Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of dexpanthenol with or without Aloe vera extract on radiation-induced oral mucositis: Preclinical studies

Purpose: To define the effect of dexpanthenol with or without Aloe vera extract on radiation-induced oral mucositis. Materials and methods: Mouse tongue mucosal ulceration was analysed as the clinically relevant endpoint. Graded single or fractionated dose irradiation (10 x 3 Gy/2 weeks, graded test doses on day 14) were combined with topical administration of dexpanthenol or a base, with or without Aloe vera extract. The formulations were applied for 14 days (single dose) or 24 days after the first fraction. Results: Single dose irradiation resulted in an ED50 (dose at which a positive mucosal response was expected in 50% of the animals irradiated) of 11.9 ± 1.2 Gy. None of the formulations yielded a significant change in incidence or time course of ulceration. Test irradiation after 10 x 3 Gy gave an ED50 of 9.0 ± 0.1 Gy. Base treatment increased the ED50-values to 10.5 ± 0.8 Gy (p = 0.0095) and 9.9 ± 0.7 Gy (p = 0.0445) without or with Aloe vera. Dexpanthenol resulted in ED50 values of 9.5 ± 0.1 Gy without Aloe vera (p > 0.05), and of 10.9 ± 0.9 Gy (p = 0.0035) with Aloe vera. The latent time to ulceration was prolonged, compared to the control (6.3 days) without Aloe vera (8.0 – 8.2 days, p < 0.001) and with dexpanthenol and Aloe vera (7.3 days, p = 0.0239). Conclusions: With single dose irradiation, neither dexpanthenol nor Aloe vera extract significantly changed the oral mucosal radiation response. With fractionated irradiation, drug administration significantly increased the isoeffective radiation doses, independent of dexpanthenol or Aloe vera content. Neither dexpanthenol nor Aloe vera display a prophylactic potential.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Pregnancy

Most women with inflammatory bowel disease who desire to become pregnant can expect to conceive successfully, carry to term, and deliver a healthy infant. However, the management of inflammatory bowel disease during pregnancy remains challenging, and some women with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease will have difficulty becoming pregnant or have increased disease symptoms while pregnant. Control of disease activity before conception and during pregnancy is critical to optimize both maternal and fetal health. The natural history of inflammatory bowel disease during pregnancy will be reviewed and the medical and surgical therapy discussed.
Differential effects of sulforaphane on histone deacetylases, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in normal prostate cells versus hyperplastic and cancerous prostate cells.

SCOPE Sulforaphane (SFN) is an isothiocyanate derived from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli. The ability of SFN to inhibit histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes may be one mechanism by which it acts as a chemoprevention agent. The ability of a chemopreventive agent to specifically cause cytotoxicity in cancer and not normal cells is an important factor in determining its safety and clinical relevance. METHODS AND RESULTS We characterized the effects of SFN in normal (PrEC), benign hyperplasia (BPH1) and cancerous (LnCap and PC3) prostate epithelial cells. We observed that 15 μM SFN selectively induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in BPH1, LnCap and PC3 cells but not PrEC cells. SFN treatment also selectively decreased HDAC activity, and Class I and II HDAC proteins, increased acetylated histone H3 at the promoter for P21, induced p21 expression and increased tubulin acetylation in prostate cancer cells. HDAC6 over-expression was able to reverse SFN-induced cyotoxicity. In PrEC cells, SFN caused only a transient reduction in HDAC activity with no change in any other endpoints tested. The differences in sensitivity to SFN in PrEC and PC3 are likely not due to differences in SFN metabolism or differences in phase 2 enzyme induction. CONCLUSION SFN exerts differential effects on cell proliferation, HDAC activity and downstream targets in normal and cancer cells.
The salmonid class I MHC: limited diversity in a primitive teleost

Summary: Three MHC class I genes have been characterized in salmonids: A, B, and UA. Levels of polymorphism vary among the genes, but they all share one common feature: a lack of sequence diversity. Although individual species can carry over 3.0 alleles at a given locus (A), intraspecific diversity is generally less than 5% in Pacific salmon (genus Oncorhynchus). and less Chan 10% in Atlantic salmon (genus Salmo). These levels of diversity suggest that few ancient allelic lineages have persisted within species, and that most of the allelic radiation has occurred during or since speciation. Also apparent is the greater retention of allelic lineages in Atlantic salmon than Pacific salmon, which reflects historic differences of the two genera. Comparison of the salmonid class I sequences with those of other teleosts reveals two well supported groups: one containing the Cypriniformes and the salmonid UA, and the other containing the neoteleosts and the salmonid A and B, There is no homology between known Cypriniformes; and neoteleostean sequences. If this relationship is borne out, it offers strong support for the hypothesis that the higher teleosts diverged more recently from the Salmoniformes than the Cypriniformes, The salmonid MHC may provide a snapshot of the neoteleostean MHC prior to the extensive class I duplication that has taken place in at least some of the more advanced species.
Metabolic status, lactation persistency, and udder health of dairy cows after different dry period lengths

Cows traditionally have a 6 to 8 week non-lactating –‘dry period’- before calving and the start of the next lactation in order to maximize milk production in the subsequent lactation. An omitted, compared with a shortened, dry period reduces milk yield and improves energy availability in cows postpartum, but effects on udder health and persistency were unclear. Cows without a dry period fattened and spontaneously dried off due to the improved energy availability. Reducing the energy availability in the feed for cows without a dry period did not affect fattening or lactation persistency in late lactation. Cows with a short or without a dry period did not receive dry cow antibiotics in this study and this did not affect udder health across the dry period or in early lactation, but seemed to impair udder health in late lactation for cows without a dry period.
Return to Sports Activity After Postoperative Septic Arthritis in ACL Reconstruction

Abstract Background: Septic arthritis after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a rare but potentially serious complication. Several different options have been proposed to treat this condition. Our study aims to report the clinical, radiological, and sports activity results using our original protocol based on outpatient irrigation of the knee as well as parenteral and oral antibiotics. Methods: From January 2001 to January 2009, 14 patients (all active in sports) were treated for postoperative septic arthritis of the knee after ACL reconstruction in our institute. The treatment protocol included outpatient irrigation of the knee and parenteral antibiotics, followed by oral antibiotics. Repetitive irrigation was performed if necessary. The average follow-up period for our series was 38 months (range, 8–54 months). Follow-up included International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) forms, radiographs, Tegner and Lysholm scores, and KT-1000™ arthrometric evaluation. Results: Treatment of infection was successful in all cases. At final examination, pivot shift score was negative in 12 of 14 patients, and was > 1 in 2 of 14 patients, whereas the Lachman item score was negative in all cases. The mean postoperative Tegner score was 7, and 12 of 14 patients returned to the same sport at the same level after surgery. The mean Lysholm score was 96. Using the IKDC score, 12 of 14 patients were graded as group A, and 2 of 14 patients were graded as group B. The mean postoperative manual maximum KT-1000™ side-to-side difference was 2.5 mm. No significant bone tunnel enlargement was found when evaluating the patients' radiographs. Conclusion: The treatment regimen previously described provides reliable results for this complication. There were no recurrences of septic arthritis or bone infection, and no further surgeries were required. The graft could be retained during treatment of septic arthritis. Almost all patients returned to the preoperative and preinfection sport at the same level.
Prevention of second primary tumors with isotretinoin in squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

BACKGROUND Patients with head-and-neck cancers who are free of disease after local therapy remain at high risk for both recurrent and second primary tumors. Retinoids have proved efficacious in the treatment of premalignant oral lesions and are promising agents for the prevention of epithelial carcinogenesis. METHODS We prospectively studied 103 patients who were disease-free after primary treatment for squamous-cell cancers of the larynx, pharynx, or oral cavity. After completion of surgery or radiotherapy (or both), these patients were randomly assigned to receive either isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) (50 to 100 mg per square meter of body-surface area per day) or placebo, to be taken daily for 12 months. RESULTS There were no significant differences between the two groups in the number of local, regional, or distant recurrences of the primary cancers. However, the isotretinoin group had significantly fewer second primary tumors. After a median follow-up of 32 months, only 2 patients (4 percent) in the isotretinoin group had second primary tumors, as compared with 12 (24 percent) in the placebo group (P = 0.005). Multiple second primary tumors occurred in four patients, all of whom were in the placebo group. Of the 14 second cancers, 13 (93 percent) occurred in the head and neck, esophagus, or lung. CONCLUSIONS Daily treatment with high doses of isotretinoin is effective in preventing second primary tumors in patients who have been treated for squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck, although it does not prevent recurrences of the original tumor.
New horizons for zoledronic acid: results of the HORIZON trials in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and after hip fracture

Nearly 2 million hip fractures occur each year in the US as a result of osteoporosis. After hip fracture, people are at an increased risk of a further fracture. The HORIZON-PFT (Health Outcomes and Reduced Incidence with Zoledronic Acid Once Yearly Pivotal Fracture Trial), investigated the effect of zoledronic acid on fractures in women with osteoporosis, whereas the HORIZON-RFT (Recurrent Fracture Trial), studied the effect of zoledronic acid after hip fracture. In the HORIZON-PFT, after 3 years the incidence of new vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women, who were not taking any medication for osteoporosis at randomisation, was 10.9% in the placebo group and this was significantly lower in the once-yearly intravenous zoledronic acid group (3.3%). In the second of the HORIZON trials, the RFT, the effect of a single intravenous injection of zoledronic acid within 90 days of fracture on the recurrence of fracture was tested. The primary endpoint was a new clinical fracture, and after a median follow-up of 1.9 years, there were 139 fractures in the placebo group of 1062 and this was significantly reduced to 92 out of 1065 in the zoledronic acid group. Thus, this second HORIZON trial has demonstrated that zoledronic may have a role in preventing recurrent fractures in those who have a recent hip fracture.
Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Apple Juice by Irradiation

ABSTRACT Three strains (932, Ent-C9490, and SEA13B88) of Escherichia coli O157:H7 were used to determine the effectiveness of low-dose gamma irradiation for eliminating E. coli O157:H7 from apple juice or cider and to characterize the effect of inducing pH-dependent, stationary-phase acid resistance on radiation resistance. The strains were grown in tryptic soy broth with or without 1% dextrose for 18 h to produce cells that were or were not induced to pH-dependent stationary-phase acid resistance. The bacteria were then transferred to clarified apple juice and irradiated at 2°C with a cesium-137 irradiator. Non-acid-adapted cells had radiationD values (radiation doses needed to decrease a microbial population by 90%) ranging from 0.12 to 0.21 kGy. D values increased to 0.22 to 0.31 kGy for acid-adapted cells. When acid-adapted SEA13B88 cells were tested in five apple juice brands having different levels of suspended solids (absorbances ranging from 0.04 to 2.01 at 550 nm), radiation resistance increased with increasing levels of suspended solids, with D values ranging from 0.26 to 0.35 kGy. Based on these results, a dose of 1.8 kGy should be sufficient to achieve the 5D inactivation of E. colirecommended by the National Advisory Committee for Microbiological Criteria for Foods.
Fish Oil Intake and Seizure Control in Children with Medically Resistant Epilepsy

Background: There is considerable evidence which suggests that Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may have a potential use in the treatment of epilepsy. Aim: The study was to investigate the effect of Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (as fish oil supplementation) in reducing the frequency and severity of epileptic seizures in children with medically resistant epilepsy. Materials and Methods: In the case-control study, a total of 70 children with medically resistant epilepsy underwent assessment of the frequency and severity of the epileptic attacks at baseline, after one month, two months and three months from the beginning of the study; 35 children received fish oil and the other 35 children received placebo. Results: The number of children who received fish oil, having 0 epileptic attacks increased from 0%, before starting the study, up to 57.1% at the end of the third month, while the improvement was minimal in the placebo group, with a significant difference in the improvement between the intervention and the control groups. There was no statistically significant difference in improvement in the severity of the seizures either between cases and control or between the beginning and the end of the study. Conclusion: Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids elevated the seizure threshold in epileptic patients and may help in achieving seizure control.
Brain indices of automatic pattern processing

THE extent to which the auditory system automatically encodes simple auditory patterns was investigated by recording event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to non-attended sounds in subjects reading a book. ERPs were recorded to tones alternating regularly in pitch, and to rare breaks in the alternating sequence. In all conditions, breaks in the pattern elicited a right hemisphere dominant fronto-central mismatch negativity (MNN) at a latency of 140–220 ms. The MMN increased in amplitude, and decreased in latency with increasing pitch separation, and stimulus rate. The results suggest that the processing of auditory patterns occurs automatically, and depends on a rapidly fading short-term acoustic memory.
Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics Advertising strategy and its effectiveness on consumer online search in a defaming product-harm crisis

Actual product-harm crises pose significant challenges to firms, but so can defaming product-harm crises, which are defined as crises caused by false or malicious rumors made by consumers or competing firms. Unlike typical product-harm crises, in defaming product-harm crises, the truth often emerges only after substantial damage has been done to the victim firm. Thus, crisis management strategies in these two cases may be different. Using a defaming product-harm crisis that involved two competing firms, this paper examines how the firms changed their advertising strategies and how the changes affected consumers’ online search behaviors regarding the two firms. Our analyses show that after the crisis, the offending firm sensitively reacted to its own and the victim firm’s advertising levels, but the victim firm did not react to the offending firm’s advertising as it had previously. The effectiveness of advertising on consumers’ online searches weakened for both firms after the crisis. Our paper provides a new insight about marketing strategies and their effectiveness in the product-harm crisis literature.
[HLA class I antigen expression correlates with histological cell type in uveal melanoma].

PURPOSE The prognosis of uveal melanoma is correlated with its histologic cell type. The epithelioid cell type is associated with a higher metastatic rate than the spindle cell type. The Human Leucocyte Antigen Class I (HLA-I) expression of the melanoma also correlates with the prognosis. In this study, we analyzed HLA-I antigen expression of uveal melanomas to determine whether a relationship exist between antigenic expression and melanoma cell type. METHODS Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded spindle cell type (n = 11) and epithelioid cell type (n = 11) uveal melanomas were immunostained with the HC10 antibody (1:80) for HLA-I antigen expression with appropriate positive and negative controls. Sections were assessed semiquantitatively according to the percentage of stained cells. RESULTS Among the spindle cell type melanomas, 2 out of 11 (18%) stained with HC10 antibodies. The staining intensity was less than 25% of the cells in these two melanomas. Among the epithelioid cell type melanomas, 9 out of 11 (82%) stained with HC10. The staining intensity was more than 25% of the cells in 5 of these 9 melanomas. CONCLUSIONS It is unknown why spindle and epithelioid cell type uveal melanomas have different prognoses. Human uveal melanoma cell lines with low HLA-I expression are susceptible to NK cell-mediated lysis in vitro and in murine studies. The prognostically more favorable spindle cell type melanoma expresses less HLA-I than the epithelioid cell type melanoma. These results stress the role of NK cells in the rejection of uveal melanoma.
Strain Fidelity of Chronic Wasting Disease upon Murine Adaptation

ABSTRACT Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease of deer and elk, is highly prevalent in some regions of North America. The establishment of mouse-adapted CWD prions has proven difficult due to the strong species barrier between mice and deer. Here we report the efficient transmission of CWD to transgenic mice overexpressing murine PrP. All mice developed disease 500 ± 62 days after intracerebral CWD challenge. The incubation period decreased to 228 ± 103 days on secondary passage and to 162 ± 6 days on tertiary passage. Mice developed very large, radially structured cerebral amyloid plaques similar to those of CWD-infected deer and elk. PrPSc was detected in spleen, indicating that murine CWD was lymphotropic. PrPSc glycoform profiles maintained a predominantly diglycosylated PrP pattern, as seen with CWD in deer and elk, across all passages. Therefore, all pathological, biochemical, and histological strain characteristics of CWD appear to persist upon repetitive serial passage through mice. These findings indicate that the salient strain-specific properties of CWD are encoded by agent-intrinsic components rather than by host factors.
Doripenem, Gentamicin, and Colistin, Alone and in Combinations, against Gentamicin-Susceptible, KPC-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains with Various ompK36 Genotypes

ABSTRACT Gentamicin doses of 2 and 10 μg/ml were bactericidal against 64% and 100%, respectively, of gentamicin-susceptible KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains. Treatment with the combination of doripenem (8 μg/ml) plus colistin (2 μg/ml) was inferior to treatment with gentamicin (2 μg/ml), doripenem-gentamicin, gentamicin-colistin, and doripenem-gentamicin-colistin against strains with glycine and aspartic acid insertions in OpmK36 porin at amino acid (aa) positions 134 and 135 (n = 9). Doripenem-colistin was comparable to other 2- or 3-drug regimens and superior to single drugs against wild-type/minor ompK36 mutants (n = 5). An algorithm incorporating ompK36 genotypes and susceptibility to gentamicin and doripenem may predict antimicrobial activity against KPC-producing K. pneumoniae.
Flexion and Extension Angles of Resting Fingers and Wrist

This study determined flexion and extension angles of resting fingers and wrist in terms of forearm posture (neutral, pronation and supination) and shoulder flexion (0°, 45°, 90° and 135°). The participants participated in 12 angle measurements for 16 finger joints and wrist. The finger joints flexed more in supination than in neutral posture and pronation and the thumb flexed more than the other fingers because of the gravity and skin tension. This phenomenon became more apparent as the shoulder flexed. The carpometacarpal joint had the largest flexion angle in the thumb joints, whereas the proximal interphalangeal joints had the largest flexion angles in the other finger joints. The resting posture of the wrist extended of ~16° in any forearm postures when the shoulder was at 0°. The results of this study could be useful for rehabilitation tool and product designs.
Child Care Teachers' Response to Children's Emotional Expression

This observational study examined practices through which child care teachers socialize children's emotion. A specific aim was to describe strategies of teacher intervention in response to emotion displayed by children in child care centers, and to answer the question of differential interactions based on children's age and gender. The results of this study were as follows: (a) toddler teachers matched and encouraged children's positive emotion expression more often than did preschool teachers; (b) in response to children's negative emotion, toddler teachers used physical comfort and distraction more often than did preschool teachers who relied more on verbal mediation; (c) in response to girls' negative emotional expressions, teachers provided more physical comfort and distraction whereas they were more likely to provide boys with constructive ways to express negative emotion. The results of this study also revealed relatively infrequent teaching about constructive ways of expressing negative emotion and very few occurrences of teacher's empathy, two developmentally appropriate methods for socializing emotion. Teachers may benefit from a training program focusing on facilitating emotional competence.
Board Meeting Frequencies on Various Topics and Corporate Governance: Evidence from China

The paper examines the relationship between numbers of topic-specific board meetings and quality of corporate governance. The quality of corporate governance is estimated by CEO turnover-performance and compensation-performance sensitivities. Information about topic-specific meetings is collected from the reports of independent directors in Chinese listed firms over the period of 2005 to 2015. We document that more frequent discussions of growth strategies for the use of IPO proceeds, investment and acquisitions increase the CEO compensation-performance sensitivity. However, more discussions about the nomination of directors and top management are likely to reduce the sensitivities of CEO turnover and compensation to performance. Our findings shed light on what makes boards more efficient, and how board monitoring on assorted decisions modifies the relationship between CEO interests and firm performance.