Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heart transplantation in patients over 54 years of age. Mortality, morbidity and quality of life.

AIMS As a consequence of recent advances in heart transplantation, upper age limits for the procedure have been liberalized in many centres. It was the purpose of this study to compare post-transplant mortality, morbidity and quality of life in a consecutive series of 72 patients > 54 years (mean age, 57.6 +/- 2.7 years) with a control group of 72 adult patients < or = 54 years (mean age, 42.4 +/- 9.5 years) transplanted at one centre between 1985 and 1991. METHODS AND RESULTS Patients were followed for 41 +/- 27 months post-transplant. Actuarial 1-, 5- and 7-year survival rates were 78 +/- 5%, vs 81 +/- 5%, 52 +/- 7% vs 66 +/- 6% and 46 +/- 8% vs 63 +/- 6% in patients > 54 years and < or = 54 years, respectively (P = ns). Causes of death were not significantly different between the groups. Patients > 54 years experienced significantly fewer rejection episodes after the 6th month post-transplant (0.5 +/- 0.9 vs 0.9 +/- 1.0, P < 0.04), and incidence and treatment of rejection episodes as well as incidence of infection was comparable between the groups. Non-lymphoid malignancies, mainly skin cancer, occurred more often in the older age group (27% vs 13%, P < 0.05). Quality of life, as assessed by the Nottingham Health Profile, was better in 5/6 dimensions of social functioning in older patients and the difference reached statistical significance for the dimensions of emotional reactions (P = 0.005) and sleep (P = 0.0005). CONCLUSION In conclusion, carefully selected patients > 54 years can undergo heart transplantation with mortality and morbidity comparable to younger patients. Quality of life post-transplant seems even to be slightly better in the older age group.
Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic activity of Dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate and its interaction with aspirin in Wistar rats.

In the present study anti inflammatory activity of different doses of dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate viz., 9,18,36 and 72 mg/kg is investigated in both acute and sub-acute models of inflammation in rats. Similarly their analgesic activity and effect on gastric ulcer were also studied. The study also aimed to elicit the possible interactions of dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate with aspirin. Except 9 mg/kg, all the therapeutic equivalent doses of dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate in acute model and in the dose of 36 and 72 mg/kg in sub-acute model of inflammation exerted significant anti-inflammatory activity. Combination of sub anti-inflammatory (SAI) dose of dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (9mg/kg) with that of aspirin (54mg/kg) showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in both the models of inflammation. Dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate in the dose of 18, 36 and 72 mg/kg individually and its SAI dose when coadministered with that of aspirin showed significant analgesic activity at 1 and 3 hours. Dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate in the dose of 36 and 72 mg/kg and combination treatment of SAI dose of dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate with that of aspirin found to be gastroprotective. These findings clearly indicate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate. In interaction studies, dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate acts synergistically with aspirin towards reducing inflammation and pain as well as the former reduced the gastric ulcerogenic potential of the latter. If these findings are extrapolated to human beings, Vitamin E can be used individually or else as an adjuvant to NSAIDs in the treatment of inflammatory conditions. Clinical studies in this regard are really worthwhile
Effects of various feeding regimens and photoperiod or pinealectomy on ovulation in the hamster.

Effects of various feeding regimens and photoperiod or pinealectomy on ovulation in the hamster are described. Female hamsters were housed in a 14:10 light-dark (LD) cycle. During January and February starvation for 1 estrous cycle blocked ovulation in 6 out of 8 animals. 50% normal food intake for 1 cycle did not block ovulation but the number of ova shed appeared to be diminished. Pinealectomy failed to abolish the antigonadal effects of starvation. Estrous cycles of the dark or LD animals starved in August were not disrupted greatly by 4 days of food deprivation. These animals and a summer control group appeared to have shed more ova and had heavier uteri than winter controls. These results suggest a seasonal influence upon susceptibility to starvation.
Photoprotection of natural flavonoids

Article history: Received on: 28/07/2013 Revised on: 07/08/2013 Accepted on: 25/08/2013 Available online: 30/09/2013 Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause a number of skin disorders such as erythema, edema, hyperpigmentation, immunosuppression, photoaging, and skin cancer. Since the level of UV radiation is increasing as a result of depletion of the stratospheric ozone and climate change, the protection of human skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation is an urgent need. Topical application of sunscreens is a strategy to protect the deleterious effect of UV radiation on the skin. Sunscreens today contain one or several synthetic UV filter molecules which protect the UV radiation exposed on the epidermis. These molecules are broadly divided into physical and chemical agents. Physical sunscreens reflect and scatter UVB, UVA and visible radiation. Chemical sunscreens act by absorbing ultraviolet radiation and re-emitting chemical energy as heat or light. Several synthetic UV filter molecules are available in the market but they have limited use because these active molecules may create adverse effects on human skin. Some information on possible photon induced reaction such as photoirritation, photosensitization and contact dermatitis by sunscreen products containing synthetic organic sunscreen agents. To overcome these side effects, naturally occurring compounds have gained considerable attention as photoprotective agents. Flavonoids, a group of natural occurring compounds, act as catalysts in the light phase of photosynthesis and as stress protectants in plant cells by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). Natural flavonoids have the potential photoprotection because of their UV absorbing, their ability to act as direct and indirect antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents which provide exciting platforms for the development of photoprotection. This review summarizes the structure and potential photoprotection activity of several natural flavonoids.
Red‐Cell Volume and Total Body Water

THE red-cell volume is one of the fwidamental parameters for assessing hacmatological normality. Although related in general to body size, it correlates poorly with body weight and a wide range is found in normal subjects. The addition of othcr siiiiplc pardmeters to body weight, such as height, surface area and skin fold thickness hardly reduces the widc normal range (Wennesland, Brown, Hopper, Hodges, Guttentag, Scott, Tuckcr aiid Bradlcy, 1959; Edwards and Whyte, 1960). Grcgcrseii and Nickerson (1950) found that major deviations in the relationship of red-cell volume to body weight were related to obcsity, and Muldowncy (1957) has shown that red-cell volume, calculated from the Evans-bluc spacc arid hacmatocrit, correlates much better with lean-body mass than with body weight. In contrast, Huff and Fellcr (1956) found only slight improvement in correlation when red-cc11 volume was related to lean-body mass instead of to body weight. In tlic presciit study we have investigated this discrepancy and havc established a mcthod of detecting small charigcs in red-cell volume.
Identification of Monoclonal Insulin Autoantibodies in Insulin Autoimmune Syndrome Associated with HLA-DRB1*0401

We have characterized HLA and insulin autoantibodies in a Japanese female patient with insulin autoimmune syndrome. Serological HLA typing demonstrated the patient had HLA-DR4, and DNA typing showed she had HLA-DRB1*0401 which has not been reported in patients with insulin autoimmune syndrome in Japan. A single binding affinity of insulin autoantibodies was demonstrated by Scatchard analysis and immunoglobulin class of insulin autoantibodies was exclusively IgG-ĸ. HLA-DRB1*0406 is strikingly associated with patients with insulin autoimmune syndrome who have polyclonal insulin autoantibodies. The present report demonstrated the first Japanese patient with insulin autoimmune syndrome carrying HLA-DRB1*0401 who was revealed to have monoclonal insulin autoantibodies. The present results indicate that HLA molecules are the major determinants of polyclonal insulin autoantibodies and monoclonal insulin autoantibodies in insulin autoimmune syndrome.
Supernova and neutron star limits on large extra dimensions reexamined

In theories with large extra dimensions, supernova ~SN! cores are powerful sources of Kaluza-Klein ~KK! gravitons. A large fraction of these massive particles are gravitationally retained by the newly born neutron star ~NS! The subsequent slow KK decays produce potentially observable g rays and heat the NS. We here show that the back-absorption of the gravitationally trapped KK gravitons does not significantly change our previous limits. We calculate the graviton emission rate in a nuclear medium by combining the low-energy classical bremsstrahlung rate with detailed-balancing arguments. This approach reproduces the previous thermal emission rate, but it is much simpler and allows for a calculation of the absorption rate by a trivial phase-space transformation. We derive systematically the dependence of the SN and NS limits on the number of extra dimensions.
Thrombosis associated with the use of recombinant activated factor VII: profiling two events

Recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa; NovoSeven®, NovoNordisk) has been used for the treatment of bleeding episodes in hemophilia A and B patients with inhibitors for over a decade. Its utility as a hemostatic agent has extended beyond these initial indications and is increasingly used in trauma, surgery and platelet disorders when conventional measures are inadequate for the control of active or anticipated bleeding. On account of its ability to initiate coagulation, the potential to induce thrombotic events has been a concern. Various reviews on its safety profile has indicated the contrary and it has shown resilience as a very safe agent with an incidence of serious adverse events associated with its use being less than 1%.
A comparison of GMM-HMM and DNN-HMM based pronunciation verification techniques for use in the assessment of childhood apraxia of speech

This paper introduces a pronunciation verification method to be used in an automatic assessment therapy tool of child disordered speech. The proposed method creates a phonebased search lattice that is flexible enough to cover all probable mispronunciations. This allows us to verify the correctness of the pronunciation and detect the incorrect phonemes produced by the child. We compare between two different acoustic models, the conventional GMM-HMM and the hybrid DNN-HMM. Results show that the hybrid DNNHMM outperforms the conventional GMM-HMM for all experiments on both normal and disordered speech. The total correctness accuracy of the system at the phoneme level is above 85% when used with disordered speech.
Density functional study of two-dimensional 4 He clusters

Binding energies and density profiles of two-dimensional systems of liquid He-4 with different geometries are studied by means of a zero-range density functional adjusted to reproduce the line tension obtained in a previous diffusion Monte Carlo calculation (lambda(DMC)=0.121 K/A). It is shown that this density functional provides accurate results for the binding energy of large clusters with a reasonable computational effort.
Cordycepin induces apoptosis by enhancing JNK and p38 kinase activity and increasing the protein expression of Bcl-2 pro-apoptotic molecules

ObjectiveTo explore the molecular mechanism by which cordycepin inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis of human colorectal cancer cells.MethodsCell counting and MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfopheny)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt) method were used to monitor the effects of cordycepin on cell proliferation. Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to analyze the effects of cordycepin on the cell cycle progress. Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) analysis was used to detect apoptosis at a very early stage. Caspase-Glo was used to determine caspase activity and Western blot was used to measure protein expression levels of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, and Bcl-2 pro-apoptosis family.ResultsThe numbers of viable SW480 and SW620 cells and the proliferation of these cells were significantly reduced with increases in cordycepin concentration (P<0.01). The cell cycle progression of SW480 and SW620 was arrested at the G0/G1 phase by the addition of cordycepin, and apoptosis rates of cordycepin treatments were increased compared with the control group. Cordycepintreated cells showed phosphatidylserine valgus, suggesting the existence of early apoptosis. Caspase-3/7 and -9 activity significantly increased and the protein expression levels of JNK, p38, and Bax, Bid, Bim, and Puma from Bcl-2 pro-apoptosis molecules also increased after the treatment with cordycepin.ConclusionsCordycepin can inhibit SW480 and SW620 cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. Apoptosis might be induced by enhancing JNK and p38 kinase activity and increasing the protein expression of Bcl-2 pro-apoptotic molecules.
Developmental Implications of Earlier Dates for Early Aztec in the Basin of Mexico

Abstract Archaeologists working in the Basin of Mexico have long accepted a chronology in which sequential ceramic phases (Metepec, Coyotlatelco, Mazapan, Aztec I, and Aztec II) define the period between the last stages of Classic Teotihuacan and the immediate antecedents of Late Postclassic Tenochtitlan. The absolute chronology of these phases has remained tentative, and there have been hints of possible temporal overlap between some of them. A series of 37 new radiocarbon dates from three deep, stratified sites in the Basin of Mexico suggest (1) that the traditional sequence of phases is essentially valid; (2) that both Coyotlatelco and Aztec I may have begun significantly earlier than traditionally believed; (3) that there may have been partial chronological overlap between Late Coyotlatelco and Early Aztec I in some parts of the basin; (4) that there was probably little significant temporal overlap between Aztec I and Aztec II; and (5) that the ethnohistorically recognized sociopolitical complexity of the long era in question is amply reflected in a regional ceramic sequence that still requires considerable refinement in both time and space.
Regulation of influenza virus replication by Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Wnt/β-catenin signaling is an essential pathway in cell cycle control. Dysregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway during viral infection has been reported. In this study, we examined the effect of modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling during influenza virus infection. The activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by Wnt3a increased influenza virus mRNA and virus production in in vitro in mouse lung epithelial E10 cells and mRNA expresson of influenza virus genes in vivo in the lungs of mice infected with influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/8/34. However, the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by iCRT14 reduced virus titer and viral gene expression in human lung epithelial A549 cells and viral replication in primary mouse alveolar epithelial cells infected with different influenza virus strains. Knockdown of β-catenin also reduced viral protein expression and virus production. iCRT14 acts at the early stage of virus replication. Treatment with iCRT14 inhibited the expression of the viral genes (vRNA, cRNA and mRNA) evaluated in this study. The intraperitoneal administration of iCRT14 reduced viral load, improved clinical signs, and partially protected mice from influenza virus infection.
Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: From Mechanisms to Symptoms

Abstract: Several independent pathophysiological mechanisms in both the peripheral and central nervous system are responsible for sensory symptoms as well as spontaneous and evoked pains in peripheral neuropathies: (1) Pathologic active or sensitized nociceptors can induce secondary changes in central processing, leading to spinal cord hyperexcitability that causes input from mechanoreceptive A&bgr;‐fibers (light touching) to be perceived as pain. These patients characteristically have spontaneous pain, heat hyperalgesia, static mechanical allodynia, and and severe dynamic mechanical allodynia. (2) Nociceptor function may be selectively impaired within the allodynic skin. Pain and temperature sensation are profoundly impaired but light moving mechanical stimuli can often produce severe pain (dynamic mechanical allodynia). Anatomic reorganization in the dorsal horn resulting from C‐fiber degeneration may lead to A&bgr;‐fiber‐mediated allodynia. (3) Persistent inflammatory reactions of the nerve trunk can induce ectopic activity in primary afferent nociceptors and thus is a potential cause of spontaneous pain and allodynia. This effect is mediated by the cytokine tumor necrosis factor‐&agr; produced by activated macrophages. (4) After nerve lesion the sympathetic nervous system might interact with afferent neurons. Activity in sympathetic fibers can induce further activity in sensitized nociceptors and, therefore, enhance pain and allodynia (sympathetically maintained pain). This pathologic interaction acts via noradrenaline released from sympathetic terminals and newly expressed receptors on the afferent neuron membrane. These mechanisms can operate in concert in a single disease entity (e.g., postherpetic neuralgia) and also in a single patient. Distinct pathophysiological mechanisms lead to specific sensory symptoms (e.g., dynamic mechanical allodynia, cold hyperalgesia). It is also possible that the pain‐generating mechanism and the symptoms change during the course of the disease. A thorough analysis of sensory symptoms may reveal the underlying mechanisms that are mainly active in a particular patient. The treatment of neuropathic pain is currently unsatisfactory. In the future, drugs will be developed that address specifically the relevant combination of mechanisms.
Amended nomenclature for strains related to Mycoplasma laidlawii.

SUMMARY: In an earlier paper it was proposed that a second family be re-established within the Mycoplasmatales for those strains not requiring sterol, and the nomenclature of Sabin, who first made this proposal, was followed in the belief that although unsuitable it was valid. It has now been learnt that the generic name Sapromyces is illegitimate, as it is the name of a genus of fungi. It is therefore proposed that the genus be named Acholeplasma in the family Acholeplasmataceae.
A quasi-experimental trial on individualized, developmentally supportive family-centered care.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of individualized, developmentally supportive family-centered care on infant physiological variables, growth, behavioral stress cues, return to sleep state, medical and developmental progress, complications, resource utilization, parental perception of the neonatal intensive-care unit experience, and overall parental satisfaction. DESIGN Quasi-experimental, repeated measures design. SETTING Developmental and a control nursery in a 78-bed, level II/III neonatal intensive-care unit. PARTICIPANTS A convenience sample of 114 premature infants and their parents. INTERVENTIONS Control group infants received the routine neonatal intensive-care unit standard of care. Experimental infants received routine care plus the addition of individualized, developmentally supportive family-centered interventions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Between groups, there were no statistically significant differences in demographic factors, days to medical or developmental milestones, length of stay, or direct cost/case. Repeated measures analysis of variance determined that at every point of data collection, the average number of baseline, activity, and postactivity stress cues were lower in the developmentally supportive group. Infants in the developmental group had 8% less sedatives/narcotics and 15% less vasopressors costs than the control group. There were no differences in complication rates, parental perceptions of the neonatal intensive-care unit experience, or parental satisfaction between groups. CONCLUSIONS Preterm infants who received developmentally supportive family-centered care demonstrated fewer behavioral stress cues and comparable short-term outcomes and resource utilization than infants who received routine care.
European survey on post-consumer poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) materials to determine contamination levels and maximum consumer exposure from food packages made from recycled PET

Typical contamination and the frequency of misuse of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles are crucial parameters in the risk assessment of post-consumer recycled (PCR) PET intended for bottle-to-bottle recycling for direct food contact applications. Owing to the fact that misuse of PET bottles is a rare event, sustainable knowledge about the average concentration of hazardous compounds in PCR PET is accessible only by the screening of large numbers of samples. In order to establish average levels of contaminants in PET source materials for recycling, PET flakes from commercial washing plants (689 samples), reprocessed pellets (38) and super-clean pellets (217) were collected from 12 European countries between 1997 and 2001. Analysis of these materials by headspace gas chromatography revealed average and maximum levels in PCR PET of 18.6 and 86.0 mg kg−1 for acetaldehyde and 2.9 and 20 mg kg−1 for limonene, respectively. Acetaldehyde and limonene are typical compounds derived from PET itself and from prior PET bottle contents (flavouring components), respectively. Maximum levels in PCR PET of real contaminants such as misuse chemicals like solvents ranged from 1.4 to 2.7 mg kg−1, and statistically were shown to result from 0.03 to 0.04% of recollected PET bottles that had been misused. Based on a principal component analysis of the experimental data, the impact of the recollecting system and the European Union Member State where the post-consumer PET bottles had been collected on the nature and extent of adventitious contaminants was not significant. Under consideration of the cleaning efficiency of super-clean processes as well as migration from the bottle wall into food, it can be concluded that the consumer will be exposed at maximum to levels <50 ng total misuse chemicals day−1. Therefore, PCR PET materials and articles produced by modern super-clean technologies can be considered to be safe in direct food applications in the same way as virgin food-grade PET.
Effects of diffusion limitation on immobilized nitrifying microorganisms at low temperatures

Activation energies of suspended and immobilized nitrifying bacteria were determined and compared to determine if diffusion limitation results in decreased sensitivity for temperature. The activation energy for the respiration activity of suspended Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrobacter agilis was found to be 86.4 and 58.4 kJ mol−1, respectively. The activation energy for oxygen diffusion in the support material, κ‐carrageenan, determined from the effect of temperature on the effective diffusion coefficient (D), was 17.2 kJ mol−1. Consequently, the apparent actvation energy of diffusion limited cells should be lower. It was indeed shown that due to the effect of diffusion limitation and to temperature effects on the Monod constant Ks, the immobilized‐cell activity was less sensitive to temperature. The apparent activation energy for immobilized Ns. europaea was between 28.6 and 94.2 kJ mol−1 and for immobilized Nb. agilis between 1.4 and 72.9 kJ mol−1, depending on the oxygen concentration and temperature. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.