Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale, Caregiver Competence Scale and Rewards of Caregiving Scale in a sample of Swedish family members of patients with life-threatening illness

Background: Family members often take on many caring responsibilities, with complex issues and challenges to consider. Feelings of preparedness, competence and reward are identified as concepts that may protect caregiver wellbeing and decrease negative outcomes related to caregiving. Aim: This study aimed to translate, adapt and psychometrically evaluate the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale, Caregiver Competence Scale and Rewards of Caregiving Scale in Swedish family members of patients with life threatening illness. Design: Correlational. Setting/participants: The study took place in four settings including advanced palliative care. The scales were tested in a sample of 125 family members of persons with life-threatening illness. All three scales were tested in relation to distribution of item and scale scores, missing data patterns, dimensionality, convergent validity and reliability. Results: The results in this study indicate that the Swedish versions of The Preparedness for Caregiving Scale, Caregiver Competence Scale and Rewards of Caregiving Scale are valid, reliable and user-friendly scales. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the scales were unidimensional and all demonstrated Cronbach’s alpha values of ≥0.9. Conclusions: As a result of this study it is anticipated that the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale, Caregiver Competence Scale and Rewards of Caregiving Scale could provide a basis for collaborative research between different countries and make international studies more comparable and generalizable despite differences in language and culture.
The relationship between age and intraocular pressure in a Japanese population: The influence of central corneal thickness

Purpose. Previous cross-sectional Japanese studies have shown that intraocular pressure (IOP) decreases with age. However, central corneal thickness (CCT) variation should also be considered when examining the relationship between age and IOP, since tonometry has an inherent measurement error due to CCT variations. This study investigates the influence of CCT variation on the age-IOP relationship in a Japanese population. Methods. The right eyes of 1317 subjects from 40 to 80 years old selected from a general population using a random sampling method were assessed in cross-section. The IOP was measured with a non-contact tonometer, and CCT was measured with a specular microscope. The relationships between age, IOP, and CCT were assessed using correlation analyses, while the relationship between age and IOP controlled for CCT, blood pressure, and body mass index was investigated using multivariate regression analyses. Results. The mean (± SD) IOP value was 13.6 (± 2.6) mmHg in men and 13.3 (± 2.6) mmHg in women. The IOP correlated inversely with age in men (r = -0.14, p <0.001), but showed only a marginal inverse correlation in women (r = -0.07, p = 0.066). The mean (± SD) CCT value was 518.3 (± 33.2) µm in men and 511.1 (± 33.0) µm in women. Only in men was an inverse correlation seen between CCT and age (r = -0.10, p = 0.009), but both genders had positive correlations between CCT and IOP (man: r = 0.44, p < 0.001; woman: r = 0.48, p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, CCT was shown to have an effect on IOP measurement, however, it was shown that IOP still decreases with age in both sexes even when adjusted for CCT (p = 0.001). Conclusions. The IOP decreases with age in the Japanese, and CCT variation has practically no effect on the unique age-IOP relationship.
Expression of caveolin‐1 in hepatic cells increases oxidized LDL uptake and preserves the expression of lipoprotein receptors

Oxidized LDL (OxLDL) that are positively associated with the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases are ligands of scavenger receptor‐class B type I (SR‐BI) and cluster of differentiation‐36 (CD36) which can be found in caveolae. The contribution of these receptors in human hepatic cell is however unknown. The HepG2 cell, a human hepatic parenchymal cell model, expresses these receptors and is characterized by a very low level of caveolin‐1. Our aim was to define the contribution of human CD36, SR‐BI, and caveolin‐1 in the metabolism of OxLDL in HepG2 cells and conversely the effects of OxLDL on the levels/localization of these receptors. By comparing mildly (M)‐ and heavily (H)‐OxLDL metabolism between control HepG2 cells and HepG2 cells overexpressing CD36, SR‐BI, or caveolin‐1, we found that (1) CD36 increases M‐ and H‐OxLDL‐protein uptake; (2) SR‐BI drives M‐OxLDL through a degradation pathway at the expense of the cholesterol ester (CE) selective uptake pathway; (3) caveolin‐1 increases M‐ and H‐OxLDL‐protein uptake and decreases CE selective uptake from M‐OxLDL. Also, incubation with M‐ or H‐OxLDL decreases the levels of SR‐BI and LDL‐receptor in control HepG2 cells which can be overcome by caveolin‐1 expression. In addition, OxLDL move CD36 from low to high buoyant density membrane fractions, as well as caveolin‐1 in cells overexpressing this protein. Thus, hepatic caveolin‐1 expression has significant effects on OxLDL metabolism and on lipoprotein receptor levels. J. Cell. Biochem. 108: 906–915, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antioxidant effects and the therapeutic mode of action of calcium channel blockers in hypertension and atherosclerosis

Drugs currently known as calcium channel blockers (CCB) were initially called calcium antagonists because of their ability to inhibit calcium-evoked contractions in depolarized smooth muscles. Blocking the entry of calcium reduces the active tone of vascular smooth muscle and produces vasodilatation. This pharmacological property has been the basis for the use of CCBs in the management of hypertension and coronary heart disease. A major question is whether drugs reducing blood pressure have other effects that help prevent the main complications of hypertension, such as atherosclerosis, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, heart failure and end-state renal disease. Experimental studies that focus on this question are reviewed in the present paper.
Enzymatic abnormalities in diseases of sphingolipid metabolism.

Biochemical investigation employing labeled sphingolipids has become a useful technic for determining the metabolic lesions in the sphingolipidoses. With these procedures, specific enzymatic defects have been demonstrated in Gaucher9s disease, Niemann-Pick disease, Fabry9s disease, and in metachromatic leukodystrophy. As suitable substrates become available, this method will be useful for elucidating the nature of the lesions in Tay-Sachs disease and generalized gangliosidosis. Enzymatic assays with labeled compounds performed on biopsy specimens from various tissues and white blood cell preparations have been helpful in establishing the diagnosis of the sphingolipidoses. Tissue cultures obtained from patients with Niemann-Pick disease show diminished sphingomyelin-cleaving enzyme as compared with control enzyme levels. Tests such as these should be of considerable diagnostic and prognostic usefulness, as well as being helpful adjuncts for the selection of proper therapeutic measures.
Proteome analysis of the purine stimulon from Lactococcus lactis

A comparative expression proteome analysis was carried out by analyzing differential expression patterns of pulse‐labelled proteins on two‐dimensional gels under standard conditions and during purine nucleotide starvation, followed by mass spectrometric identification of regulated proteins. Based upon the expression patterns, three stimulons could be identified in Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris. The Psu proteins (purine starvation up‐regulated) had increased synthesis during purine depletion in a purine auxotroph. Among these proteins were enzymes of the purine biosynthesis pathways (PurE, PurS, PurM, PurL), and enzymes involved in the generation of C1 units (GlyA, Fhs). C1 units are primarily required for purine biosynthesis. Upon analysis of the nucleotide sequence preceding the structural genes for these proteins in the L. lactis IL1403 genome sequence showed that all contained PurBox‐Pribnov box structures resembling the PurR activated promoters for the purDEK and purCSQLF operons. Most, and possibly all members of the Psu stimulon are thus members of the PurR regulon. Five Psu proteins could not be identified. The second stimulon, the Psd stimulon (purine starvation decreased), whose members are down‐regulated during purine depletion, contained proteins related to protein synthesis (PpsB, EF‐TS, trigger factor), or to GTPases (FtsZ, EF‐TS); or are involved in energy metabolism (GapB, CcpA). No common regulatory elements could be found for members of this stimulon. Two Psd proteins escaped identification. The last, Dcu (decoynine up‐regulated), stimulon contained proteins whose synthesis escaped the severe general depression during inhibition of the GMP synthetase by decoynine. This regulon was comprised of mostly glycolytic enzymes (fructose bisphosphate aldolase, enolase, pyruvate kinase) and translation elongation factors (GTPases: EF‐TU, EF‐G). Two Dcu proteins could not be identified. Out of 28 proteins subjected to mass spectrometry, 19 could be readily identified despite the fact that only the genome sequence of a strain of L. lactis subsp. lactis was available. The two subspecies share about 85% sequence identity, comparable to the genetic distance between Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. A success rate of 68% indicates that it may be feasible to perform proteomics based upon genomic sequences of relatives outside the genus.
Immune-mediated effects upon oral challenge of ovalbumin-sensitized Brown Norway rats: further characterization of a rat food allergy model.

Although several in vivo antigenicity assays using parenteral immunization are operational, no full validated enteral models are available to study food allergy and allergenicity of food proteins. To further validate a developed enteral Brown Norway (BN) rat food allergy model, systemic and local immune-mediated reactions were studied upon oral challenges. The animals were exposed to ovalbumin (OVA) by daily gavage dosing (1 mg OVA/rat/day) for 6 weeks, without the use of an adjuvant, or by intraperitoneal injections with OVA together with AL(OH)3. Subsequently, effects on breathing frequency, blood pressure, and gastrointestinal permeability were investigated upon an oral challenge with 10 to 100 mg OVA in vivo. In both parenterally and orally sensitized rats, an increase in gut permeability (increased passage of beta-lactoglobulin as bystander protein) was determined between 0.5 and 1 h after an oral OVA challenge was given. An oral challenge with OVA did not induce a clear effect on the respiratory system or blood pressure in the majority of the animals. However, some animals demonstrated a temporary decrease in breathing frequency or systolic blood pressure. Upon oral challenge with OVA of orally and parenterally sensitized animals, local effects were observed in all animals whereas systemic effects were observed at a low frequency, which reflects the situation in food allergic patients after an oral challenge. These studies show that the BN rat provides a suitable animal model to study oral sensitization to food proteins as well as immune-mediated effects after oral challenge with food proteins.
Increase in bone marrow lesions associated with cartilage loss: a longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging study of knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE Although bone marrow lesions (BMLs) are powerful predictors of joint space loss as visualized on radiographs, the natural history of these lesions, their relationship to cartilage loss, and the association between change in these lesions and cartilage loss are unknown. These questions were tested using longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data in a natural history study of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS MRI of the knee was performed at baseline, 15 months, and 30 months in 217 patients with primary knee OA (122 men, 95 women; mean +/- SD age 66.4 +/- 9.4 years). To assess mechanical alignment, long-limb films were obtained at 15 months. Subchondral bone marrow abnormalities, graded in the medial and lateral tibiofemoral joints, were defined as poorly marginated areas of increased signal intensity in the marrow on fat-suppressed, T2-weighted images. Cartilage morphologic features in the medial and lateral tibiofemoral joints were scored at all time points using a semiquantitative scale. For each of the medial and lateral compartments, generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the longitudinal relationship of tibiofemoral BMLs to the tibiofemoral cartilage score, with adjustment for malalignment. RESULTS Fifty-seven percent of knees had BMLs at baseline, of which 99% remained the same or increased in size at followup. Knee compartments with a higher baseline BML score had greater cartilage loss. An increase in BMLs was strongly associated with further worsening of the cartilage score. Enlarging or new BMLs occurred mostly in malaligned limbs, on the side of the malalignment (e.g., new medial BMLs in varus-aligned knees). The association of BML change with medial tibiofemoral cartilage loss was not significant after adjusting for alignment. CONCLUSION Lesions of the bone marrow are unlikely to resolve and often get larger over time. Compared with BMLs that stay the same, enlarging BMLs are strongly associated with more cartilage loss. Furthermore, any change in BML is mediated by limb alignment.
The hormonal response to exercise.

In the present paper, the hormonal (or rather the autonomic neuroendocrine) changes elicited during exercise are outlined. The author’s working hypothesis concerning the control of the hormonal response to exercise is mentioned, and the influence of the autonomic neuroendocrine system on exercise metabolism is discussed. The exposition is mainly based on the documentation given in Galbo (I 983). However, studies quoted in that book will not be explicitly referred to here. Instead references will be given to recent work not included in Galbo (1983). Most information on exercise endocrinology is derived from experiments in man. However, recent animal studies will be emphasized and species differences of which the author is aware will be mentioned.
The invisible community: undocumented Polish workers in Athens.

"This article describes the development of an economic migration from Poland to Greece and the creation of a migrant community in Athens. It presents the development of a new migration route by political immigrants. It then describes how the Polish political emigrants heading for Greece in the mid-1980s established the pillar institutions which were inherited by the Polish undocumented workers who have followed, and which have served the latter well. The article proceeds to highlight the work milieu of the Polish undocumented workers in Athens, and discusses the role played by the ¿Polish church', i.e., the Roman Catholic church to which Poles were given access. It concludes by considering the future prospects of this migration and of the Polish migrant community in Greece. "
Cohesion, Alliance, and Outcome in Group Psychotherapy: Comments on Joyce, Piper, & Ogrodniczuk (2007)

The 2007 study by Joyce, Piper, and Ogrodniczuk is the most recent of a substantial line of research seeking to examine the relationships among therapeutic alliance, group cohesion, and treatment outcomes in group psychotherapy. These authors found that alliance and cohesion were correlated and that at least one measure of each construct predicted treatment outcomes in time–limited groups for complicated grief. However, not all measures of alliance and cohesion predicted outcomes; alliance emerged as a much more consistent predictor of outcome than cohesion. These results are similar to the consensus of the group psychotherapy literature on this topic, which indicates that cohesion is sometimes related to outcome, and that alliance is more often (but not always) related to outcome. This paper comments on the Joyce et al. findings and offers some suggestions for interpreting mixed results for alliance and cohesion in the literature in general. To put the Joyce et al. (2007) study in context, it is helpful to understand the many different kinds of cohesion that are often discussed in the literature (Dion, 2000). Two major divisions in the construct include task versus socioemotional cohesion and
Equatorial Segment Protein Defines a Discrete Acrosomal Subcompartment Persisting Throughout Acrosomal Biogenesis1

Abstract The equatorial segment of the acrosome underlies the domain of the sperm that fuses with the egg membrane during fertilization. Equatorial segment protein (ESP), a novel 349-amino acid concanavalin-A-binding protein encoded by a two-exon gene (SP-ESP) located on chromosome 15 at q22, has been localized to the equatorial segment of ejaculated human sperm. Light microscopic immunofluorescent observations revealed that during acrosome biogenesis ESP first appears in the nascent acrosomal vesicle in early round spermatids and subsequently segregates to the periphery of the expanding acrosomal vesicle, thereby defining a peripheral equatorial segment compartment within flattened acrosomal vesicles and in the acrosomes of early and late cap phase, elongating, and mature spermatids. Electron microscopic examination revealed that ESP segregates to an electron-lucent subdomain of the condensing acrosomal matrix in Golgi phase round spermatids and persists in a similar electron-lucent subdomain within cap phase spermatids. Subsequently, ESP was localized to electron-dense regions of the equatorial segment and the expanded equatorial bulb in elongating spermatids and mature sperm. ESP is the earliest known protein to be recognized as a marker for the specification of the equatorial segment, and it allows this region to be traced through all phases of acrosomal biogenesis. Based on these observations, we propose a new model of acrosome biogenesis in which the equatorial segment is defined as a discrete domain within the acrosomal vesicle as early as the Golgi phase of acrosome biogenesis.
The current path in electric convulsion shock.

IT IS RATHER commonly supposed that the shock current applied to the head in electric convulsion therapy travels directly from electrode to electrode, in a fairly straight and narrow path, passing undeflected through skin, bone and brain. Alexander and Lowenbach 1 presented data which they interpreted as supporting this point of view, while Smitt and Wegener, 2 using a more direct technic, found evidence which seems to indicate considerable diffusion of the current. The present experiment resembles that of Smitt and Wegener in employing intracerebral voltage measurements from probes passed through the brain from the occipital protuberance to the supraorbital margin. It differs from theirs in using a live monkey rather than human cadavers, and it includes several additional measurements, which make it possible to estimate the resistivities of the several tissue layers and to study their effects on the distribution of current through the head. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Three
Identification and Characterization of Quantitative Trait Loci for Shattering in Japonica Rice Landrace Jiucaiqing from Taihu Lake Valley, China

Easy shattering reduces yield from grain loss during rice (Oryza sativa L.) harvest. We characterized a nonshattering japonica rice landrace Jiucaiqing from Taihu Lake valley in China. The breaking tensile strength (BTS; grams force, gf) of the grain pedicel was measured using a digital force gauge to evaluate the degree of shattering at 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 d after heading (DAH). The BTS of Jiucaiqing did not significantly decrease with increasing DAH, maintaining a level of 152.2 to 195.9 gf, while that of indica IR26 decreased greatly during 0 to 14 DAH and finally stabilized at ∼100 gf. Then the chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) and near isogenic lines (NILs) of Jiucaiqing in IR26 background were developed for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping. Four putative QTL (qSH1JCQ, qSH3JCQ, qSH6JCQ, and qSH11JCQ) for shattering were detected, and the qSH1JCQ was confirmed on chromosome 1. We further mapped qSH1JCQ to a 98.4‐kb region, which contains 14 genes. Os01g62920 was considered to be a strong candidate for qSH1JCQ, which colocated with qSH1. Further quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses confirmed that the QTL qSH1JCQ can significantly decrease the expression of shattering related genes (qSH1, OsCPL1, Sh4, SH5, and SHAT1) especially at the middle development stage at 10 and 15 cm panicle length, which causes rice shattering decrease. The elite allele and the NIL with desirable agronomic traits identified in this study could be useful for rice breeding.
The Effects of Lactated Ringer’s Solution Infusion on Cardiac Output Changes After Spinal Anesthesia

We evaluated the effects of an infusion of lactated Ringer’s (LR) solution on changes in cardiac output (CO) after spinal anesthesia. Seventy-five patients scheduled for lower extremity surgery under spinal anesthesia were studied. We measured CO (impedance cardiography method) and blood pressure for 25 min before and 30 min after spinal anesthesia. Patients were randomly assigned to three groups. In the No Infusion group, no LR solution was given during the period of measurements. The LR Before group received 12 mL/kg of LR solution within 20 min before spinal anesthesia. The LR After group received 12 mL/kg of LR solution within 20 min starting immediately after spinal anesthesia. After spinal anesthesia, CO decreased by 13.9% in the No Infusion group. In the LR Before group, CO increased after the infusion by 20% and returned to baseline value 30 min after spinal anesthesia. In the LR After group, CO increased after spinal anesthesia, and 30 min after spinal anesthesia, CO was 11.3% above baseline. We conclude that the decrease in CO after spinal anesthesia can be prevented by the infusion of an LR solution, with CO reaching the highest value while the infusion is running.