Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of high‐dose fluticasone propionate on bone density and metabolism in children with asthma

Significant concern remains over the long‐term side effects of inhaled steroids. This cross‐sectional study evaluates the effect of high‐dose inhaled fluticasone propionate (FP) on biochemical markers of bone metabolism and bone density in children with asthma. Children with chronic asthma using FP ≥ 1,000 mcg daily for at least 6 months, and healthy controls, were entered in the study. No children had taken oral prednisolone within the previous month. Fasting morning serum was analyzed for bone formation markers, and spot urine for bone resorption markers. Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) results were reviewed in a subgroup of patients. Forty‐nine children with asthma and 32 controls were recruited. The mean FP dose was 771.2 ± 253.35 mcg/m2/day. Unpaired t‐test analysis revealed no significant difference in biochemical markers studied. In subjects with asthma; 13 of 37 (35.1%) had lumbar spine density more than one standard deviation below the mean (P = 0.001). This fell to 6/37 (16.2%) with bone age correction (NS). In conclusion, no significant reduction in bone metabolism or bone age‐corrected bone mineral density was observed in children with asthma on prolonged high doses of inhaled FP. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2004; 37:116–121. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Closely coupled superconducting microbridges.

Two closely coupled superconducting microbridges have been fabricated with the length of the separating superconducting region less than a coherence length. These microbridges exhibit coupling even when there is zero bias potential at each microbridge. The critical current of each microbridge is a function of the bias current of the other microbridge. This type of coupling is explained by a coupling current that is proportional to the sine of the sum of the phases of both microbridges.
Single-longitudinal-mode fiber laser with a passive multiple-ring cavity and its application for video transmission.

A single-longitudinal-mode erbium-doped fiber laser with a passive multiple-ring cavity (MRC) is proposed for the first time to the authors' knowledge. The laser is fundamentally structured by insertion of three different short ring cavities, which serve as mode filters, into the main cavity. When it is combined with a mode-restricting intracavity fiber Bragg grating, the MRC resonator ensures single-longitundinal-mode laser oscillation. The laser can successfully suppress side-mode frequencies of as much as 1 GHz and provide an output power of 23 mW with a side-mode suppression ratio of 51 dB at 1533 nm. The short-term linewidth of the laser output measured is ~2 kHz . The ability of this fiber laser to act as an AM transmitter source is also demonstrated.
Lessons learnt from the epidemic of asthma.

In his ‘Treatise on Asthma; Its Pathology and Treatment’ published in 1860, Henry Hyde Salter, a London physician, described the disorder as ‘ paroxysmal dyspnoea of a peculiar character, generally periodic with intervals of healthy respiration between the attacks’ . 1 Although at that time the concept of allergy had not yet been introduced, Salter was aware of the hereditary nature of the disease, and its relation to ‘idiosyncrasies’ such as the emanations of horses, cats and other animals. Similarly, he appreciated the importance of emotional disturbances in asthma. However, it took a further 30 years before William Osler, in his first edition of Principles and Practices of Medicine (1892),2 connected disordered airway function of asthma with a variety of pathological changes in the lung, including bronchial mucosal oedema, inflammation and the production of ‘gelatinous’ mucus. Osler also drew attention to the bizarre and extraordinary variety of circumstances which, at times induced a paroxysm, including exposure to allergens, emotions, diet and the common cold (Table 1). It is this hyper-responsiveness of the airways to a variety of direct and indirect stimuli that is characteristic of asthma and differentiates it from other lung diseases. Bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) can be quantified in the laboratory using incremental doses of a stimulus such as methacholine and histamine (direct stimuli) or allergen, adenosine, cold dry air or exercise (indirect stimuli that cause airway narrowing through the release of mediators from airway cells). By measuring the incremental fall in a measure of lung function such as the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), the concentration dose response curve in asthma is steeper and displaced to the left, allowing quantification in the form of a provocative concentration or dose of agonist that reduces lung function by 20% of baseline (PC20). The lower the PC …
Tablas de producción para Pinus halepensis Mill.

A partir de los datos obtenidos de las 72 parcelas instaladas en 1965, que forman parte de la red de parcelas experimentales permanentes del Departamento de Selvicultura del CIFOR-INIA, inventariadas en 1965-70-7580-88 Y 99, se presentan unos primeros resultados de las tablas de produccion elaboradas para diferentes calidades de estacion. Las curvas de calidad se han definido por la altura dominante alcanzada a los 80 anos de edad y se han ajustado por el modelo de Richards (1959), resultando las siguientes curvas: calidad-20, calidad-17, calidad-14 y calidad-1I. Basandose en la informacion proporcionada por los inventarios de las parcelas, el resultado las tablas de selvicultura encontrada y la bibliografia sobre selvicultura y tablas de produccion de la especie, se han elaborado tablas de produccion de selvicultura variable para un regimen moderado de claras, simulado a traves de la variacion del indice de HART, para las calidades 17 y 14, que son las que estan mayoritariamente representadas.
A Globally Disseminated M1 Subclone of Group A Streptococci Differs from Other Subclones by 70 Kilobases of Prophage DNA and Capacity for High-Frequency Intracellular Invasion

ABSTRACT The M1inv+ subclone of M1 group A streptococci that spread globally in the late 1980s and early 1990s was previously identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), M protein, and SpeA exotoxin sequence analyses. Strains representing this subclone were characterized with regard to carriage of bacteriophage and capacity to invade cultured human epithelial cells. The M1inv+ subclone was found to harbor two entirely different prophages, phage T13 and phage T14, which together supplement its genome with nearly 70 kb of DNA. Phage T14 encodes the SpeA exotoxin and is closely related to the classic converting phage T12. Plaque-forming characteristics and RFLP analyses of phages T13 and T14 were compared to each other and to phage T12. Other subclones of M1, isolated in the 1970s to the early 1980s, lacked both prophages. The M1inv+ subclone was previously reported to be efficiently internalized by human epithelial cells. This potential was confirmed and expanded by comparing a variety of clinical isolates. The capacity for high-frequency invasion of epithelial cells was not transmitted to a laboratory strain of group A streptococci by the above-mentioned bacteriophages.
Clients' experiences of formulation in cognitive behaviour therapy.

OBJECTIVES To explore clients' experiences of formulation in cognitive behaviour therapy for depression and/or anxiety, as reported after the end of therapy. DESIGN A qualitative study using inductive thematic analysis. METHOD Ten clients who had completed a course of cognitive behaviour therapy for depression and/or anxiety participated in semi-structured interviews within a month of finishing therapy. RESULTS Four overarching themes were identified: Formulation helps me to understand my problems; formulation leads to feeling understood and accepted; formulation leads to an emotional shift and formulation enables me to move forward. CONCLUSIONS Formulation is a powerful therapeutic tool that can be highly beneficial to clients, leading to an increased understanding of their difficulties, feeling understood and accepted and a sense of relief. The process of formulation can also result in distress, however, when associated with an increased awareness of the nature of one's difficulties, the implications of the formulation for one's sense of identity and being presented with a formulation that is perceived to be inaccurate. In some cases, this distress decreased during therapy, while for others, distress lasted beyond the end of therapy. Formulation enabled many participants to move forwards from their difficulties, leading them to feel empowered, helping them to cope, enabling them to talk more openly, in contrast to previous therapy which had not focused on formulation. Clinical implications indicate that formulation should be undertaken in a sensitive and collaborative way to maximize its benefits and minimize any possible negative effects. PRACTITIONER POINTS Formulation can be highly beneficial for clients enabling them to move forwards from their difficulties. It is important to be mindful of clients' possible adverse reactions to the formulation, so that these can be resolved during therapy. Formulation should be undertaken attentively sensitively and collaboratively to maximize its benefits and minimize negative effects.
Multispecific CD4+ T Cell Response to a Single 12-mer Epitope of the Immunodominant Heat-Shock Protein 60 of Yersinia enterocolitica in Yersinia-Triggered Reactive Arthritis: Overlap with the B27-Restricted CD8 Epitope, Functional Properties, and Epitope Presentation by Multiple DR Alleles1

Yersinia heat-shock protein 60 (Ye-hsp60) has recently been found to be a dominant CD4 and CD8 T cell Ag in Yersinia-triggered reactive arthritis. The nature of this response with respect to the epitopes recognized and functional characteristics of the T cells is largely unknown. CD4+ T cell clones specific for Ye-hsp60 were raised from synovial fluid mononuclear cells from a patient with Yersinia-triggered reactive arthritis. and their specificity was determined using three recombinant Ye-hsp60 fragments, overlapping 18-mer synthetic peptides as well as truncated peptides. Functional characteristics were assessed by cytokine secretion analysis in culture supernatants after specific antigenic stimulation. Amino acid positions relevant for T cell activation were detected by single alanine substitutions within the epitopes. Fragment II comprising amino acid sequence 182–371 was recognized by the majority of clones. All these clones were specific for peptide 319–342. Th1 clones and IL-10-secreting clones occurred in parallel, sometimes with the same fine specificity. The 12-mer core epitope 322–333 is a degenerate MHC binder and is presented to some T cell clones in a “promiscuous” manner. This epitope is almost identical with a B27-restricted CTL epitope of Ye-hsp60. Cross-reactivity of Ye-hsp60-specific T cell clones with self-hsp60 was not observed. In conclusion, an interesting Ye-hsp60 T cell epitope has been identified and characterized. It remains to be determined whether this epitope is also relevant in other reactive arthritis patients.
Optimization of Variable Ventilation for Physiology, Immune Response and Surfactant Enhancement in Preterm Lambs

Preterm infants often require mechanical ventilation due to lung immaturity including reduced or abnormal surfactant. Since cyclic stretch with cycle-by-cycle variability is known to augment surfactant release by epithelial cells, we hypothesized that such in vivo mechanotransduction improves surfactant maturation and hence lung physiology in preterm subjects. We thus tested whether breath-by-breath variability in tidal volume (VT) in variable ventilation (VV) can be tuned for optimal performance in a preterm lamb model. Preterm lambs were ventilated for 3 h with conventional ventilation (CV) or two variants of VV that used a maximum VT of 1.5 (VV1) or 2.25 (VV2) times the mean VT. VT was adjusted during ventilation to a permissive pCO2 target range. Respiratory mechanics were monitored continuously using the forced oscillation technique, followed by postmortem bronchoalveolar lavage and tissue collection. Both VVs outperformed CV in blood gas parameters (pH, SaO2, cerebral O2 saturation). However, only VV2 lowered PaCO2 and had a higher specific respiratory compliance than CV. VV2 also increased surfactant protein (SP)-B release compared to VV1 and stimulated its production compared to CV. The production and release of proSP-C however, was increased with CV compared to both VVs. There was more SP-A in both VVs than CV in the lung, but VV2 downregulated SP-A in the lavage, whereas SP-D significantly increased in CV in both the lavage and lung. Compared to CV, the cytokines IL-1β, and TNFα decreased with both VVs with less inflammation during VV2. Additionally, VV2 lungs showed the most homogeneous alveolar structure and least inflammatory cell infiltration assessed by histology. CV lungs exhibited over-distension mixed with collapsed and interstitial edematous regions with occasional hemorrhage. Following VV1, some lambs had normal alveolar structure while others were similar to CV. The IgG serum proteins in the lavage, a marker of leakage, were the highest in CV. An overall combined index of performance that included physiological, biochemical and histological markers was the best in VV2 followed by VV1. Thus, VV2 outperformed VV1 by enhancing SP-B metabolism resulting in open alveolar airspaces, less leakage and inflammation and hence better respiratory mechanics.
Word Sense Disambiguation with Recurrent Neural Networks

This paper presents a neural network architecture for word sense disambiguation (WSD). The architecture employs recurrent neural layers and more specifically LSTM cells, in order to capture information about word order and to easily incorporate distributed word representations (embeddings) as features, without having to use a fixed window of text. The paper demonstrates that the architecture is able to compete with the most successful supervised systems for WSD and that there is an abundance of possible improvements to take it to the current state of the art. In addition, it explores briefly the potential of combining different types of embeddings as input features; it also discusses possible ways for generating “artificial corpora” from knowledge bases – for the purpose of producing training data and in relation to possible applications of embedding lemmas and word senses in the same space.
The β-Glucan Receptor, Dectin-1, Is Predominantly Expressed on the Surface of Cells of the Monocyte/Macrophage and Neutrophil Lineages1

We recently identified dectin-1 (βGR) as a major β-glucan receptor on leukocytes and demonstrated that it played a significant role in the non-opsonic recognition of soluble and particulate β-glucans. Using a novel mAb (2A11) raised against βGR, we show here that the receptor is not dendritic cell-restricted as first reported, but is broadly expressed, with highest surface expression on populations of myeloid cells (monocyte/macrophage (Mφ) and neutrophil lineages). Dendritic cells and a subpopulation of T cells also expressed the βGR, but at lower levels. Alveolar Mφ, like inflammatory Mφ, exhibited the highest surface expression of βGR, indicative of a role for this receptor in immune surveillance. In contrast, resident peritoneal Mφ expressed much lower levels of βGR on the cell surface. Characterization of the nonopsonic recognition of zymosan by resident peritoneal Mφ suggested the existence of an additional β-glucan-independent mechanism of zymosan binding that was not observed on elicited or bone marrow-derived Mφ. Although this recognition could be inhibited by mannan, we were able to exclude involvement of the Mφ mannose receptor and complement receptor 3 in this process. These observations imply the existence of an additional mannan-dependent receptor involved in the recognition of zymosan by resident peritoneal Mφ.
Prognostic factors for local control and survival after radiotherapy of metastatic spinal cord compression.

PURPOSE To evaluate potential prognostic factors for local control and survival after radiotherapy of metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS The following potential prognostic factors were investigated retrospectively in 1,852 patients irradiated for MSCC: age, sex, performance status, primary tumor, interval between tumor diagnosis and MSCC (< or = 15 v > 15 months), number of involved vertebrae (one to two v > or = three), other bone metastases, visceral metastases, pretreatment ambulatory status, time of developing motor deficits before radiotherapy (faster, 1 to 14 v slower, > 14 days), and radiation schedule (short-course v long-course radiotherapy). RESULTS On univariate analysis, improved local control of MSCC was associated significantly with favorable histology (breast cancer, prostate cancer, lymphoma/myeloma), no visceral metastases, and long-course radiotherapy. On multivariate analysis, absence of visceral metastases and radiation schedule maintained significance. On univariate analysis, improved survival was associated significantly with female sex, favorable histology, no visceral or other bone metastases, good performance status, being ambulatory before radiotherapy, longer interval between tumor diagnosis and MSCC, and slower development of motor deficits before radiotherapy. Long-course radiotherapy showed a trend. On multivariate analysis, histology, visceral metastases, other bone metastases, ambulatory status before radiotherapy, interval between tumor diagnosis and MSCC, and time of developing motor deficits maintained significance. CONCLUSION Poorer local control after radiotherapy for MSCC is associated with visceral metastases and short-course radiotherapy. Long-course radiotherapy seems preferable for patients with more favorable prognoses, given that these patients may live long enough to develop MSCC recurrences. Long-term survival after radiotherapy for MSCC may be predicted if several prognostic factors are considered.
Cerebral blood flow in the neonate

Ensuring adequate oxygenation of the developing brain is the cornerstone of neonatal critical care. Despite decades of clinical research dedicated to this issue of paramount importance, our knowledge and understanding regarding the physiology and pathophysiology of neonatal cerebral blood flow are still rudimentary. This review primarily focuses on currently available human clinical and experimental data on cerebral blood flow and autoregulation in the preterm and term infant. Limitations of systemic blood pressure values as surrogates for monitoring adequate cerebral oxygen delivery are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the high interindividual variability in cerebral blood flow values, vasoreactivity, and autoregulatory thresholds making the applications of normative values highly questionable. Technical and ethical difficulties to conduct such trials leave us with a near complete lack of knowledge on how pharmacological and surgical interventions impact on cerebral autoregulation. The ensemble of these works argues for the necessity of highly individualized care by taking advantage of continuous bedside monitoring of cerebral circulation. They also point to the urgent need for further studies addressing the exciting but difficult issue of cerebral blood flow autoregulation in the neonate.
Characterization of Marek’s disease herpesvirus‐specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in chickens inoculated with a non‐oncogenic vaccine strain of MDV

Previously we have reported that reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV)‐transformed cell lines expressing Marek’s disease virus (MDV) genes pp38, meq or gB were lysed by syngeneic MDV‐specific splenocytes from major histocompatibility complex (MHC):B9B19 and MHC:B1B21 chickens. In contrast, REV‐transformed cell lines expressing the MDV gene ICP4 were only lysed by syngeneic MDV‐specific splenocytes from MHC:B21B21 chickens. In this study we report that this syngeneic cell‐mediated immune response is induced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Splenocytes from MDV vaccine strain, SB‐1 inoculated MHC:B19B19 and MHC:B21B21 chickens, depleted for CD4+, CD8+, TCRγδ+, TCRαβ1+ and/or TCRαβ2+ cells, were used as effector cells in chromium‐release assays. Effector cells depleted of CD8+ or TCRαβ1,+ but not TCRγδ+ or TCRαβ2+, markedly reduced the MDV‐specific release. Depletion of CD4+ effector cells did not influence the specific release significantly. This is the first report on identification of virus‐specific CD8+ CTL in chickens inoculated with a non‐oncogenic vaccine strain of MDV.
Host-parasite relationship in monkeys administered live tularemia vaccine.

WE HAVE PREv1ousLY on the host-parasite relationship resulting from administration of live tularemia vaccine to Macaca irus by either the dermal or respiratory route. ' Tissue changes were mild and consisted primarily of the proliferation of histiocytes without formation of granulomas regardless of inoculation route. Pasteurella tularensis vaccine strain LVS 2 was isolated from the inoculation site of aiimals vacminated intracutaneously, from the lungs of animals vaccinated aerogenically, and from the regional lymph nodes, liver, and spleen of both groups of vaccinees; no isolations were made from the blood or bone marrow. Proliferation of LVS was observed in both groups of vaccinees within 24 hr. Peak viable populations were reached within 3 days and maintained through Day 10; clearance had begun by Day 14. Intracellular antitularensis 7-globulin (ATGG) persisted at least 90 days in vaccinated animals.3 Plasmacytes containing ATGG were located in the interstitial tissue adjacent to the respiratory bronchioles, peribronchial and perivascular lymphoid aggregates, tracheobronchial lymph nodes, splenic pulp, and liver of aerogenically vaccinated animals and in tracheobronchial lymph nodes, splenic pulp, and liver of dermally vaccinated animals. The initial phase of the study having been completed, host-parasite relationship data were obtained on vaccinated monkeys subsequent to challenge. This report is concerned with the serologic, bacteriologic, and histologic studies conducted in the monkey vaccinated dermally or aerogenically with LVS and subsequently challenged aerogenically with highly virulent P tularens.
Phytodiversity in Beeshazar Lake and surrounding landscape system.

This paper deals in general with diversity of vascular plants, status of invasive alien species (IAS) and nationally threatened plant species, human use potentials of phytodiversity, and some phytodiversity-based measures to restore and improve the Ramsar characteristics of Beeshazar Lake and surrounding landscape system, which isa part of the Barandabhar forest corridor (BFC) - an extension of buffer zone of the Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Keywords: Phytodiversity, Beeshazar Lake doi:10.3126/on.v5i1. 797 Our Nature (2007)5:41-51
The Effect of HLA-DRB1 on Cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND Cholecystitis is one of the major digestive diseases. Its prevalence is particularly high in some populations. Significant risk factors associated with cholecystitis include age, sex, obesity, diet, parity and type 2 diabetes. OBJECTIVE To determine the association between HLA-DRB1 and cholecystitis. METHODS This case-control study included forty Iraqi Arab patients who had cholecystitis with multiple calculi treated by cholecystectomy admitted in the surgical ward at Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital Baghdad between September -2013 to June -2014. The control group consisted of forty healthy volunteers among the staff of Al-Kindy College of Medicine. Control and cholecystitis patients groups were typed for identifying the DRB1* alleles using DNA-based methodology (PCR-SSOP). RESULTS There was an increased frequency of HLA-DRB1*0301 in patients with cholecystitis compared with healthy controls (p=0.0442, odd ratio=4.1111, 95% CI: 1.0372-16.2949). CONCLUSION HLA-DRB1*0301, as a genetic factor, seems to have an association with cholecystitis.