Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diabetes mellitus and pyogenic liver abscess: risk and prognosis.

BACKGROUND Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is a rare, life-threatening disease with an increasing rate of incidence. Case reports from East Asia suggest that diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor, but formal evidence is limited. METHODS We performed a case-control study with participants drawn from the entire population of Denmark. Cases of PLA were defined as occurring in all patients who received a first-time diagnosis of PLA on hospital discharge between 1977 and 2002, as identified in the nationwide Danish National Patient Registry. Fifty sex- and age-matched population control subjects were selected for each patient with PLA. We computed the relative risk of PLA associated with diabetes using conditional logistic regression and controlling for major potential confounders. We further examined whether diabetes increased the relative risk of death until 30 days after hospital discharge among patients with PLA. RESULTS We identified 1448 patients who experienced a first hospitalization for PLA during the study period (median age, 64 years; male sex, 54.2%). Persons with diabetes had a 3.6-fold increased risk of experiencing PLA, compared with population control subjects (adjusted relative risk, 3.6; 95% confidence interval, 2.9-4.5]. In addition, patients with PLA who had diabetes had a higher 30-day postdischarge mortality rate, compared with patients with PLA who did not have diabetes (24.8% vs. 18.0%). After controlling for other prognostic factors, the relative risk of death for patients with PLA and diabetes was 1.3 (95% confidence interval, 0.9-2.1). CONCLUSIONS Diabetes is a strong, potentially modifiable risk factor for PLA. PLA is associated with a similarly poor prognosis for patients with diabetes and for other patients.
Predominant cultivable subgingival microbiota of healthy and HIV‐infected ethnic Chinese Note

Although clinically distinctive types of periodontal disease are known to be associated with HIV infection, the pathogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, the subgingival microflora of 21 HIV‐infected and 11 HIV‐free ethnic Chinese were studied using the direct microscopic and anaerobic culture methods. Motile curved rods were found to be three times higher in the HIV‐infected group under direct microscopy. Otherwise, there were no significant differences between the diseased and healthy groups when analyzed either in relation to the morphotype distribution or Gram stain morphology or oxygen tolerance. The most common bacteria isolated were Capnocytophaga species followed by Prevotella loescheii, Streptococcus sanguinis, Lactobacillus spp. and Fusobacterium spp. Although there were 20 bacterial species that were strictly limited to the HIV‐infected group, and 5 limited to the healthy group, none of the species was a predominant isolate in either group (p>0.05). These findings agree with previous studies which report that subgingival bacteria of HIV‐infected individuals (with or without periodontal disease) are similar to those found in healthy HIV‐free individuals (with or without periodontal disease). Further work examining the subgingival microflora from patients with specific and/or severe forms of HIV‐associated periodontal disease is required to shed light on the pathogenesis of this complex clinical entity.
Russian Central Government Budgeting and Public Sector Reform Discourses: Paradigms, Hybrids, and a “Third Way”

ABSTRACT This study explores how public sector reform discourses are reflected in Russian central government budgeting. Through the lenses of institutional logics, Russian central government budgeting is considered to be a social institution that is influenced by rivaling reform paradigms: Public Administration, New Public Management (NPM), the Neo-Weberian State, and New Public Governance. Although NPM has dominated the agenda during the last decade, all four have been presented in “talks” and “decisions” regarding government budgeting. The empirical evidence illustrates that the implementation of management accounting techniques in the Russian public sector has coincided with and contradicted the construction of the Russian version of bureaucratic governance, which is referred to as the vertical of power. Having been accompanied by participatory mechanisms and a re-evaluation of the Soviet legacy, the reforms have created prerequisites for various outcomes at the level of budgeting practices: conflicts, as in the UK, and hybridization, as in Finland.
Effect of neutralized and native vinegar on blood glucose and acetate responses to a mixed meal in healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of sodium acetate and acetic acid from vinegar on blood glucose and acetate response to a mixed meal in healthy subjects. DESIGN Five healthy subjects consumed in random order six test meals consisting of 100 g of sliced lettuce dressed with olive oil (Blank), olive oil plus 1 g acetic acid in the form of vinegar (AcOH), or olive oil plus sodium acetate in the form of vinegar neutralized to pH 6.0 with sodium bicarbonate (AcNa). On three occasions test meals were followed by a challenge consisting of 50 g carbohydrate portions of white bread (Bread). Glucose and acetate concentrations were measured in arterialized capillary blood before and until 95 min after the meals. Ultrasonography was performed in four other subjects to measure gastric emptying times after AcOH + Bread and AcNa + Bread. RESULTS Blood acetate response over 95 min was markedly reduced after AcOH and AcOH+Bread meals compared to AcNa and AcNa + Bread. Similarly, the glucose response was depressed by 31.4% (P = 0.0228) after AcOH+Bread with respect to AcNa + Bread and Blank + Bread. No difference was observed between gastric emptying times after AcOH + Bread and AcNa + Bread. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that oral acetic acid and acetate might have a different effect on acetataemia and that a limited dose of vinegar, in the form of salad dressing, is sufficient to influence significantly the glycaemic response to a mixed meal in normal subjects by a mechanism related to acidity but not to gastric emptying.
Inactivation of the lipoxygenase ZmLOX3 increases susceptibility of maize to Aspergillus spp.

Plant and fungal lipoxygenases (LOX) catalyze the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, creating fatty-acid hydroperoxides (oxylipins). Fungal oxylipins are required for normal fungal development and secondary metabolism, and plant host-derived oxylipins interfere with these processes in fungi, presumably by signal mimicry. The maize LOX gene ZmLOX3 has been implicated previously in seed-Aspergillus interactions, so we tested the interactions of a mutant maize line (lox3-4, in which ZmLOX3 is disrupted) with the mycotoxigenic seed-infecting fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus nidulans. The lox3-4 mutant was more susceptible than wild-type maize to both Aspergillus species. All strains of A. flavus and A. nidulans produced more conidia and aflatoxin (or the precursor sterigmatocystin) on lox3-4 kernels than on wild-type kernels, in vitro and under field conditions. Although oxylipins did not differ detectably between A. flavus-infected kernels of the lox3-4 and wild-type (WT) maize, oxylipin precursors (free fatty acids) and a downstream metabolite (jasmonic acid) accumulated to greater levels in lox3-4 than in WT kernels. The increased resistance of the lox3-4 mutant to other fungal pathogens (Fusarium, Colletotrichum, Cochliobolus, and Exserohilum spp.) is in sharp contrast to results described herein for Aspergillus spp. , suggesting that outcomes of LOX-governed host-pathogen interactions are pathogen-specific.
Shock Stress and DMBA‐Induced Mammary Tumors

&NA; This paper presents four experiments dealing with the effects of long‐term electric shock stress on rat mammary tumors induced by 7,12‐dimethylbenz(a)anthracene. A pilot experiment suggested, contrary to expectations based on Soviet reports, a trend for severe stress to inhibit tumor induction as measured by the number of palpable tumors. A second experiment demonstrated that severe shock stress applied for 85 consecutive days produced a reduction in number of tumors, higher adrenal weights and lower ovary weights relative to controls. Application of the same stress regimen for 40 days also reduced tumor count, while 25‐day stress did not significantly influence numbers. In no case did the stressor significantly affect average tumor size.
Overnight orthokeratology lens wear can inhibit the central stromal edema response.

PURPOSE To investigate the overnight corneal edema response during overnight orthokeratology (OK). METHODS Eighteen young adult myopic subjects wore reverse-geometry lenses in Boston XO material (nominal Dk/t 46 x 10(-9) cm.mL O2/s.mL. mmHg) on an overnight wearing schedule for 1 month. Another 10 subjects wore conventional rigid gas-permeable (GP) lenses of similar Dk/t in one eye only, on an identical schedule. Corneal stromal thicknesses in the center, midperiphery, and periphery were measured by optical pachometry in the morning after lens removal, after 1, 4, 10, and 30 nights of wear. Changes from baseline for OK, GP and no-lens eyes were compared by repeated-measures ANOVA and protected post hoc t-tests. RESULTS The central stroma swelled significantly less in OK than in GP eyes (P < 0.001, ANOVA), and less than with no lens wear (P < 0.001, ANOVA) throughout the study. Overnight edema levels consistent with Dk/t were found on day 1 in the midperiphery (3.5 mm from apex) and periphery (5.0 mm) with both OK and GP lenses. The overnight edema response decreased significantly through the study with both lens types. Recovery to baseline stromal thickness during the day was demonstrated for GP eyes and for OK eyes in the central and peripheral cornea. CONCLUSIONS Overnight wear of reverse-geometry OK lenses inhibited the central stromal edema response. Overnight edema levels consistent with Dk/t were found in the corneal midperiphery and periphery. Adaptation of the edema response occurred with continuing overnight lens wear. The results suggest that central pressure exerted by the flat-fitting base curve of the OK lens acts locally as a "clamp" to inhibit overnight central corneal swelling.
Parent ratings of executive functioning in children adopted from psychosocially depriving institutions.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have found that post-institutionalized (PI) children are particularly susceptible to attention problems and perform poorly on executive functioning (EF) lab tasks. METHODS Parent ratings of EF were examined in 288 school-age and 130 preschool-age children adopted from psychosocially depriving Russian institutions that provided adequate physical resources but not one-on-one interactions with a consistent set of responsive caregivers. RESULTS Results revealed a step-like association between age at adoption and EF deficits; school-age children adopted after 18 months of age had greater EF difficulties than younger-adopted children and the never-institutionalized normative sample. The onset of adolescence was associated with a greater increase in EF deficits for children adopted after 18 months than for younger-adopted children. Preschool-age children were not found to have greater EF difficulties than the normative sample. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that prolonged early psychosocial deprivation may increase children's risk of EF deficits and that the developmental stresses of adolescence may be particularly challenging for older-adopted PI children.
Induction of the Warburg effect by Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus is required for the maintenance of latently infected endothelial cells

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is the most commonly reported tumor in parts of Africa and is the most common tumor of AIDS patients world-wide. KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent of KS. Although KS tumors contain many cell types, the predominant cell is the spindle cell, a cell of endothelial origin that maintains KSHV latency. KSHV activates many cell-signaling pathways but little is known about how KSHV alters cellular metabolism during latency. The Warburg effect, a common metabolic alteration of most tumor cells, is defined by an increase in aerobic glycolysis and a decrease in oxidative phosphorylation as an energy source. The Warburg effect adapts cells to tumor environments and is necessary for the survival of tumor cells. During latent infection of endothelial cells, KSHV induces aerobic glycolysis and lactic acid production while decreasing oxygen consumption, thereby inducing the Warburg effect. Inhibitors of glycolysis selectively induce apoptosis in KSHV-infected endothelial cells but not their uninfected counterparts. Therefore, similar to cancer cells, the Warburg effect is necessary for maintaining KSHV latently infected cells. We propose that KSHV induction of the Warburg effect adapts infected cells to tumor microenvironments, aiding the seeding of KS tumors. Additionally, inhibitors of glycolysis may provide a unique treatment strategy for latent KSHV infection and ultimately KS tumors.
Surveillance of injury-related deaths: medicolegal autopsy rates and trends in Finland

Medicolegal autopsies are a vital tool for obtaining reliable injury mortality data. In Finland, medicolegal autopsies have increased from 13.6% of all deaths in 1970 to 23.8% in 2004. In fact, medicolegal autopsies are performed in 87.2% of all unintentional injury deaths, 98.3% of homicides and 99.5% of suicides. Finland has exceedingly high medicolegal autopsy rates compared with other countries. Autopsy rates should be appropriately considered when performing international comparisons of injury-related deaths.
Accumulation of Isochorismate-derived 2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic 3-O-β-d-Xyloside in Arabidopsis Resistance to Pathogens and Ageing of Leaves*

An intricate network of hormone signals regulates plant development and responses to biotic and abiotic stress. Salicylic acid (SA), derived from the shikimate/isochorismate pathway, is a key hormone in resistance to biotrophic pathogens. Several SA derivatives and associated modifying enzymes have been identified and implicated in the storage and channeling of benzoic acid intermediates or as bioactive molecules. However, the range and modes of action of SA-related metabolites remain elusive. In Arabidopsis, Enhanced Disease Susceptibility 1 (EDS1) promotes SA-dependent and SA-independent responses in resistance against pathogens. Here, we used metabolite profiling of Arabidopsis wild type and eds1 mutant leaf extracts to identify molecules, other than SA, whose accumulation requires EDS1 signaling. Nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry of isolated and purified compounds revealed 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHBA) as an isochorismate-derived secondary metabolite whose accumulation depends on EDS1 in resistance responses and during ageing of plants. 2,3-DHBA exists predominantly as a xylose-conjugated form (2-hydroxy-3-β-O-d-xylopyranosyloxy benzoic acid) that is structurally distinct from known SA-glucose conjugates. Analysis of DHBA accumulation profiles in various Arabidopsis mutants suggests an enzymatic route to 2,3-DHBA synthesis that is under the control of EDS1. We propose that components of the EDS1 pathway direct the generation or stabilization of 2,3-DHBA, which as a potentially bioactive molecule is sequestered as a xylose conjugate.
Carotenoid deposition in plant and animal foods and its impact on bioavailability

ABSTRACT Over the past decades, an enormous body of literature dealing with the natural deposition of carotenoids in plant- and animal-based foods has accumulated. Prominent examples are the large solid-crystalline aggregates in carrots and tomatoes or the lipid-dissolved forms in dairy products and egg yolk. Latest research has identified lipid-dissolved forms in a rare number of plant foods, such as tangerine tomatoes and peach palm fruit (Bactris gasipaes Kunth). In addition, liquid-crystalline forms were assumed in so-called tubular chromoplasts of numerous fruits, e.g., in papaya, mango, and bell pepper. The bioavailability of carotenoids from fresh and processed foods strongly depends on their genuine deposition form, since their effective absorption to the human organism requires their liberation from the food matrix and subsequent solubilization into mixed micelles in the small intestine. Consequently, a broad overview about the natural array of carotenoid deposition forms should be helpful to better understand and modulate their bioavailability from foods. Furthermore, naturally highly bioavailable forms may provide biomimetic models for the improved formulation of carotenoids in food supplements. Therefore, this review paper presents scientific evidence from human intervention studies associating carotenoid deposition forms with their bioavailability, thus suggesting novel technological and dietary strategies for their enhanced absorption.
A Comparison of Prevention and Treatment of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss with Vaginal Progesterone or Oral Dydrogesterone

Micronized progesterone and dydrogesterone have a similar partial effect pattern, which does not induce unwanted effects, when used in pregnancy. Also their major actions regarding implantation, preparation of the endometrium, blood flow increase, spiral artery development, uterine quiescence, cervical rigidity and protection of the semi-allogenic fetus not to be attacked by the maternal immune system, for instance regulating the Th1and Th2-cytokines to establish and continue to have a dominance of Th2-cytokine action and protection against these effects which are associated with lower circulating progesterone. Both studies under consideration have included women with a history of three or more previous miscarriages and other non-endocrine or endocrine abnormalities have been ruled out.
Traditional seed and exchange systems cement social relations and provide a safety net: A case study from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

ABSTRACT Millions of small-scale farmers on the African continent save and exchange the seed of their traditional crops, yet the social and cultural values of these systems remain under-researched. Through ethnographic research conducted in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa, this study sets out to improve understanding about the mechanisms and significance of traditional seed exchange networks. Findings suggest that traditional crops are central; their seed is highly valued; and systems of exchange play complex and nuanced roles. Critical for food sovereignty, these systems act as a back-up in the case of harvest failure, and enhance social cohesion through strengthening community and familial ties.
Polymorphic Gene Regulation and Interindividual Variation of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase Activity in Human Small Intestine*

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) convert dietary constituents, drugs, and environmental mutagens to inactive hydrophilic glucuronides. Recent studies have shown that the expression of the UGT1 and UGT2 gene families is regulated in a tissue-specific fashion. Human small intestine represents a major site of resorption of dietary constituents and orally administered drugs and plays an important role in extrahepatic UGT directed metabolism. Expression of 13 UGT1A and UGT2Bgenes coupled with functional and catalytic analyses were studied using 18 small intestinal and 16 hepatic human tissue samples. Hepatic expression of UGT gene transcripts was without interindividual variation. In contrast, a polymorphic expression pattern of all the UGT genes was demonstrated in duodenal, jejunal, and ileal mucosa, with the exception of UGT1A10.To complement these studies, interindividual expression of UGT proteins and catalytic activities were also demonstrated. Hyodeoxycholic acid glucuronidation, catalyzed primarily by UGT2B4 and UGT2B7, showed a 7-fold interindividual variation in small intestinal duodenal samples, in contrast to limited variation in the presence of 4-methylumbelliferone, a substrate glucuronidated by mostUGT1A and UGT2B gene products. Linkage of RNA expression patterns to protein abundance were also made with several mono-specific antibodies to the UGTs. These results are in contrast to a total absence of polymorphic variation in gene expression, protein abundance, and catalytic activity in liver. In addition, the small intestine exhibits considerable catalytic activity toward most of the different classes of substrates accepted for glucuronidation by the UGTs, which is supported by immunofluorescence analysis of UGT1A protein in the mucosal cell layer of the small intestine. Thus, tissue-specific and interindividual polymorphic regulation ofUGT1A and UGT2B genes in small intestine is identified and implicated as molecular biological determinant contributing to interindividual prehepatic drug and xenobiotic metabolism in humans.
Spread of HTLV-I Between Lymphocytes by Virus-Induced Polarization of the Cytoskeleton

Cell contact is required for efficient transmission of human T cell leukemia virus– type 1 (HTLV-I) between cells and between individuals, because naturally infected lymphocytes produce virtually no cell-free infectious HTLV-I particles. However, the mechanism of cell-to-cell spread of HTLV-I is not understood. We show here that cell contact rapidly induces polarization of the cytoskeleton of the infected cell to the cell-cell junction. HTLV-I core (Gag protein) complexes and the HTLV-I genome accumulate at the cell-cell junction and are then transferred to the uninfected cell. Other lymphotropic viruses, such as HIV-1, may similarly subvert normal T cell physiology to allow efficient propagation between cells.
Socio‐demographic differences in adherence to evidence‐based drug therapy after hospital discharge from acute myocardial infarction: a population‐based cohort study in Rome, Italy

What is known and Objective: Adherence to evidence‐based drug therapy after acute myocardial infarction has increased over the last decades, but is still unsatisfactory. Our objectives are to set out to analyse patterns of evidence‐based drug therapy after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and evaluating socio‐demographic differences.
New Approach to Reconstruction of Nonuniformly Sampled AC signals

The problem of AC signal reconstruction is addressed in this paper. This study propose a practical and new algorithm for signal reconstruction, and discuss potential applications to recover band-limited AC signals (with known frequency spectrum but unknown amplitudes and phases) from irregularly spaced sets of integrated values of processed signals. Based on the value of the integer of the original input (analogue) signal, a reconstruction of its basic parameters is done by the means of derived analytical and summarized expressions. Computer simulation demonstrating the effectiveness of these algorithms, are also presented.
Promoting Healthy Pregnancies Through Perinatal Groups: A Comparison of CenteringPregnancy® Group Prenatal Care and Childbirth Education Classes

CenteringPregnancy® group prenatal care is growing in popularity and has commonalities with childbirth education classes. In order for leaders of childbirth education classes to best serve their clients’ needs, it is important to be aware of new, emerging models of prenatal care such as CenteringPregnancy. This article provides an overview of CenteringPregnancy and similarities and differences between CenteringPregnancy and childbirth education classes. Providers of prenatal education, whether it is within CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care or in childbirth education classes, have a common important aim: promoting positive perinatal outcomes.