Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Concentration of gelatinases and their tissue inhibitors in pancreatic inflammatory and neoplastic tumors and their influence on the early postoperative course.

UNLABELLED Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of death in the world, due to neoplastic disease. Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive disease leading towards pancreatic fibrosis. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (MMP2 and 9) and their tissue inhibitor (TIMP 1 and 2) concentrations in case of PC and CP tissue homogenates on early treatment results of patients subject to pancreatic resections. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study group comprised 63 patients, including 25 (39.68%) female and 38 (60.32%) male patients. Group 1 (CP) consisted of 31 patients with CP (F: M = 10/21). Group 2 (PC) consisted of 32 patients with PC (F: M = 15:17). The pancreatic tumor samples were collected from the resected pancreas, being subject to electrophoresis and immunoenzymatic studies. After confirming their activity, MMP2, MMP9, TIMP1, TIMP2 concentrations were determined. Correlation analysis of MMPs and TIMPs concentrations was performed in relation to the following: tumor diameter, age, BMI, hospitalization, duration of symptoms and surgery, blood loss, incidence of perioperative complications. RESULTS Group differences were presented in terms of: age, BMI, ASA, duration of symptoms, jaundice, tumor diameter, time of operation. There were no differences considering weight loss, blood loss, extent of resection, and hospitalization. Significant MMPs and TIMPs concentration differences between groups were demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS Comparison of PC to CP tissue samples showed significantly higher levels of metalloproteinases and TIMPs in the former. Positive correlations of MMP1, TIMP1 and 2 with tumor diameter (CP) were observed, and MMP2 with the duration of surgery and blood loss (PC). There was no MMPs and TIMPs concentration levels influence on the incidence of postoperative complications.
Factors affecting the nurse-patients' family communication in intensive care unit of kerman: a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION The communication between nurses and patients' families impacts patient well-being as well as the quality and outcome of nursing care, this study aimed to demonstrated the facilitators and barriers which influence the role of communication among Iranian nurses and families member in ICU. METHODS This study is a qualitative study with content analysis. Participants were eight registered nurses and ten of patients' families. Patients were admitted to the ICU of two large university hospitals in Kerman, Iran. We used non-structured interviews for data collection. All interviews were transcribed verbatim with a simultaneous, constant comparative analysis of the audio tapes. RESULTS According to data analysis, facilitative factors between nurses and families' communication consisted of spiritual care, emotional support, Participation, notification and consultation and barriers that were misunderstandings regarding treatment, job and patient difficulties. CONCLUSION The findings led into the recognition of the important barriers and facilitators in communication between ICU team and the family of the patients. By identification of the barriers and facilitators of communication, establishing new rules and using creative methods in education and establishing the communication of ICU team especially using patient-based approach we can have effective communication.
Associations of overall and abdominal adiposity with area and volumetric mammographic measures among postmenopausal women

Whereas mammographic density and adiposity are positively associated with postmenopausal breast cancer risk, they are inversely associated with one another. To examine the association between these two risk factors, a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of a year‐long aerobic exercise intervention was done. Participants were 302 postmenopausal women aged 50–74 years. Dense fibroglandular and nondense fatty tissue were measured from mammograms using computer‐assisted thresholding software for area measurements and a technique relying on the calibration of mammography machines with a tissue‐equivalent phantom for volumetric measurements. Adiposity was measured by anthropometry (body mass index, waist circumference), whole‐body dual x‐ray absorptiometry scans (body fat) and computed tomography scans (abdominal adiposity). Correlations were estimated between and within women, the latter representing the association between the 1‐year change in adiposity and mammographic measures. Adiposity was correlated with nondense area and volume (0.50 ≤ r ≤ 0.66 between women; 0.18 ≤ r ≤ 0.46 within women). Between women, adiposity was correlated with dense area and volume (−0.12 ≤ r ≤ −0.30) and with percent dense area and volume (−0.28 ≤ r ≤ −0.48). Because measurements made with scans explained at most only 3% more of the variation in absolute or percent density beyond that explained by anthropometric measurements, anthropometric measurements are likely sufficient for adjustment of the association between mammographic density and breast cancer risk. Adiposity is associated with breast fatty tissue and possibly weakly inversely associated with fibroglandular tissue.
Matching Mitochondria to Metabolic Needs at Nodes of Ranvier

Myelinated axons conduct nerve impulses at high speed using a unique mode of excitation, referred to as saltatory conduction, which is enabled structurally by the narrowing of the site of action potentials to a tiny gap in the axon called the node of Ranvier. With this structural specialization comes an interesting metabolic matching problem. How do mitochondria find and supply energy to these tiny nodes of Ranvier distributed sparsely along a myelinated axon? Does the intense Na+ influx at the node, which is produced by the highest known sodium channel density in all excitable membranes, help guide where mitochondria stop? Evidence suggests that during excitation in the peripheral nervous system, Na+ influx recruits mitochondria to the node by triggering Ca2+ elevation and activating Na+ pumps. Intriguingly, indirect evidence suggests that in the central nervous system, activity recruits mitochondria to the internode (myelin-covered portion of the axon). Metabolic dysfunction thus might produce spatially distinct lesions in PNS and CNS myelinated fibers. Future dissection of regional variation in mitochondrial biology in myelinated axons using live imaging will likely yield surprises about sites of vulnerability in demyelinating diseases and clues for therapeutic intervention strategy.
Firearms Accidents in Northern India (1980-2000)

This paper investigates firearms accidents from the last two decades (1980-2000), with information received from the three North Indian states, Chandigarh, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh and from the military and paramilitary organisations working in the region. In this study 139 cases were analysed for evaluation of various parameters such as type of accident, type of firearm used, age, sex, occupation and caste of victim, day of the week and the season in which the accident occurred, place of incident and location of wound. Information was extracted from the case histories and First Information Reports (FIR), and also from autopsy and injury reports. The accidents were self-inflicted in nine cases while another person fired the weapon in 130 cases. Most accidents occurred during hunting or from mishandling the firearm. Gun cleaning accidents rarely occurred and few cases were due to technical defects of the firearm. Shotguns and rifles caused most of the accidents. Shotgun accidents occurred mostly in rural areas whereas the cases involving rifles and handguns were from urban areas. Victims were predominantly male with a mean age of 26 and 30 years for males and females respectively. Victims' occupations were principally agricultural followed by service class and housewives. The most aggressive community was the Kshatriya caste. Most of the accidents occurred during the winter season and on days between Sunday and Tuesday. Accident locations were most commonly the forest, the fields or the home. The chest and head were the most common anatomical sites of injury. All accidental cases were the result of only one firing. It is important to mention that, based on these findings, firearm accidents could be reduced significantly if firearm holders were better trained regarding the handling and safety aspects of their guns, particularly farmers to whom firearm licences are granted specifically for the protection of crops.
Characterization of a Clostridium beijerinckii spo0A mutant and its application for butyl butyrate production

Spo0A is a master regulator that governs the metabolic shift of solventogenic Clostridium species such as Clostridium beijerinckii. Its disruption can thus potentially cause a significant alteration of cellular physiology as well as metabolic patterns. To investigate the specific effect of spo0A disruption in C. beijerinckii, a spo0A mutant of C. beijerinckii was characterized in this study. In a batch fermentation with pH control at 6.5, the spo0A mutant accumulated butyrate and butanol up to 8.96 g/L and 3.32 g/L, respectively from 60 g/L glucose. Noticing the unique phenotype of the spo0A mutant accumulating both butyrate and butanol at significant concentrations, we decided to use the spo0A mutant for the production of butyl butyrate that can be formed by the condensation of butyrate and butanol during the ABE fermentation in the presence of the enzyme lipase. Butyl butyrate is a value‐added chemical that has numerous uses in the food and fragrance industry. Moreover, butyl butyrate as a biofuel is compatible with Jet A‐1 aviation kerosene and used for biodiesel enrichment. In an initial trial of small‐scale extractive batch fermentation using hexadecane as the extractant with supplementation of lipase CalB, the spo0A mutant was subjected to acid crash due to the butyrate accumulation, and thus produced only 98 mg/L butyl butyrate. To alleviate the butyrate toxicity, the biphasic medium was supplemented with 10 g/L CaCO3 and 5 g/L butanol. The butyl butyrate production was then increased up to 2.73 g/L in the hexadecane layer. When continuous agitation was performed to enhance the esterification and extraction of butyl butyrate, 3.32 g/L butyl butyrate was obtained in the hexadecane layer. In this study, we successfully demonstrated the use of the C. beijerinckii spo0A mutant for the butyl butyrate production through the simultaneous ABE fermentation, condensation, and extraction. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 106–112. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Information Manipulation in Election Campaigns

We provide a game‐theoretical model of manipulative election campaigns with two political candidates and a Bayesian voter. The latter is uncertain about how good the candidates are. Candidates take unobservable, costly actions to manipulate voter's opinion about their positions. We show that if the candidates differ in campaigning efficiency, and the voter receives the biased campaign messages with some noise, then the cost‐efficient candidate can win the election with higher probability than her opponent even when she is ex‐post an inferior choice for the voter. Our paper offers a novel informational justification for imposing limits on campaign spending and encouraging diversity in the supply of political information.
Measurements of EGFR expression on circulating tumor cells are reproducible over time in metastatic breast cancer patients.

AIMS Studies of EGFR expression in breast cancer have shown inconsistent results due in part to a large range of methods used. Anti-EGFR therapy trials have often not used patient selection because of this. We describe the use of the CellSearch system (Veridex LLC, NJ, USA) to enumerate and measure EGFR expression on the surface of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), derived from the peripheral blood of individuals with metastatic breast cancer over time. MATERIALS & METHODS The CellSearch system was used to quantify CTCs and EGFR measurement was performed on all samples. The specificity of EGFR phenotyping was further examined by spiking with cell lines with increased and low (or absent) levels of EGFR expression using the CellSearch system to enrich and phenotype the CTCs. RESULTS Serial samples were obtained from 33 individuals with metastatic breast cancer. CTCs derived from these individuals had consistent levels of EGFR expression at different time points, and none of the patients 'switched' from a positive to negative EGFR phenotype or vice versa. The specificity of EGFR phenotyping by the CellSearch system was verified by staining of EGFR only being present in a high EGFR expressing EGFR cell line (MDA-MB-468), as confirmed by Western blotting. CONCLUSIONS Measurement of EGFR on the surface of CTCs, derived from individuals with metastatic breast cancer patients is possible using the CellSearch system and showed consistent positivity over time. The use of this system will now be validated in a prospective study aiming to identify patients for anti-EGFR therapy based on the expression profile of CTCs.
Histologic grade, stage, and survival in breast carcinoma

African American women have lower breast carcinoma survival rates than do Caucasian women. African American women often present with advanced‐stage disease and more aggressive tumors as shown by histologic and laboratory‐based prognostic factors. Aggressive tumor behavior may be responsible, at least in part, for the advanced stage and reduced survival rates.
A Polarization Maintaining Single-Mode Photonic Crystal Fiber for Residual Dispersion Compensation

A single-mode octagonal photonic crystal fiber (OPCF) is proposed to simultaneously achieve high birefringence and ultra-flattened ultra-high negative dispersion. Simulation results demonstrate that by introducing an elliptical air hole in the center of the core, it is possible to obtain a large average dispersion of -608.93 ps/nm/km with an absolute dispersion variation of -12.7 ps/nm/km over 1.46-1.625 μm wavelength bands for fundamental slow-axis mode. Besides, with optimal design parameters, a high birefringence of 1.81×10-2 and a very low confinement loss of 0.04 dB/km are achieved at 1.55 μm. The proposed OPCF can be used in cost-effective residual dispersion compensation and optical sensors.
An Experimental Magnesium Ion Battery Cell Made of Flexible Materials

Lithium ion batteries are the subject of much globalattention in the continuing development of advanced energystorage technologies. To date, these batteries offer the bestcombination of energy capacity per gram, cost, and long termcycle stability. However, lithium ion batteries have severaldisadvantages. The materials used in Li-ion batteries arerelatively costly, while capacity is ultimately limited by themonovalent nature of the lithium ion. From the theoreticalperspective, magnesium batteries overcome many of thelimitations present in current Li-ion battery technology. Magnesium is a divalent ion, allowing for twice the theoreticalcapacity of a lithium ion cell. Additionally, magnesium is a muchmore abundant material than lithium, lowering the productioncost. Here, we present a magnesium half-cell battery createdusing flexible materials. A polymer electrolyte made of ethylenecarbonate, propylene carbonate, magnesium perchlorate, andPoly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) was attachedto a Molybdenum Oxide/graphite sheet cathode, and a tininsertion anode. The details of cell fabrication and electricalperformance will be discussed.
Assessing the Current Curriculum of the Nursing and Midwifery Informatics Course at All Nursing and Midwifery Institutions in Ghana

The use of computers in the delivery of health care has significantly improved the way health service is delivered to clients and patients in the world. Despite the importance of computing to the delivery of health service, developing countries have not greatly benefited from it. Nursing informatics has been in existence and part of academic curriculum for the past 2 decades in some advanced countries. The Ghana Nursing and Midwifery Council introduced the nursing and midwifery informatics course during the 2015/2016 academic year. This seeks to train student nurses on the relevance of computers to health care. Two separate workshops were organised to ascertain the preparedness of tutors (teachers at the nursing and midwifery training institutions) for teaching the new nursing and midwifery informatics course as well as to compare the curriculum with other international recommendations. The nursing and midwifery informatics course is taught at the first year where students have not been introduced to the nursing processes for them to appreciate the use of nursing informatics skills. It would be better if the nursing and midwifery informatics course is rather introduced during the second year second semester when students are about going for the hands-on training at the various health care institutions. Examining the course content reveals that the practical aspect within the course is very small. It is expected that more practical contents will be introduced. Tutors are not adequately prepared to teach this new course. More training is therefore needed to make tutors fully prepared to teach both the theory and practical aspects of the nursing and midwifery informatics course. It is expected that the nursing and midwifery informatics course would prepare student nurses on all nursing informatics competencies. It is essential that nurse educators incorporate the entire concept of informatics into the education of nurses.
Hyperglycaemia and mortality in critically ill patients. A prospective study.

OBJECTIVE To describe hyperglycaemia as a possible marker of morbidity and mortality in critically ill medical and surgical patients admitted to a multidisciplinary ICU. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING A 13-bed non-cardiac multidisciplinary ICU in a university hospital. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS Adult patients consecutively admitted to the ICU in a 6-month period. Patients with fewer than 2 days' stay in the ICU and patients with known diabetes were excluded. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS At admission a registration form was filled in including demographic data, first and second day APACHE II scores, infections and daily maximum blood glucose level. In surgical patients, high maximum blood glucose level during the stay in ICU was correlated with increased mortality, morbidity and frequency of infection. In medical patients, we found a non-significant trend towards a correlation between hyperglycaemia and morbidity and mortality, respectively. CONCLUSIONS High blood glucose level during the stay in ICU was a marker of increased morbidity and mortality in critically ill surgical patients. In medical patients the same trend was found, but non-significant. The population of patients in the present study are heterogeneous and the results from surgical critically ill patients should not be generalised to medical patients.
Effects of dietary metabolisable energy, calcium and phosphorus on bone mineralisation, leg weakness and performance of broiler chickens

1. Performance, gait score (GS), tibial dyschondroplasia (TD), and tibia bone mineralisation and breaking strength were determined in 2880 male and female Ross 208 broilers fed on diets with two different concentrations of dietary metabolisable energy (ME) (11·00 or 12·00 MJ/kg) and 4 different concentrations of available phosphorus (aP) adjusted for dietary ME content (4·0, 4·5, 5·0 or 5·5 g/kg aP in starter and 3·5, 4·0, 4·5 or 5·0 g/kg aP in finisher diets containing 12·00 MJ/kg). 2. Tibia ash, calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) contents in broilers given diets with low ME (11·00 MJ/kg) were greater than those of broilers given diets with higher ME (12·00 MJ/kg). Tibia ash, Ca and P contents increased curvilinearly with increasing dietary aP content. The dietary aP level had no effect on GS. 3. Dietary concentration of ME or aP had no effect on tibia breaking strength. 4. Walking ability, as measured by GS, was negatively correlated with the body weight (BW) of tested birds at 23 and 35 d of age, but the dietary ME content or aP level had no significant effect on GS at 35 d of age. 5. The results indicated that bone mineral content had no clear correlation with the walking ability of broilers.
Three-Dimensional Analysis of Morphologic Changes and Visual Outcomes in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose To investigate the association of three-dimensionally quantified lesions with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Methods We retrospectively analyzed 65 eyes of 61 typical nAMD patients. Lesions at baseline and month 12 were manually delineated in optical coherence tomography. The volume of intraretinal fluid (IRF), subretinal fluid (SRF), subretinal hyperreflective material (SHRM), and pigment epithelial detachment (PED) were measured. In addition, the areas of external limiting membrane (ELM) and ellipsoid zone (EZ) were calculated. Results At baseline, poor baseline BCVA was associated with increased volume of IRF and SHRM and impaired area of ELM (β = 0.34, P = 0.001; β = 0.46, P < 0.001; and β = -0.23, P = 0.03, respectively). At month 12, poor BCVA was associated with increased volume of IRF, reduced intact ELM area, and decreased EZ area (β = 0.24, P = 0.01; β = -0.30, P = 0.02; and β = -0.37, P = 0.004, respectively). Baseline BCVA, volume of IRF, and intact area of ELM were significant predictors for BCVA at month 12 (β = 0.29, P = 0.01; β = 0.30, P = 0.01; and β = -0.28, P = 0.01). Changes of BCVA were associated with changes of SHRM volume, intact EZ area, and ELM area (β = 0.35, P = 0.002; β = -0.28, P = 0.01; and β = -0.22, P = 0.048, respectively). The predictive power of volumetric analysis was higher than that of qualitative analysis (R2 = 0.47 vs. R2 = 0.37). The volume of SRF and fibrovascular PED showed positive and negative effect on visual outcome each, but they were not strong enough to remain in multivariate model. Conclusions Best-corrected visual acuity could be explained by three-dimensional optical coherence tomography morphology to a fair degree. In addition, three-dimensional analysis could predict visual outcomes better than qualitative analysis.
Complex segregation analysis of restless legs syndrome provides evidence for an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance in early age at onset families

A strong familial component of restless legs syndrome (RLS) is known. The objective of this study therefore was to investigate the likely mode of inheritance of RLS. RLS patients and their first‐degree relatives were investigated and classified in RLS affected and RLS nonaffected subjects. Assessments were based on direct, personal standardized diagnostic interviews. Complex segregation analysis was performed with the families stratified according to the mean age at onset of the disease within the families. Two hundred thirty‐eight RLS patients, 537 first‐degree relatives, and 133 spouses were interviewed. Two groups of families were stratified: mean age at onset up to 30 years of age (Group A) and older than 30 years (Group B; p < 0.005). In Group A, segregation analysis strongly favored a single major gene acting autosomal dominant with a multifactorial component. Parameter estimates were 0.003 for the allele frequency, 1.0 for the penetrance, and 0.005 for the phenocopy rate. In Group B, no evidence for a major gene could be elucidated. The segregation pattern found in our families argues for an autosomal allele acting dominantly in RLS families with an early age at onset of symptoms and suggests that RLS is a causative heterogeneous disease.