care and research purposes. However, more investiga-tions are needed to develop effective strategies to control the relevant disorders in high-risk groups.
A high rate n-of-m speech processing strategy for the first generation Clarion cochlear implant

Abstract An n-of-m speech coding strategy has been developed for the Clarion Cochlear Implant Series 1.x (1.0 & 1.2). The basic principle is to reduce the number of stimuli per cycle, by neglecting the less significant spectral components, and to concentrate on the more dominant frequency bands. In this study 20 subjects, implanted with a Clarion device, used an n-of-m strategy at 1666 pps per channel. The outcomes using this strategy were compared with the outcomes using conventional processing (CIS at 833 pps/channel). Eight of the 20 subjects underwent additional testing with the n-of-m strategy with the rate set at 833 pps/channel. Using the n-of-m strategy at 1666 pps showed statistically significant improvement in performance over the CIS strategy, with 16 of the 20 subjects achieving better results. However, there was no statistically meaningful difference in performance between n-of-m at 833 pps and the CIS strategy running at the same rate. Results therefore suggest that n-of-m strategy can be an alternative to CIS, particularly when the implant hardware limits the overall stimulation rate. Sumario Se ha desarrollado una estrategia n-of-m de codificación del lenguaje para el implante coclear Clarion en sus series 1 × (1.0 & 1.2). El principio básico es reducir el número de estímulos por ciclo, abandonando los componentes espectrales menos significativos y concentrándose en las bandas de frecuencia más dominantes. En este estudio 20 sujetos implantados con un Clarion, usaron una estrategia n-of-m a 1666 pps por canal. Los resultados con el uso de esta estrategia se compararon con los obtenidos al usar procesamiento convencional (CIS a 833 pps/ canal). Ocho de los 20 sujetos realizaron pruebas adicionales con la estrategia n-of-m a una tasa de 833 pps/canal. El uso de la estrategia n-of-m a 1666 pps mostró una mejoría estadísticamente significativa en el rendimiento, en comparación con la estrategia CIS, en 16 de los 20 sujetos que obtuvieron mejores resultados. No obstante, no hubo una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en el rendimiento entre la condición de 833 pps y la estrategia CIS, practicadas a la misma tasa. Los resultados sugieren por consiguiente que la estrategia n-of-m puede ser una alternativa de la CIS, particularmente cuando el equipo limita la tasa total de estimulación.
Conceptualizing performance in accreditation.

OBJECTIVE To compare the conceptualization of performance underlying different accreditation manuals. DATA SOURCES Accreditation manuals were selected from the 2003 WHO report titled 'Quality and Accreditation in Healthcare Services'. We used manuals from WHO-listed countries that most influenced the standards: Canada, France, the USA and Australia. The fifth manual is published by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). EXTRACTION METHODS Standards from each manual were classified by two independent reviewers. The coding grid, which was based on a Parsonian-based integrative framework on performance, was composed of performance dimensions and their interlinks/alignments. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The four dimensions of quality, goal-attainment, adaptation to the external environment and values, along with their alignments, were given differing levels of importance in the five manuals. The Australian manual emphasizes all four dimensions and their alignments. The PAHO accreditation focuses mainly on quality. The manuals from Canada, France and the USA fall somewhere between the two accreditation extremes of complete versus one-dimensional. Finally, we present a taxonomy of the conceptualization of performance in accreditation manuals that distinguishes between quality-oriented and alignment-oriented accreditation manuals. CONCLUSIONS Specific conceptualizations of performance underlying accreditation manuals may not be neutral. Perhaps, more normative accreditation manuals are associated with authoritative management styles, or more balanced accreditation manuals with comprehensive management styles. Our comparative analysis is a first step toward better understanding the relationship between the conceptualization of performance and the management style adopted in a particular healthcare organization. This relationship could help explain the variation observed in healthcare organization performance.
Beta‐carotene and animal fats and their relationship to prostate cancer risk. A case—control study

A case—control study of 371 prostate cancer patients and comparable control subjects admitted to Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI), Buffalo, New York, was conducted. Data were obtained from routine epidemiologic questionnaires administered to all patients on admission. An index of beta‐carotene intake was computed based on the vitamin A activity of 27 fruits and vegetables included in a food frequency checklist. A similar measure of fat intake from meats was computed based on nine meats included in the checklist. Intake frequencies of common and alcoholic beverages also were studied. A significant age‐adjusted and residence‐adjusted protective effect for high levels of beta‐carotene intake was observed (relative risk [RR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37 to 0.99). This effect was evident particularly among men 68 years of age and younger (RR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.66), but not among subjects older than 68 years of age. A trend toward increased risk for fat intake was not significant. However, the reported usual consumption of high‐fat milk was associated with increased risk (RR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.05 to 3.50). A greater reported frequency of whole milk intake was similarly associated with increased risk. Men who reported drinking three or more glasses of whole milk daily had an RR of 2.49 (95% CI, 1.27 to 4.87), compared with men who reported never drinking whole milk. When these findings are evaluated in the context of other recent studies, the weight of the evidence appears to favor the hypothesis that animal fat intake is related to increased risk of prostate cancer.
Vastus medialis oblique: an anatomic and physiologic study.

The lower part of the vastus medialis, which originates chiefly from the tendon of the adductor magnus, has been designated as the "vastus medialis oblique. " This muscle is peculiar to man. The fibers of the muscle are mostly horizontal; therefore they are in a unique position to stabilize the patella against the femur in the later stages of extension of the knee. This article details the anatomic and physiologic features of the vastus medialis oblique.
Characterization of the Human Serum Trypanosome Toxin, Haptoglobin-related Protein*

Haptoglobin-related protein (HPR) is a serum protein that is >90% homologous to the acute-phase reactant haptoglobin (Hp). Haptoglobin binds and removes free hemoglobin (Hb) from the circulation. Hpr levels are elevated with tumor progression in the serum of some cancer patients, but the relevance of this observation is not understood. HPR is an integral part of two distinct high molecular weight complexes (trypanosome lytic factor 1 (TLF1) and TLF2) that are lytic for the African parasite Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Previous data indicate that HPR represents the toxic component of both trypanosome lytic factors. It has been proposed that after uptake by the parasite, Hb bound to HPR causes lysis in a peroxidase-dependent process. We report that the molecular architecture of HPR in normal human serum is different from that of Hp and that HPR does not bind Hb in normal human serum. Immunodepletion of all detectable Hb from TLF1 does not deplete TLF1 of HPR or trypanolytic activity, suggesting that the mechanism of parasite lysis is Hb-independent.
Expanding the Neurologic Phenotype of Oculodentodigital Dysplasia in a 4-Generation Hispanic Family

We report a 4-generation Hispanic family with oculodentodigital dysplasia whose members were found to have typical phenotypic characteristics of this disorder, as well as a variable expression of neurologic manifestations in multiple generations ranging from a mild spastic gait to moderate to severe spastic tetraparesis/quadriplegia with epilepsy and an abnormal brain and spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging result. Gene testing documented a previously reported missense mutation in GJA1 (connexin 43) exon 2 (c.389T>C;p.I130T). Our evaluation not only expands the phenotypes associated with GJA1 gene mutations but also demonstrates that a great degree of variability in neurological defects can exist within a single family without evidence of genetic anticipation. A genotype-phenotype correlation between the p.I130T mutation and neurologic dysfunction appears more likely with the addition of this report's neurologic and GJA1 gene mutation findings. These findings expand the neurologic phenotype and prognosis and underscore the importance of counseling families with oculodentodigital dysplasia about the possibility of neurologic involvement.
Relationship of stable integration of herpes simplex virus‐2 BglII N subfragmentXho2 to malignant transformation of human papillomavirus‐immortalized cervical keratinocytes

Transfection of the right end Xho2 subfragment of BglII N of herpes simplex virus‐2 (HSV‐2) into human genital keratinocytes immortalized by human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 or 18 resulted in invasive and noninvasive indolent cystic squamous carcinomas when cells were injected into immunocompromised mice. Retention and expression of the right end portion of the BglII N fragment correlated with malignancy, as the corresponding HSV‐2 sequences were integrated and transcribed in the tumorigenic cell lines. HPV‐immortalized cells alone were not tumorigenic. In contrast, previous results have shown that using the entire BglII N region can malignantly transform HPV‐immortalized cells, although HSV2 DNA was not retained. Together, these observations localize the transforming activity of BglII N to Xho2 and suggest that the remaining sequences have an inhibitory effect on stable integration. The Xho2 sequence is 2480 bp long and contains an open reading frame (ORF) extending from nucleotides 559 to 1797. The ORF encodes a putative protein of 412‐aa with a m.w. of 42–43 kDa and is highly homologous to UL43 of HSV‐1. The correlation of tumorigenicity with stable integration and expression of Xho2 DNA in HPV‐immortalized cells indicates that HSV‐2 should be investigated further for a possible role in cervical cancer. Int. J. Cancer 76:865–871, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.+ This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
Comparison of triple‐negative and estrogen receptor‐positive/progesterone receptor‐positive/HER2‐negative breast carcinoma using quantitative fluorine‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose/positron emission tomography imaging parameters

This study was designed to investigate the fluorine‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)‐positron emission tomography (PET) imaging characteristics of triple‐negative (estrogen receptor‐negative [ER−]/progesterone receptor‐negative [PR−]/HER2‐negative [HER2−]) breast carcinoma and compare the results with characteristics of ER+/PR+/HER2− breast carcinomas, which usually carry a favorable prognosis.