Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-dose daptomycin for cardiac implantable electronic device-related infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED)-related endocarditis is a growing challenge because of increasing incidence and significant mortality. Current treatment is based on complete hardware removal coupled with long-term administration of effective and safe antimicrobials. Daptomycin at the dose of 6 mg/kg/day has been found to be effective in staphylococcal endocarditis, but limited data exist on CIED endocarditis. Moreover, whether higher doses could be more effective but equally safe in this setting is currently unknown. METHODS We report here our experience with high-dose daptomycin in the treatment of 25 cases of CIED endocarditis due to staphylococci. RESULTS Patients were mostly elderly and male, with large lead vegetations and severe comorbidities. Pathogens were Staphylococcus epidermidis (56%), Staphylococcus aureus (28%), and other coagulase-negative staphylococci (16%). Only 4 patients (16%) had a normal pretreatment renal function. The median daptomycin daily dose was 8.3 mg/kg (range, 6.4-10.7). Daptomycin was administered for a median of 20 days (range, 8-52). Percutaneous lead extraction was performed in 88% of patients. Two patients (8%) failed to clear bacteremia. The overall clinical success of treatment was 80%, whereas a complete microbiological success was observed in 92% of patients. Creatine phosphokinase values were monitored and increased above normal in 5 cases (20%). No serious adverse event related to high-dose daptomycin was observed and no patient required discontinuation because of muscle toxicity. CONCLUSIONS Our experience suggests that high-dose daptomycin may be a safe therapeutic option in staphylococcal CIED endocarditis and may be associated with high microbiological responses and clinical success.
Cross-domain effects of work-family conflict on organizational commitment and performance

Two important hypotheses concerning the consequences of work-family conflict are matching-domain effect and cross-domain effect. However, neither of these has been explicitly tested in a Chinese context despite the increasing attention given by business and organization researchers to the Chinese business world. Moreover, the extant evidence is less clear for performance outcomes than for attitudinal outcomes. In this study, we considered both economic and cultural characteristics of employees to examine the relationships between bidirectional work-family conflict and work outcomes in China. We surveyed a sample of 241 supervisor-subordinate dyads employed at 3 hospitals in Beijing and Xi’an and found that, among our participants, family-to-work conflict was negatively related to affective and normative commitment to the organization that employed them, and that family-to-work conflict, rather than work-to-family conflict, was negatively related to their task performance at work.
Tetrahydrobiopterin administration to rhesus macaques. Its appearance in CSF and effect on neurotransmitter synthesis.

Tetrahydrobiopterin, the hydroxylase cofactor (BH4) was administered (i.v. 20 mg/kg) to Rhesus monkeys. Within 90 min of its administration CSF cofactor levels increased significantly above baseline levels. Peak CSF levels were attained at 90-180 min time period following cofactor injection and returned to baseline gradually over the next 15 hrs. The increased brain cofactor levels had no apparent effect on synthesis of dopamine, norepinephrine or serotonin as evidenced by a lack of change in the levels of the metabolites homovalillic acid, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyleneglycol, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. The present results using primates suggest no apparent effect of increased cofactor levels on monoamine biosynthesis. However, it remains to be explored whether monoamine synthesis could be affected by increased cofactor levels in the pathological situation.
Subcellular Locations of Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase Isoforms*

Phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 4-kinase catalyzes the synthesis of PtdIns-4-P, the precursor of an array of lipid second messengers generated by additional phosphorylation by PtdIns-4-P 5-kinase and PtdIns 3-kinase. PtdIns 4-kinase activity is conserved from yeast to higher eukaryotes. Multiple isoforms of mammalian PtdIns 4-kinase have been purified, and the activities have been detected in almost all subcellular locations. We previously reported the cloning and characterization of the first mammalian PtdIns 4-kinase named PI4Kα (Wong, K., and Cantley, L. C. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 28878–28884). Alternatively spliced forms of PI4Kα have also been identified from several sources including bovine brain (Gehrmann, T., Vereb, G., Schmidt, M., Klix, D., Meyer, H. E., Varsanyi, M., and Heilmeyer, L. M., Jr. (1996) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1311, 53–63). Recently we isolated a distinct human PtdIns 4-kinase gene, named PI4Kβ, that encodes an enzyme that is wortmannin sensitive (Meyers, R., and Cantley, L. C. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 4384–4390). Here we report the locations of these enzymes and provide evidence for other yet unidentified isoforms present in specific organelles. PI4Kα is mostly membrane-bound and located at the endoplasmic reticulum; whereas PI4Kβ is in the cytosol and also present in the Golgi region. Neither of these isoforms accounts for the major type II PtdIns 4-kinase activity detected in the lysosomes and plasma membrane fraction.
The role of antitissue transglutaminase assay for the diagnosis and monitoring of coeliac disease: a French–Italian multicentre study

Aims: Tissue transglutaminase (tTG) was recently identified as the major autoantigen in coeliac disease. The aim of this multicentre study was to evaluate the impact of a new immunoenzymatic assay for the detection of IgA anti-tGT antibodies. Methods: Seventy four Italian and French clinical laboratories participated in this study; anti-tTG IgA with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method using guinea pig liver extract as the coating antigen, anti-endomysium IgA autoantibodies (EMA), and total serum IgA were determined in 7948 patients, 1162 of whom had coeliac disease (737 untreated cases and 425 on a gluten free diet). A proportion of the sera were then sent to a reference laboratory for anti-tTG retesting with an ELISA method using recombinant human tTG antigen. Results: Seven thousand four hundred and fifty eight (93.8%) sera were EMA/antiguinea pig tTG concordant (positive or negative); 490 (6.2%) were non-concordant. The sensitivity of EMA and antiguinea pig tTG in the 737 untreated patients with coeliac disease was 92.1% and 94.8%, respectively, and the specificity was 99.8% and 99.2%, respectively. Retesting of the discordant sera showed that of the 162 sera classified as EMA negative/antiguinea pig tTG positive, only 49 were positive for human recombinant anti-tTG, and that 39 of these were also EMA positive. Furthermore, of the 36 sera classified as EMA positive/antiguinea pig tTG negative, only two were confirmed as EMA positive. Conclusions: The antiguinea pig tTG assay is more sensitive but less specific than EMA, whereas the antihuman recombinant tTG assay is far more specific and just as sensitive as antiguinea pig tTG. Testing for EMA presents considerable interpretative problems and is difficult to standardise.
Antinuclear Antibody Testing: A Study of Clinical Utility

Objective: To determine the clinical utility of the antinuclear antibody (ANA) test as ordered in a large teaching hospital. Methods: Retrospective chart review in a 400-bed teaching hospital that provides care for hospital-based and community-based practices. Patients: A consecutive sample of 1010 patients (including inpatients and outpatients) for whom ANA testing was ordered over 10 months; all patients with positive ANA test results and an equal number of randomly selected patients with negative test results were included. Clinical utility of the ANA in the identification of rheumatic disease was determined by its estimated sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. Results: Of 1010 ANA test results reviewed, 153 were positive. The group with positive ANA test results included more patients aged 65 years or older than the group with negative ANA test results (30% vs 15%,P Conclusions: The sensitivity of the ANA test for SLE was high, but overall the positive predictive value was low for SLE or other rheumatic diseases. Sensitivity was low for ANA testing among patients with non—SLE rheumatic disease. More selective test ordering might improve the clinical utility of this test. Clinicians ordering the ANA test should be aware of the test's low-positive predictive value in settings with a low prevalence of rheumatic disease, particularly among older patients. Arch Intern Med. 1996;156:1421-1425
Insertion of Anthrax Protective Antigen into Liposomal Membranes

Protective antigen (PA), the receptor-binding component of anthrax toxin, heptamerizes and inserts into the endosomal membrane at acidic pH, forming a pore that mediates translocation of the enzymic components of the toxin to the cytosol. When the heptameric pre-insertion form of PA (the prepore) is acidified in solution, it rapidly loses the ability to insert into membranes. To maximize insertion into model membranes, we examined two ways to bind the protein to large unilamellar vesicles (LUV). One involved attaching a His tag to the von Willebrand factor A domain of one of the PA receptors, ANTXR2, and using this protein as a bridge to bind PA to LUV containing a nickel-chelating lipid. The other involved using a His tag fused to the C terminus of PA to bind the protein directly to LUV containing the same lipid. Both ways enhanced pore formation at pH 5.0 strongly and about equally, as measured by the release of K+. Controls showed that pore formation in this system faithfully reproduced that in vivo. We also showed that binding unmodified ANTXR2 von Willebrand factor A to the prepore in solution enhanced its pore forming activity by slowing its inactivation at acidic pH. These findings indicate that an important role of PA receptors is to promote partitioning of PA into the bilayer by maintaining the prepore close to the target membrane and presumably in the optimal orientation as it undergoes the acidic pH-dependent conformational transition to the pore.
Do memory complaints represent impaired memory performance in patients with major depressive disorder?

Memory complaints are found to be associated with depression. However, the question is, “How much these subjective complaints indicate objective memory impairments? ” The aim of this study is to determine whether subjective memory complaints represent objective memory impairments and to establish the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and subjective memory complaints. Sixty‐four patients with MDD were assessed for objective memory performance through subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale‐III. Memory complaints also were assessed in these patients with a structured interview. Thirty healthy controls were also included in the study to compare memory performance among groups. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression was used to measure the severity and characteristics of depression. Patients with MDD who had longer duration and earlier onset of depression reported more memory complaints. MDD patients with memory complaints had more hypochondriac concerns but not more depression severity compared with those without memory complaints. There was no relationship between subjective memory complaints and objective memory performance in MDD patients. Patients with MDD with and without memory complaints had lower scores on the Wechsler Memory Scale‐III than the control group. Subjective memory complaints are not a valid indictor of objective memory impairments, and the diagnostic value of self‐reported memory is being questioned in patients with MDD. The cognitive status of MDD patients should be assessed routinely, regardless of the patient awareness of his or her cognitive deficits. Depression and Anxiety, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Optimization and Characterization of Paper-Made Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Substrates with Au and Ag NPs for Quantitative Analysis

In this work, we present a systematic study on solid Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) substrates consisting of Au and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) loaded on filter paper with the dip-coating method. The aim of this work is to explore how a series of parameters (e.g., concentration of colloidal solution, different porosity of filter paper, and the presence of an aggregating agent) affects the analytical performance of paper-based SERS substrates. All the substrates developed in this study have been analyzed with two non-resonant probe molecules, 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) and adenine, in terms of (i) inter-sample repeatability, (ii) intra-sample repeatability, (iii) sensitivity, and (iv) overall SERS performance in terms of analyte quantification. Moreover, the issue of how to evaluate the repeatability for a solid SERS substrate is carefully discussed.
Influence of platelet size before coronary angioplasty on subsequent restenosis

Abstract. Platelet size has been shown to reflect platelet activity. We prospectively measured the mean platelet volume (MPV) in 47 patients undergoing single vessel angioplasty for symptomatic angina. The patients underwent repeat angiography 4–8 months later irrespective of symptomatic status. Restenosis was assessed quantitatively by hand held calliper measurements of the lesion and qualitatively by a return of angina, ST segment changes on an exercise test and visual analysis of the lesion severity by two experienced angiogra‐phers. Twenty‐four patients developed recurrent angina during the follow‐up period, the MPV in the group with chest pain was 8.54 ± 0.60 fl compared to 8.1±0.69 fl in the asymptomatic group (P = 0.04). Twenty two patients had significant ST segment changes at exercise. In this group the MPV was 8.6 ± 0.56 fl compared to 8.0 ±0.70 fl for the group with a negative test (P = 0.002). Similarly visually assessed angiographic stenosis showed a significant increase in the restenotic group (8.6 ± 0.56 vs. 8.0 ± 0.61 fl, P=0.001). The relative odds for developing clinically defined restenosis were 10.2 times greater if the pre‐procedural MPV lay in the upper compared to the lowest quartile.
Variation in research assignments across the community college curriculum

Some of the most common types of academic writing assignments given during the first years of higher education are research assignments, commonly referred to as research papers" or "research projects. " This popular writing assignment is considered by most college and university faculty to be a traditional academic genre designed to teach students the fundamentals of conducting and reporting on academic research. Although widely understood and accepted by both faculty and students, a closer look reveals a traditional assignment that varies considerably, not only across disciplines, but also across instructors within the same discipline. The variations may stem from differing perspectives on the purpose for assigning research writing. Many English department instructors, for example, may view this assignment as a way of teaching critical thinking and writing skills, while other instructors may view research writing as a way to reinforce course content. Students, on the other hand, often view research assignments as a series of meaningless tasks designed to please the instructor and receive a passing grade. These mixed perspectives call for
Histological changes in rat bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue after administration of five different antigens.

Histological changes in bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) following single intratracheal administration of five different antigens were studied in the rat. After administration of T-dependent antigens (i.e., horseradish peroxidase, bovine serum albumin, and Bacillus Calmette Guérin) only minor changes in BALT in the rat occurred. Intratracheal administration of a T-independent antigen (lipopolysaccharide) and a partly T-independent antigen (paratyphoid vaccine) resulted after 1 week in an increase in cytoplasmic IgM-containing (cIgM) blast cells and plasma cells; these appeared to enter via the high endothelial venules (HEV). After 6 weeks, germinal centers were seen.
Prevalence of unrecognized myocardial infarction in a low–intermediate risk asymptomatic cohort and its relation to systemic atherosclerosis

Aims Unrecognized myocardial infarctions (UMIs) have been described in 19–30% of the general population using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiac magnetic resonance. However, these studies have focused on an unselected cohort including those with known cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of the current study was to ascertain the prevalence of UMIs in a non-high-risk population using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods and results A total of 5000 volunteers aged >40 years with no history of CVD and a 10-year risk of CVD of <20%, as assessed by the ATP-III risk score, were recruited to the Tayside Screening for Cardiac Events study. Those with a B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level greater than their gender-specific median were invited for a whole-body MR angiogram and cardiac MR including LGE assessment. LGE was classed as absent, UMI, or non-specific. A total of 1529 volunteers completed the imaging study; of these, 53 (3.6%) were excluded because of either missing data or inadequate LGE image quality. Ten of the remaining 1476 (0.67%) displayed LGE. Of these, three (0.2%) were consistent with UMI, whereas seven were non-specific occurring in the mid-myocardium (n = 4), epicardium (n = 1), or right ventricular insertion points (n = 2). Those with UMI had a significantly higher BNP [median 116 (range 31–133) vs. 22.6 (5–175) pg/mL, P = 0.015], lower ejection fraction [54.6 (36–62) vs. 68.9 (38–89)%, P = 0.007], and larger end-systolic volume [36.3 (27–61) vs. 21.7 (5–65) mL/m2, P = 0.014]. Those with non-specific LGE had lower diastolic blood pressure [68 (54–70) vs. 72 (46–98) mmHg, P = 0.013] but no differences in their cardiac function. Conclusion Despite previous reports describing high prevalence of UMI in older populations, in a predominantly middle-aged cohort, those who are of intermediate or low cardiovascular risk have a very low risk of having an unrecognized myocardial infarct.
Pachymic acid improves survival and attenuates acute lung injury in septic rats induced by cecal ligation and puncture.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to elucidate the possible beneficial effects of pachymic acid (PA) on acute lung injury (ALI) in a rat model of sepsis. MATERIALS AND METHODS A rat model of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used. Rats were randomly divided into five groups: sham, CLP, CLP + PA 1 mg/kg, CLP + PA 5 mg/kg, CLP + PA 10 mg/kg. CLP + PA groups received PA by intraperitoneal injection daily for consecutive 3 days, respectively, and the rats in sham and CLP groups were given equivalent volume of olive oil. We killed the animals 12 h after CLP and collected blood samples to determine PaO2, PaCO2, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6. Lung samples were taken for wet/dry weight ratios and histologic assessment. Meanwhile, the levels of lung tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined. RESULTS The results revealed that PA treatment significantly improved the survival of septic rats and attenuated CLP-induced ALI. In PA-treated rats, the wet/dry weight ratios and the serum levels of TNF-a, IL-1β and IL-6 were down-regulated compared with the CLP group. PA also markedly decreased MDA and MPO contents and increased SOD level. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that PA administration ameliorates ALI in a rat model of sepsis induced by CLP.
Formation of four isomers at the asp-151 residue of aged human alphaA-crystallin by natural aging.

Although proteins are generally composed entirely of l-amino acids, we have previously shown that Asp-151 in alphaA-crystallin from aged human lens is converted to the biologically uncommon d-isomer to a high degree. The formation of d-isomer was not simple racemization, but stereoinvertion. The reaction was also accompanied with isomerization to form beta-Asp (isoaspartate) residue simultaneously; therefore, four isomers of Asp-151, normal l-alpha-Asp and biologically uncommon l-beta-Asp, d-alpha-Asp, and d-beta-Asp, are formed in alphaA-crystallins. In the present study, we measured the ratio of the four isomers of Asp-151 in alphaA-crystallins obtained from total lens proteins of human lenses of newborn and 30-, 60-, and 80-year-olds. The isomers increased with age, and the total amount of three isomers was more than that of normal l-alpha-Asp in the alphaA-crystallin of the human lenses of the 80-year-olds. These drastic changes started at birth, with about 45% of normal l-alpha-Asp lost by 30 years. These modifications of the Asp residue likely affect the three-dimensional packing array of the lens proteins.
Antibiotic use for pneumonia among children under-five at a pediatric hospital in Dhaka city, Bangladesh

Background Pneumonia has been the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 for more than 3 decades, particularly in low-income countries like Bangladesh. The World Health Organization (WHO) developed a pneumonia case management strategy which included the use of antibiotics for both primary and hospital-based care. This study aims to describe antibiotic usage for treating pneumonia in children in a private pediatric teaching hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods We conducted this cross-sectional study among children <5 years old who were admitted to a private pediatric hospital in Dhaka with a diagnosis of pneumonia in November 2012. Results We enrolled 80 children during the study period. Among them, 28 (35.4%) were underweight, 14 (17.7%) were moderately underweight, and 13 (16.5%) were severely under-weight. On the basis of WHO classification (2005), 43 children (54%) had severe pneumonia and 37 (46%) had very severe pneumonia, as diagnosed by the research physician. Among the prescribed antibiotics in the hospital, parenteral ceftriaxone was the most common 40 (50%), followed by cefotaxime plus amikacin 14 (17.5%), cefuroxime 7 (8.8%), ceftazidime plus amikacin 6 (7.5%), ceftriaxone plus amikacin 3 (3.8%), meropenem 2 (2.5%), cefepime 2 (2.5%), and cefotaxime 2 (2.5%). Conclusion Despite the WHO pneumonia treatment strategy, the inappropriate use of higher-generation cephalosporin and carbapenem was high in the study hospital. The results underscore the noncompliance with the WHO guidelines of antibiotic use and the importance of enforcing regulatory policy of the rational use of antibiotics for treating hospitalized children with pneumonia. Following these guidelines may help prevent increased antimicrobial resistance.