Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of operative procedures for re-leaks duodenal perforation: a cross-sectional analysis from a tertiary care hospital in a developing country

Background: Re-leaks following surgical closure of duodenal perforations is a well known entity. Considering the paucity of data on patients with re-leak from Indian population, the present study was carried out. Methods: The present study is a prospective audit of patients diagnosed with duodenal re-leak and surgical procedures for arresting the leak was done. Hospital indoor case records were reviewed from 2005 to 2010. Following details were collected: demographic details (age and sex); presenting complaints; success of the surgical procedures to arrest re-leak and overall survival of patients. Conservative measures, 3 tubes method, jejunal patch, T tube duodenostomy and rohondia’s cholecystoduodenoplasty were the type of procedures routinely performed for such patients. Descriptive statistics was used to represent various variables-mean (SD) for continuous and proportions (percentages) for categorical variables. Results: A total of 41 patients with duodenal re-leak requiring intervention were identified with mean (range) of age in years of 45 (25-65). The following types of procedures were carried out to arrest duodenal re-leaks: 3 tubes method (4/41, 9.8%), jejunal patch (7/41, 17.1%), T tube duodenostomy (1/41, 2.4%) and Rohondia’s cholecystoduodenoplasty (16/41, 39%) and conservative (13/41, 31.7%). A total of 75% (12/16) success in stopping the leak was observed with Rohondia’s cholecystoduodenoplasty followed by 1/4 (25%) with 3 tubes duodenostomy, one each with jejunal patch (14.3%) and conservative techniques (7.7%) and none with T- tube duodenostomy (P-0.1; not significant). A total of 32/41 (78%) patients died following the surgery for duodenal re-leak of which nearly four-fifths of them (26/32, 81%) died due to septicaemia, 5/33 (15.2%) had pulmonary complications and 1/33 (3%) due to perforation. Conclusions: To conclude, the present study gives baseline data on patients who have undergone various surgical procedures for arresting duodenal perforation but had re-leaks, in a tertiary care hospital of a developing country. The better outcomes associated with Rohondia’s cholecystoduodenoplasty was found in comparison to other surgical and conservative measures.
NKT Cells Enhance CD4+ and CD8+ T Cell Responses to Soluble Antigen In Vivo through Direct Interaction with Dendritic Cells 1

Modification in the function of dendritic cells (DC), such as that achieved by microbial stimuli or T cell help, plays a critical role in determining the quality and size of adaptive responses to Ag. NKT cells bearing an invariant TCR (iNKT cells) restricted by nonpolymorphic CD1d molecules may constitute a readily available source of help for DC. We therefore examined T cell responses to i.v. injection of soluble Ag in the presence or the absence of iNKT cell stimulation with the CD1d-binding glycolipid α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer). Considerably enhanced CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses were observed when α-GalCer was administered at the same time as or close to OVA injection. This enhancement was dependent on the involvement of iNKT cells and CD1d molecules and required CD40 signaling. Studies in IFN-γR−/− mice indicated that IFN-γ was not required for the adjuvant effect of α-GalCer. Consistent with this result, enhanced T cell responses were observed using OCH, an analog of α-GalCer with a truncated sphingosine chain and a reduced capacity to induce IFN-γ. Splenic DC from α-GalCer-treated animals expressed high levels of costimulatory molecules, suggesting maturation in response to iNKT cell activation. Furthermore, studies with cultured DC indicated that potentiation of T cell responses required presentation of specific peptide and α-GalCer by the same DC, implying conditioning of DC by iNKT cells. The iNKT-enhanced T cell responses resisted challenge with OVA-expressing tumors, whereas responses induced in the absence of iNKT stimulation did not. Thus, iNKT cells exert a significant influence on the efficacy of immune responses to soluble Ag by modulating DC function.
Strain Dependent Rat iNOS Promoter Activity—Correlation to Identified WT1 Transcription Factor Binding Site

The free radical nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in cytokine mediated destruction of rat beta-cells in islets of Langerhans. Cytokine mediated NO production is associated with increased expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). We have previously shown a strain dependent difference between Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and Brown Norway (BN) rats of IL-1β mediated destruction of islets of Langerhans to be related to expression levels of iNOS and NO production. The aim of the present study was to clone and screen the iNOS gene promoter region from WKY and BN rats for polymorphisms and to functionally test such nucleotide differences. Within the total 2077 bp sequenced from both rat strains we identified three polymorphisms in two separate areas: (i) a GT-repeat polymorphism linked to (ii) a C/T polymorphisms, leading to a WT1 binding site approximately 1650 bp upstream the BN iNOS promoter and (iii) a G/A SNP in exon 1. Apart from these polymorphisms the homology between all published rat iNOS sequences including the presently described are about 96%. Promoter activity was detected for both genes in a luciferase assay followed cloning of 2012 bp fragments and transient transfection into RIN cells. For both strains IL-1β induced dose-dependent activity and strain dependent iNOS promoter activity was demonstrated when WT1 was co-expressed. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of functional WT1/iNOS promoter interaction. We conclude that the iNOS promoter is strain-dependently regulated which may relate to quantitatively as well as qualitatively strain dependent differences in transcription factor expression, in this study exemplified by WT1.
Maternal care among slum dwellers in Delhi.

As part of the Communicable Diseases among Slum Dwellers in Delhi (India) Study, 1092 mothers of children under 2 years of age from 10 slum-like colonies were surveyed in 1993-94 on antenatal care and delivery. 83% (range, 60-100%) of mothers had presented for antenatal care, primarily to a government facility, and 77% of pregnant women received 2 tetanus toxoid injections. 46% of deliveries occurred at home, 34% were in government hospitals or clinics, and 15% occurred in private facilities. Doctors attended all deliveries at hospitals and 24% of those at health centers. In 36% of home deliveries, only family members were present. These findings are generally comparable to those reported in the National Family Health Survey.
Ion selectivity of the Kat1 K+ channel pore

Kat1 is a highly selective inward-rectifying K+ channel that opens for extended periods under conditions of extreme hyperpolarization. Over 200 point mutants in the pore region of the Kat1 K+ channel were generated and examined in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Xenopus oocytes to assess the effect of the mutations on ion selectivity. Substitutions at the tyrosine of the signature sequence G-Y-G resulted in the most significant alterations in ion selectivity, consistent with its role in the selectivity filter. However, greater than 80% of the mutations throughout the greater pore region also conferred a defect in selectivity demonstrating that the entire pore of Kat1 contributes to the ion selectivity of this channel. Surprisingly, we identified a novel class of mutant channel that conferred enhanced selectivity of K+ over Na+. Mutants of this class frequently displayed sensitivity to the competing ion Cs+. This finding has led us to speculate that the Kat1 channel pore has evolved to balance not only K+/Na+ selectivity, but selectivity over Cs+, and possibly a wide spectrum of potential competing ions.
Resolution enhancement of spectra using differentiation

The analysis of measured spectra, when it reduces to finding the positions and heights of spectral lines, becomes an extremely difficult problem when the lines are closely spaced and broadened to the point where overlapping occurs, and explicit models for the shape of the peaks are unknown. For the widely used nonlinear fitting methods, good starting values cannot be found by direct inspection of the spectra. Sometimes, it is even impossible to determine the number of overlapping spectral lines. Resolution enhancement procedures aim to undo the broadening in order to go back towards the original situation. Traditional resolution rules-of-thumb, such as the Rayleigh, Houston and Sparrow criteria, must be replaced by computational procedures which invoke appropriate assumptions about the broadening of the spectral lines. Measured spectra can be viewed as convolutions between known smooth kernels and discrete line spectra. In this way, the determination of positions and heights of the spectral lines can be recast as a deconvolution problem. Unfortunately, the theory which guarantees the effectiveness of deconvolution requires smoothness of the solution and, as a consequence, does not apply to discrete line spectra. However, discrete line spectra only need to be approximated by spectral peaks which satisfy the smoothness criteria required by the regularization theory in order to formulate a suitable deconvolution framework. In this paper, the corresponding deconvolution problem is solved effectively using a numerical differentiation procedure which plays a derivative spectroscopy enhancement role. When compared with similar deconvolution methods, its enhanced performance is confirmed by theoretical error analysis which identifies a sense in which this method has best possible convergence rates. In practice, the method provides good starting values for the positions of the lines for the nonlinear fitting methods. Sometimes, the ‘starting values’ are so good that a subsequent nonlinear fitting step is not necessary. By modelling the spectra as probability measures in an appropriate Hilbert space framework, estimates are derived that characterize the nature of the smoothing performed by the regularization recovery methodology proposed. The paper concludes with an examination, using the Hilbert space framework, of the trade-off between resolution and the various types of error that occur in a measured spectrum.
Scrutinizing the Street: Poverty, Morality, and the Pitfalls of Urban Ethnography1

Cet ensemble d'articles fait part de recherches ethnographiques concernant l'etat actuel des comportements sociaux des quartiers pauvres des Etats-Unis. Les AA. debattent et critiquent vivement le point de vue de L. Wacquant et defendent l'objectivite et la validite de leurs recherches respectives
Infertility treatment after conservative management of borderline ovarian tumors

Young patients with ovarian tumors of low malignant potential usually undergo conservative surgery because of the excellent prognosis of these tumors. Patients wishing to conceive after diagnosis occasionally require ovulation induction, but data regarding the safety of assisted reproductive technologies in this situation remains anecdotal. The current study analyzes the outcome of a group of patients who received infertility treatment after the conservative management of borderline ovarian tumors.
The Role of Poly‐hydroxy‐alkanoate Form in Determining the Response of Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Biomass to Volatile Fatty Acids

Anaerobic–aerobic batch experiments indicated that poly‐hydroxy‐alkanoate (PHA) form was important in determining the net phosphorus removal resulting from different volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Poly‐3‐hydroxy‐butyrate (3HB) content was found to correlate fairly well with higher observed aerobic phosphorus uptake per unit PHA carbon degraded. Poly‐3‐hydroxy‐valerate (3HV) correlated with lower aerobic phosphorus uptakes per unit PHA carbon degraded. These experiments, conducted with synthetic wastewater, imply that VFA speciation might have a significant effect on aerobic phosphorus uptakes and net phosphorus removal. In addition, the model parameter ƒP,UPT (Barker and Dold, 1997) could vary with the proportion of acetic to propionic acid received (i.e., the acetic/propionic acid ratio may be an important parameter for these systems). Carbohydrate data implied that the lower aerobic phosphorus uptake resulting from 3HV might have been caused by a greater fraction of PHA carbon shunting to carbohydrate biosynthesis during aerobiosis.
Maintaining Harmony Across the Globe

Although previous research shows that relationship closeness plays a central role in an individual’s willingness to forgive an offender, it is based exclusively on data from Western, individualistic cultures. In the current study, the authors examined the association between relationship closeness and forgiveness across six countries, including both traditionally individualistic—Italy, the Netherlands, the United States—and collectivistic cultures—Japan, China (and one country, Turkey, with both individualistic and collectivistic features). Results demonstrated that, cross-culturally, there was a robust positive association between closeness toward the offender and level of forgiveness, both for trait-forgiveness and offense-specific forgiveness. However, this association was weaker in the collectivistic countries, which may suggest that strong norms in these countries to maintain social harmony may partly weaken the role of closeness in forgiveness. Overall, the present findings are discussed in terms of the possible evolutionary origins of forgiveness and the role of individualism/collectivism in forgiveness.
Childhood bereavement: The role of the surviving parent and the continuing bond with the deceased

ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationship between the role of the surviving parent in the child’s grieving process, the continuing bond with the deceased parent and biopsychosocial functioning and active grief in adulthood. A survey of 135 adults, parentally bereaved in childhood, indicated that the surviving parent’s role in facilitating the grieving process promoted a positive continuing bond with the deceased in childhood as well as general functioning in adulthood. The continuing bond with the deceased had a weak association with both better general functioning and relational active grief.
Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase/Akt Inhibits MST1-Mediated Pro-apoptotic Signaling through Phosphorylation of Threonine 120*

The protein kinase mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1 (MST1) is a mammalian homologue of the Drosophila hippo and plays a critical role in regulation of programmed cell death. MST1 exerts pro-apoptotic function through cleavage, autophosphorylation-Thr183 and subsequent translocation to the nucleus where it phosphorylates a number of molecules, including LATS1/2, FOXO, JNK, and histone H2B. Here, we show that the cleavage of MST1 is inhibited by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway. Akt interacts with MST1 and phosphorylates a highly conserved residue threonine 120 of MST1, which leads to inhibition of its kinase activity and nuclear translocation as well as the autophosphorylation of Thr183. Phospho-MST1-Thr120 failed to activate downstream targets FOXO3a and JNK. Further, inverse correlation between pMST1-Thr120 and pMST1-Thr183 was observed in human ovarian tumors. These findings indicate that the phosphorylation of MST1-Thr120 by Akt could be a major mechanism of regulation of the Hippo/MST1 pathway by cell survival signaling.
Construct validity of the Thai version of the job content questionnaire in a large population of heterogeneous occupations.

OBJECTIVE To test the construct validity of the Thai version of the job content questionnaire (TJCQ). MATERIAL AND METHOD The present descriptive study recruited 10415 participants from all occupations according to the International Standard Classification of Occupations. The instrument consisted of a 48-item of the job content questionnaire. Eight items newly developed by the authors from in-depth interviews were added. RESULTS Exploratory factor analysis showed six factor models of work hazards, decision latitude, psychological demand, social support, physical demand, and job security. However, supervisor and co-worker support were not distinguished into two factors and some items distributed differently along the factors extracted. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the construct of six latent factors, although the overall fit was moderately acceptable. Cronbach's alpha coefficients higher than 0.7, supported the internal consistency of TJCQ scales except for job security (0.55). CONCLUSION These findings suggest that TJCQ is valid and reliable for assessing job stress among Thai populations.
Inventory control techniques in medical stores of a tertiary care neuropsychiatry hospital in Delhi

Approximately 35.0% of annual hospitals budget is spent on buying materials and supplies, including medicines. We can bring about substantial improvement in the hospital inventory and expenditures by the inventory control techniques. Objective: To identify the categories of drugs which need stringent management control. Material and Method: The ABC and VED analysis of the medical store of a Neuropsychiatry hospital at Delhi, India was conducted for the year 2008-2009 to identify the categories of items needing stringent management control. Results: The total number of the drugs at the medical store was 145 drugs. The total annual drug expenditure (ADE) on these drug items was Rs. 19219594.79. ABC analysis revealed 3.45%, 6.9% and 89.65% items as A, B and C category items, respectively, accounting for 70.5%, 19.68% and 9.83% of ADE of the medical store. VED analysis showed 32.41%, 61.38% and 6.2% items as V, E, and D category items, respectively, accounting for 70.9%, 28.72% and 0.38% of ADE of the medical store. On ABC-VED matrix analysis, 33.8%, 60% and 6.2% items were found to be category I, II and III items, respectively, accounting for 92.33%, 7.29% and 0.38% of ADE of the medical store. Conclusion: It is suggested by the study that the management of Category I drugs should be done by the top management resulting in stringent control on the annual expenses. The Category II should be managed by the middle management level and Category III at lower managerial level.
Previous induced abortion and ante-natal depression in primiparae: preliminary report of a survey of mental health in pregnancy

Synopsis One hundred and nineteen primiparae, who were routinely attending ante-natal clinics, were interviewed repeatedly between the 12th and 36th weeks of their pregnancies. The incidence of depression was highest in the first trimester and, overall, about a fifth of the sample was found to be suffering from clinically significant neurotic disturbances. In a proportion of these expectant mothers there was an association between depression and anxiety early in pregnancy and a previous history of induced abortion; this phenomenon may reflect a reactivation of mourning which was previously suppressed.
Effect of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury on protein levels of leptin and orexin-A in peripheral blood and central secretory tissues.

AIM To explore the effect of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury on protein levels of leptin and orexin-A in peripheral blood and their central secretory tissues and to find out the role leptin and orexin-A play in acute inflammatory responses. METHODS An intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury model of rats was established and rats were divided randomly into six groups: sham-operation group, 60 min ischemia/30 min reperfusion group (I60'R30'), I60'R90', I60'R150', I60'R240' and I60'R360', 9 rats each group. Two highly-sensitive radioimmunoassays for leptin and orexin-A were established and used to check the change of their concentrations in peripheral blood and central secretory tissues before and after intestinal I/R injury. RESULTS Compared with the serum leptin level before injury, it decreased significantly in I60'R30' group and increased significantly in I60'R360' group; compared to sham-operation group after injury, serum leptin level increased significantly in I60'R360' group; compared to sham-operation group after injury, adipose leptin levels decreased significantly in I60'R30' and I60'R90' groups, while increased significantly in I60'R360' group. There was no significant difference between the expression levels of orexin-A before and after I/R injury. CONCLUSION Leptin has a time-dependent response and orexin-A has a delayed response to acute inflammatory stimuli such as intestinal I/R injury and they may participate in metabolic disorders in injury as inflammatory cytokines.
Atomic-Resolution Imaging of Oxygen in Perovskite Ceramics

Using an imaging mode based on the adjustment of a negative value of the spherical-aberration coefficient of the objective lens of a transmission electron microscope, we successfully imaged all types of atomic columns in the dielectric SrTiO3 and the superconductor YBa2Cu3O7. In particular, we were able to view the oxygen atoms which, due to their low scattering power, were not previously accessible, and this allowed us to detect local nonstoichiometries or the degree of oxygen-vacancy ordering. This technique offers interesting opportunities for research into oxides, minerals, and ceramics. In particular, this holds for the huge group of perovskite-derived electroceramic materials in which the local oxygen content sensitively controls the electronic properties.
Physiologic responses to maximal treadmill and deep water running in men and women

Maximal physiologic responses to treadmill running and deep water running using a flotation device were com pared in 12 trained men and 12 trained women. Al though the men had significantly higher ventilation vol umes, VO2max (liters of oxygen per minute and milli liters of oxygen per kilogram per minute), there were no significant differences in maximal heart rates or respiratory exchange ratios between the sexes. Signif icantly lower ventilation volumes, VO2max (LO2:min-1 and mlO2·kg -1·min-1), and heart rates were obtained in response to maximal water running compared to treadmill running, regardless of gender. Neither the men's nor the women's maximal respiratory exchange ratios were significantly different between modes. The analysis of variance indicated that there were no signif icant interactions for any of the maximal responses to the tests between the sexes. The magnitude of these differences is similar to that found between treadmill running and cycling ergometry and should not preclude deep water running as a training technique. Caution, however, is advised if the training intensity is to be prescribed on the basis of land-determined heart rates.
Research awareness, attitudes and barriers among clinical staff in a regional cancer centre. Part 1: a quantitative analysis

&NA; Research is of key importance in delivering high‐quality patient care through evidence‐based practice. Attitude towards research and barriers to research can have an impact on research activity. A survey was conducted to establish the levels of research awareness and attitudes among clinical staff groups in this regional cancer centre and identify any barriers to participation in research. The survey consisted of 26 questions and was distributed electronically and completed online. The response rate was 22.3% (n = 123). All participants felt that clinical research will help the regional cancer centre develop and progress treatments in the future. A positive attitude towards research was evident and consistent across professional groups. The main identified barriers to research included lacking the required knowledge, skills and training, lacking support from managers, and lack of opportunity or time to be involved in research, in particular for allied health professionals. However, there appears to be the foundation of a healthy research culture for nurses supported by management. The results of the survey support the implementation of an action plan based on the recommendations of this journal article.