Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Utility of observer-rated and self-report instruments for detecting major depression in women after cardiac surgery: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND Major depression is common after coronary artery bypass graft surgery and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Clinicians have few practical options for detecting depression, especially in women, who are at higher risk for depression than men. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the clinical utility of common self-report and observer-rated instruments for detection of major depression in women after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. METHODS In 66 women being discharged after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, 4 instruments were completed: the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory Short Form, and Beck Depression Inventory for Primary Care. For each instrument, receiver-operating-characteristic curves were analyzed, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated for cutoff points determined from the curves. RESULTS At hospital discharge, all 4 instruments yielded highly accurate curves. Compared with cutoffs suggested for patients without medical illness and hospitalized nonsurgical patients, identified cutoffs for screening were higher when all types of depressive symptoms (cognitive, affective, behavioral, somatic) were measured with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory but lower when only cognitive and/or affective symptoms were measured with the 2 subscales of the Beck Depression Inventory. CONCLUSIONS The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and both subscales of the Beck Depression Inventory may be useful for detecting major depression in women shortly after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Further study is warranted to confirm cutoffs in these patients.
A novel application of teleneurology: robotic telepresence in supervision of neurology trainees.

BACKGROUND Telemedicine is used for specialist consultation, patient evaluation, and remote monitoring. We propose that telemedicine has a valuable role in medical education through facilitating faculty supervision of trainees. MATERIALS AND METHODS We surveyed resident physician trainees and faculty at a single institution who provided service for acute neurologic consultations over 29 months. The survey compared experiences using the supervisory methods of telephone, robotic telepresence (RTP), and in-person interaction. Participants answered 10 questions addressing their experience relevant to faculty-trainee interaction quality and clinical supervision, achieved with the three supervisory methods under study. RESULTS Surveys were received from 20 of 36 trainees (56%) and 8 of 10 faculty members (80%). More than 90% of trainees and faculty strongly agreed that in-person communication was satisfactory for patient data review, problem synthesis, and refinement of the trainees' impressions, with RTP ranking a close second. Moreover, 38% of faculty and 70% of trainees reported the telephone method as unsatisfactory for reacquisition of patient history, data synthesis, and direct observation of trainees' clinical skills. RTP provided more than 90% of trainees with sufficient staff support and facilitated trainee autonomy. CONCLUSIONS Overall, 85% of both trainees and faculty preferred in-person supervision most, with RTP ranked second and telephone being least favored. Although in-person faculty supervision of trainees' management of neurologic emergencies is always preferred, it is not always practical. This survey highlights the valuable role of RTP in graduate medical education and RTP as preferred over telephone as an adjunctive supervision tool in residency.
Evaluation of techniques for web 3D graphics animation on portable devices

Providing Internet users with good 3D representations used to be a hard task, not only for web graphic designers but also for web programmers. However, the rapid evolution of SmartPhones has drastically changed the industry. In this paper we attempt to evaluate server and client-side rendering procedures for web 3D animation delivery. Using Ajax and WebSockets, we have developed two discrete instances of a server-side rendering system. We have also implemented an X3Dom equivalent scenario that utilizes X3D and HTML5/WebGL technologies, to emulate client-side rendering on the same environment. The three implementations are evaluated in terms of battery and memory consumption, latency in graphics display and required network resources.
Controlled trial for long‐term low‐dose erythromycin after sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis

The efficacy of macrolides in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is still under controversy. To date, only two double‐blind, placebo‐controlled studies have been published with differing results. None of these studies investigated the possible benefit of macrolides in the postoperative period. We conducted an investigator‐initiated clinical trial using 250‐mg erythromycin once a day over a period of 3 months, beginning the administration of either erythromycin or placebo 2 weeks after a surgical intervention for CRS.
Exercise and cellular innate immune function.

Epidemiological evidence suggests a link between the intensity of exercise and infectious and neoplastic disease. One likely way by which exercise exerts its effect on cancer and infection is by altering the function of the immune system. Cells of the innate immune system (i.e., macrophage [Mphi], natural killer [NK] cell, and polymorphonuclear neutrophils [PMN]) are first-line defenders against cancer and infectious disease by nature of their phagocytic, cytolytic, and antimicrobial properties. The purpose of this review is to define the role of cells of the innate immune system (i.e., Mphi, PMN, and NK cells) in infection and cancer, present current information regarding the effects of acute and chronic exercise on the quantification and functional activities of these cells, and briefly to discuss potential mechanisms as to how exercise affects these cells and describe how these changes may potentially affect susceptibility to infection and cancer. The effects of exercise on the number, functions, and characteristics of cells of the innate immune system are complex and are dependent several factors, including 1) the cell function or characteristic being analyzed; 2) the intensity, duration and chronicity of exercise; 3) the timing of measurement in relation to the exercise bout; 4) the dose and type of immunomodulator used to stimulate the cell in vitro or in vivo; and 5) the site of cellular origin. Further studies are needed to determine whether the exercise-induced changes in immune function alter incidence or progression of disease. Likewise, the mechanisms as to how exercise alters innate immune function are as yet unresolved.
Prevalence and molecular identification of Trichinella species isolated from wildlife originating from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa

Abstract Trichinella species are widely distributed on all continents with the exception of Antarctica, although the full spectrum of Trichinella species found in sub-Saharan African countries, and their hosts, has not been fully documented. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Trichinella in wildlife from the Greater Kruger National Park (GKNP) and adjacent areas located in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, and to identify the species and/or genotypes of Trichinella larvae isolated from muscle tissues, using molecular techniques. A review of Trichinella spp. and their wildlife hosts reported during 1964–2011 was also conducted and the results were compared with our current study. Ninety samples representing 15 mammalian, two bird and three reptile species were screened for Trichinella infection during 2012–2016, using artificial digestion. Isolates detected were identified using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the internal transcriber spacers ITS1 and ITS2, and expansion segment V (ESV) regions of ribosomal DNA, followed by molecular analysis of the sequences. Twenty samples from seven wildlife species were positive for Trichinella spp. larvae, with an overall prevalence of 21.1% (20/90). The prevalence was higher in carnivores (18.9%, 18/90) than in omnivores (2.2%, 2/90). Analysis of sequences showed that eight of the isolates – two from spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) (2/8), three from lion (Panthera leo) (3/13), one from leopard (Panthera pardus) (1/6), one from small spotted genet (Genetta genetta) (1/2) and one Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus) (1/2) – conformed to Trichinella zimbabwensis. One isolate from a hyaena was grouped under the encapsulated species clade comprising T. nelsoni and genotype Trichinella T8 reported to be present in South Africa. This is the first report confirming natural infection by T. zimbabwensis in hyaena, leopard, genet and Nile monitor lizard, adding to the body of knowledge on the epidemiology of Trichinella infections in the Greater Kruger National Park of South Africa. Ten Trichinella-like larval isolates recovered after digestion from four wildlife species in this study (2012–2016) revealed inconclusive results due to DNA degradation resulting from poor storage or too few larvae for analysis, in comparison to 20 unidentified isolates from five wildlife species during the 1964–2011 period.
Dietary L-Arginine Restores Aspirin-induced Endothelial Dysfunction in Rat Aorta

L-Arginine induced elevation of the vascular prostanoid led us to think that the risk of coronary spasm may increase in L-arginine consumers when they are subjected to cyclooxygenase inhibitors and this limits the therapeutic value of aspirin. So the aim was to investigate the interaction of aspirin and dietary L-arginine in male rats. Animals were divided into four groups and fed with normal food. The first group received tap water while the second, third and fourth groups were subjected daily to aspirin (8.6 mg/kg), L-arginine (143 mg/kg) and aspirin + L-arginine combination in their drinking water respectively for 7 days. Vasomotor responses were recorded in the aortic rings suspended for isometric-force recordings. Aspirin treatment significantly reduced the dilation to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside. Attenuated phenylephrine contractility was associated with normal acetylcholine response in L-arginine group. Addition of L-arginine to aspirin treatment completely prevented aspirin-induced endothelial dysfunction but defective response to sodium nitroprusside persisted. Dietary L-arginine without affecting maximal dilation to acetylcholine significantly increased the share of dilator prostanoid which appears to resist aspirin. These results demonstrated that dietary L-arginine increases dilator prostaoid in rat aortic rings. Contrary to our expectation, co-administered L-arginine protected aspirin induced endothelial dysfunction and ruled out the limitation of aspirin use in L-arginine consumers.
Antimicrobial Resistance of Streptococci Isolated from Mastitic Bovine Milk Samples in Korea

The aim of the current study was to determine the antimicrobial resistance of streptococci isolated from mastitic bovine milk samples. A total of 178 isolates belonging to 6 different Streptococcus species were examined: S. uberis (n = 99), S. bovis (n = 30), S. oralis (n = 24), S. salivarius (n = 13), S. intermedius (n = 7), and S. agalactiae (n = 5). Only 8.9% (16/178) of the isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobial agents tested in this study, and S. agalactiae and S. intermedius isolates were all resistant to at least 1 antimicrobial agent tested. Overall, the most frequently observed resistance was to tetracycline (61.2%), followed by lincomycin (43.2%), gentamycin (35.3%), oxacillin (34.3%), and erythromycin (28.6%). Cephalothin and penicillin were the only antimicrobial agents to which most of the streptococci (92%) were susceptible. Wide differences in the prevalence of resistance are apparent among the individual species: S. salivarius displayed exceptionally high resistance to cephalothin (23.0%) and oxacillin (76.9%) and S. agalactiae (20%) and S. intermedius (14.2%) to penicillin. Streptococcus salivarius and S. agalactiae were all susceptible to erythromycin, but others showed various rates of resistance ranging from 12.5% to 42.8%. Resistance to 3 or more of 7 antimicrobial agents was observed in all species (37.6%, 67/178).
Dipole hearing measurements in elasmobranch fishes

SUMMARY The hearing thresholds of the horn shark Heterodontus francisci and the white-spotted bamboo shark Chiloscyllium plagiosum were measured using auditory evoked potentials (AEP) in response to a dipole sound stimulus. The audiograms were similar between the two species with lower frequencies yielding lower particle acceleration thresholds. The particle acceleration audiograms showed more sensitive hearing at low frequencies than previous elasmobranch audiograms, except for the lemon shark Negaprion brevirsotris. Auditory evoked potential signals were also recorded while the dipole stimulus was moved to different locations above the head and body. The strongest AEP signals were recorded from the area around the parietal fossa, supporting previous experiments that suggested this region is important for elasmobranch hearing. This is the first time that hearing experiments have been conducted using a dipole stimulus with elasmobranchs, which more closely mimics the natural sounds of swimming prey.
Ontogeny of catecholamine systems in the central nervous system of anuran amphibians: An immunohistochemical study with antibodies against tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine

To get more insight into developmental aspects of catecholamine systems in vertebrates, in particular anuran amphibians, these systems were studied immunohistochemically in embryos and larvae of Xenopus laevis and Rana ridibunda. Antisera against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine (DA) revealed that catecholamine systems are already present at early embryonic stages. The first dopamine group to be detected was found ventral to the central canal of the spinal cord of Xenopus, soon followed by DA cell groups in the posterior tubercle, the hypothalamic periventricular organ, the accompanying cell group of the periventricular organ, and the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Although weakly TH‐immunoreactive cells were found in the olfactory bulb at about the same embryonic stages, DA immunoreactivity was not detected until premetamorphic stage 49. Dopamine cell groups in the caudal brainstem, midbrain, and pretectum appeared at late premetamorphic and prometamorphic stages, whereas the preoptic group was first observed at the metamorphic climax stage. Rana showed an almost similar timetable of development of catecholamine cell groups, except for the caudal brainstem group which was already present at the end of the embryonic period. When compared with previous studies by means of formaldehyde‐induced fluorescence technique, it becomes clear that TH/DA immunohistochemistry enables an earlier detection of catecholamine cell groups and fiber systems in anuran, amphibians. The present study also revealed that the DA‐immunoreactive cells of the hypothalamic periventricular, organ never stained with the TH antiserum during development, thus supporting their putatively DA accumulating nature. Another notable result is the site of origin and rather late appearance of the midbrain dopaminergic cell group. It is, suggested that the latter cell group only partly corresponds to the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra of amniotes. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Combinations of Immune Modulating Nutrients on Outcome in Patients Undergoing Major Open Gastrointestinal Surgery

Background:Immune modulating nutrition (IMN) has been shown to reduce complications after major surgery, but strong evidence to recommend its routine use is still lacking. Objective:The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the impact of IMN combinations on postoperative infectious and noninfectious complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality in patients undergoing major open gastrointestinal surgery. Methods:Randomized controlled trials published between January 1980 and February 2011 comparing isocaloric and isonitrogenous enteral IMN combinations with standard diet in patients undergoing major open gastrointestinal surgery were included. The quality of evidence and strength of recommendation for each postoperative outcome were assessed using the GRADE approach and the outcome measures were analyzed with RevMan 5.1 software (Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark). Results:Twenty-six randomized controlled trials enrolling 2496 patients (1252 IMN and 1244 control) were included. The meta-analysis suggests strong evidence in support of decrease in the incidence of postoperative infectious [risk ratio (RR) (95% confidence interval [CI]): 0.64 (0.55, 0.74)] and length of hospital stay [mean difference (95% CI): −1.88 (−2.91, −0.84 days)] in those receiving IMN. Even though significant benefit was observed for noninfectious complications [RR (95% CI): 0.82 (0.71, 0.95)], the quality of evidence was low. There was no statistically significant benefit on mortality [RR (95% CI): 0.83 (0.49, 1.41)]. Conclusions:IMN is beneficial in reducing postoperative infectious and noninfectious complications and shortening hospital stay in patients undergoing major open gastrointestinal surgery.
Prevalence, risk factors and vaccination efficacy of contagious ovine ecthyma (orf) in England

Orf is a viral disease found in English sheep flocks which can cause economic losses. It is a zoonosis with little epidemiological research available in the UK. In 2012, 3000 questionnaires were sent to English sheep farms in order to investigate the prevalence of orf, determine vaccination efficacy and to identify some of the potential risk factors. The usable response rate was 25.4 per cent. The usable farms (N=762 in the years 2011 and 2012) were used to model the percentage of animals affected on the farm, and the probability of a farm being found with the disease. The disease prevalence (DP) was standardised for the year and calculated as 1.88 per cent for ewes and 19.53 per cent for lambs. The disease risk ratio (RR) for the use of the vaccine was calculated as 2.04 for ewes and 0.75 for lambs, and therefore, the study found that lamb vaccination was beneficial (RR <1). Weed infestation and an increased number of orphan lambs were associated with increased cases of orf. We conclude that the DP in ewes and lambs affect each other, though the impact is higher for lambs in the presence of increasing prevalence in ewes. A short lambing season lowers the probability of a farm experiencing cases of orf. Vaccination was effective in lambs but not in ewes, though lambs benefitted when ewes were vaccinated (reduced orf prevalence in lambs born from vaccinated ewes), probably because any unvaccinated ewes may have been carriers that could spread the virus to the new-born lambs.
Cancer‐Derived Lysophosphatidic Acid Stimulates Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Myofibroblast‐Like Cells

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is enriched in ascites of ovarian cancer patients and is involved in growth and invasion of ovarian cancer cells. Accumulating evidence suggests cancer‐associated myofibroblasts play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis through secreting stromal cell‐derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1). In the present study, we demonstrate that LPA induces expression of α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), a marker for myofibroblasts, in human adipose tissue‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs). The LPA‐induced expression of α‐SMA was completely abrogated by pretreatment of the cells with Ki16425, an antagonist of LPA receptors, or by silencing LPA1 or LPA2 isoform expression with small interference RNA (siRNA). LPA elicited phosphorylation of Smad2/3, and siRNA‐mediated depletion of endogenous Smad2/3 or adenoviral expression of Smad7, an inhibitory Smad, abrogated the LPA induced expression of α‐SMA and phosphorylation of Smad2/3. LPA‐induced secretion of transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 in hADSCs, and pretreatment of the cells with SB431542, a TGF‐β type I receptor kinase inhibitor, or anti‐TGF‐β1 neutralizing antibody inhibited the LPA‐induced expression of α‐SMA and phosphorylation of Smad2. Furthermore, ascites from ovarian cancer patients or conditioned medium from ovarian cancer cells induced expression of α‐SMA and phosphorylation of Smad2, and pretreatment of the cells with Ki16425 or SB431542 abrogated the expression of α‐SMA and phosphorylation of Smad2. In addition, LPA increased the expression of SDF‐1 in hADSCs, and pretreatment of the cells with Ki16425 or SB431562 attenuated the LPA‐stimulated expression of SDF‐1. These results suggest that cancer‐derived LPA stimulates differentiation of hADSCs to myofibroblast‐like cells and increases SDF‐1 expression through activating autocrine TGF‐β1‐Smad signaling pathway.
Age-Related Changes in Working Memory during Sentence Comprehension: An fMRI Study

Sentence comprehension declines with age, but the neural basis for this change is unclear. We monitored regional brain activity in 13 younger subjects and 11 healthy seniors matched for sentence comprehension accuracy while they answered a simple probe about written sentences. The sentences varied in their grammatical features (subject-relative vs object-relative subordinate clause) and their verbal working memory (WM) demands (short vs long antecedent noun-gap linkage). We found that young and senior subjects both recruit a core written sentence processing network, including left posterolateral temporal and bilateral occipital cortex for all sentences, and ventral portions of left inferior frontal cortex for object-relative sentences with a long noun-gap linkage. Differences in activation patterns for seniors compared to younger subjects were due largely to changes in brain regions associated with a verbal WM network. While seniors had less left parietal recruitment than younger subjects, left premotor cortex, and dorsal portions of left inferior frontal cortex showed greater activation in seniors compared to younger subjects. Younger subjects recruited right posterolateral temporal cortex for sentences with a long noun-gap linkage. Seniors additionally recruited right parietal cortex for this sentence-specific form of WM. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the neural basis for sentence comprehension includes dissociable but interactive large-scale neural networks supporting core written sentence processes and related cognitive resources involved in WM. Seniors with good comprehension appear to up-regulate portions of the neural substrate for WM during sentence processing to achieve comprehension accuracy that equals young subjects.