Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Dexamethasone on Pulmonary Surfactant Metabolism in Hyperoxia-Treated Rat Lungs

ABSTRACT: We have examined the effect of dexamethasone on the metabolism of pulmonary surfactant in normal and hyperoxia-treated rats. The relative abundance of the surfactant-specific apoprotein A (SP-A) mRNA in lung tissues and the contents of disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) and SP-A were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids and in lung tissues in 4-wk-old rats exposed to room air or >90% oxygen for 7 d with or without simultaneous treatment with dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg body wt for 7 d). The relative abundance of the SP-A mRNA was marginally increased by hyperoxia (1.3-fold over controls). Dexamethasone increased the relative abundance of the SP-A mRNA to a level comparable to that with hyperoxia treatment (1.5-fold over controls). In lavage fluids, the contents of DSPC and SP-A were increased by 4− and 6-fold over controls by hyperoxia, respectively, but they were increased only by 2-fold by dexamethasone. In lung tissues, the contents of DSPC and SP-A were increased by 3− and 2-fold over controls by hyperoxia, respectively. These values in lung tissues in the air-exposed rats were not significantly increased by dexamethasone. In hyperoxia-treated rats, dexamethasone did not significantly affect the relative abundance of the SP-A mRNA level and the contents of DSPC and SP-A in lavage fluids and lung tissues. These results indicate that mechanisms other than increased synthesis of SP-A are involved in hyperoxia-induced SP-A accumulation and that dexamethasone does not affect the abnormal accumulation of pulmonary surfactant induced by hyperoxia.
Phosphor-Based White Light Emitting Diode (LED) for Vertical Scanning Interferometry (VSI)

Fig. 1 graphically illustrates the schematic diagram of vertical scanning interferometry in Michelson interferometer configuration; the light beam from the light source is split into two: one to reference surface and one to measurement surface, then these light beams reflect and interfere with each other. Interference pattern occurs when the optical path difference (OPD) between these two light beams is small, within the coherence length of the light source. The interference pattern is known as interferogram (as shown in Fig. 2), it is recorded by area-based photo-sensitive sensor such as CCD camera. Correlogram is the function of intensity response of each pixel against optical path difference, and it is further processed for height profile measurement. Fig. 3 graphically illustrates correlogram and coherence peak function of vertical scanning interferometry.
Trends in management and prognosis for esophageal cancer surgery: twenty-five years of experience at a single institution.

OBJECTIVE To investigate trends in results of esophagectomies to treat esophageal cancer at a single high-volume institution during the past 25 years. DESIGN AND SETTING Retrospective cohort study in a university tertiary referral center. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with cancer of the thoracic esophagus or esophagogastric junction seen from 1980 through 2004 were included (N = 3493). Three time periods were defined: 1980-1987, 1988-1995, and 1996-2004. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Clinical presentation, tumor characteristics, and morbidity, mortality, and survival rates among patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy. RESULTS The ratio of squamous cell carcinoma to adenocarcinoma decreased from 3.3 to 1.7 (P <.001) during the study period, in parallel with an increase in the number of patients with tumors in the lower esophagus/esophagogastric junction. An increasing proportion of patients who underwent resection received neoadjuvant treatment (chemotherapy/chemoradiotherapy), and 1978 patients underwent esophagectomy. The R0 resection rate increased from 74.5% to 90.1% (P <.001). In addition, an increasing proportion of patients had early-stage tumor in the resected specimen. In-hospital postoperative mortality decreased from 8.2% to 2.6% (P <.001), and the 5-year survival rate significantly improved from 18.8% to 42.3% (P <.001) for all patients who underwent resection. Pathological tumor stage, completeness of the resection, time period, sex, tumor histological type, and tumor location influenced the prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy. CONCLUSIONS A change in location and histological type of esophageal cancer has occurred during the past 25 years. Earlier diagnosis, a multidisciplinary approach, and refinements in surgical technique and perioperative care have led to a significant reduction in postoperative mortality rate and improved long-term survival among patients with cancer of the thoracic esophagus or esophagogastric junction.
Oritavancin: a new avenue for resistant Gram-positive bacteria

Oritavancin, a new semisynthetic glycopeptide has a spectrum of activity similar to vancomycin, although it exhibits potent antimicrobial activity against vancomycin-resistant staphylococci and enterococci species. It has a long-terminal half-life of 360 h, is highly protein bound and has been dosed once-daily in clinical trials. Oritavancin has been studied in complicated skin and skin structure infections where it was noninferior to the comparator group of vancomycin/cephalexin. Thus far, oritavancin has a favorable side-effect profile and appears promising in the treatment of multidrug resistant Gram-positive bacteria.
Subcellular organelle lipidomics in TLR-4-activated macrophages1[S]

Lipids orchestrate biological processes by acting remotely as signaling molecules or locally as membrane components that modulate protein function. Detailed insight into lipid function requires knowledge of the subcellular localization of individual lipids. We report an analysis of the subcellular lipidome of the mammalian macrophage, a cell type that plays key roles in inflammation, immune responses, and phagocytosis. Nuclei, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), plasmalemma, and cytoplasm were isolated from RAW 264.7 macrophages in basal and activated states. Subsequent lipidomic analyses of major membrane lipid categories identified 229 individual/isobaric species, including 163 glycerophospholipids, 48 sphingolipids, 13 sterols, and 5 prenols. Major subcellular compartments exhibited substantially divergent glycerophospholipid profiles. Activation of macrophages by the Toll-like receptor 4-specific lipopolysaccharide Kdo2-lipid A caused significant remodeling of the subcellular lipidome. Some changes in lipid composition occurred in all compartments (e.g., increases in the levels of ceramides and the cholesterol precursors desmosterol and lanosterol). Other changes were manifest in specific organelles. For example, oxidized sterols increased and unsaturated cardiolipins decreased in mitochondria, whereas unsaturated ether-linked phosphatidylethanolamines decreased in the ER. We speculate that these changes may reflect mitochondrial oxidative stress and the release of arachidonic acid from the ER in response to cell activation.
ICU-Acquired Swallowing Disorders

Objectives:Patients hospitalized in the ICU can frequently develop swallowing disorders, resulting in an inability to effectively transfer food, liquids, and pills from their mouth to stomach. The complications of these disorders can be devastating, including aspiration, reintubation, pneumonia, and a prolonged hospital length of stay. As a result, critical care practitioners should understand the optimal diagnostic strategies, proposed mechanisms, and downstream complications of these ICU-acquired swallowing disorders. Data Sources:Database searches and a review of the relevant medical literature. Data Synthesis:A significant portion of the estimated 400,000 patients who annually develop acute respiratory failure, require endotracheal intubation, and survive to be extubated are determined to have dysfunctional swallowing. This group of swallowing disorders has multiple etiologies, including local effects of endotracheal tubes, neuromuscular weakness, and an altered sensorium. The diagnosis of dysfunctional swallowing is usually made by a speech-language pathologist using a bedside swallowing evaluation. Major complications of swallowing disorders in hospitalized patients include aspiration, reintubation, pneumonia, and increased hospitalization. The national yearly cost of swallowing disorders in hospitalized patients is estimated to be over $500 million. Treatment modalities focus on changing the consistency of food, changing mealtime position, and/or placing feeding tubes to prevent aspiration. Conclusions:Swallowing disorders are costly and clinically important in a large population of ICU patients. The development of effective screening strategies and national diagnostic standards will enable further studies aimed at understanding the precise mechanisms for these disorders. Further research should also concentrate on identifying modifiable risk factors and developing novel treatments aimed at reducing the significant burden of swallowing dysfunction in critical illness survivors.
Clinical adrenal insufficiency in patients receiving megestrol therapy.

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical and biochemical features of patients in whom adrenal insufficiency developed during megestrol acetate therapy for advanced breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirteen patients with advanced breast cancer treated with oral megestrol acetate, 160 mg/d. RESULTS Fatigue and weakness were observed in all 13 patients. Hypotension was observed in 8. Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea were observed in 3. Mean basal cortisol level at the time of symptoms was 41.4 nmol/L (range, 27.6-110.4 nmol/L). After corticotropin stimulation, mean cortisol level at 30 minutes was 239.2 nmol/L (range, 93.8-447.0 nmol/L); at 60 minutes, 228.2 nmol/L (range, 88.3-474.5 nmol/L). CONCLUSION Megestrol therapy was associated with the development of clinical adrenal insufficiency in our patients, as proved by rapid corticotropin test.
Post-infective pericarditis left ventricular pseudoaneurysm: a case report and review of literature

Abstract Post-infective pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle in children is very rare, with only five cases reported in English medical literature so far. Patients usually have a short history of infection by Staphylococcus aureus. Timely surgical intervention has generally a good outcome. We present a case of post-infectious pseudoaneurysm in a 2-year-old girl with a review of literature.
Does School Choice Increase School Quality?

Federal No Child Left Behind' legislation, which enables students of low-performing schools to exercise public school choice, exemplies a widespread belief that competing for students will spur public schools to higher achievement. We investigate how the introduction of school choice in North Carolina, via a dramatic increase in the number of charter schools across the state, affects the performance of traditional public schools on statewide tests. We find test score gains from competition that are robust to a variety of specifications. The introduction of charter school competition causes an approximate one percent increase in the score, which constitutes about one quarter of the average yearly growth.
Weighting positive versus negative: the fundamental nature of valence asymmetry.

OBJECTIVE The relation between weighting of valence information in attitude generalization and evaluation of novel/hypothetical situations was explored. METHOD Undergraduate participants played a computer game requiring them to learn which stimuli (beans) would increase/decrease their points. Later, participants classified the valence of game beans and novel ones varying in resemblance to game beans. The weighting bias in attitude generalization was estimated as the average response to novel beans, controlling for game bean learning. We examined whether this bias related to judgments of hypothetical situations concerning interpersonal relationships (Study 1), threat assessment (Study 2), risk propensities (Study 3), and risk behavior (Study 6). We also assessed whether valence weighting is specifically predictive of novel situations (Studies 4 and 5). Finally, we explored participants' ability to self-report their weighting bias (Study 7). RESULTS Valence weighting in attitude generalization was related to judgments of novel situations and risk behavior. The performance-based measure did not correlate with responses to various questionnaires related to valence weighting. CONCLUSIONS There is a fundamental individual difference associated with valence weighting, resulting in the relation between two processes unrelated in content, but sharing the essential characteristic of valence weighting-attitude generalization and evaluation of novel situations.
Assessing the Impact of Price Changes and Extreme Climatic Events on Sediment Loads in a Large River Catchment Near the Great Barrier Reef

Ocean turbidity (associated with sediment from rivers) can significantly impact reef health. In Australia, there are many plans to reduce sediment loads by encouraging best management practices; there is also interest in the use of market-based instruments. But it is exceedingly difficult to assess the potential efficacy of market policies, since that requires one to determine how changes in the socio-economic system (e.g. price changes) impact the biophysical (e.g. sediment loads). We use historical data (from 1938 to 2011) in a vector autoregression model to simultaneously model interactions between the economic and biophysical systems in the Burdekin River catchment adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. This allows us to statistically test for the impact of changes in prices on sediment load, while controlling for biophysical influences. We find that extreme events have the most impact on sediment loads, but that prices also impact sediment loads. Evidently market-based policies may have the potential to reduce sediment loads. Our empirical results provide useful information for those interested in the Burdekin River catchment and the GBR; the modelling approach may have wide applicability in a variety of contexts.
Inhibition of Prepotent Responding and Attentional Flexibility in Treated Phenylketonuria

Inhibition of prepotent responding and attentional flexibility were assessed in 58 early and continuously treated phenylketonuria (PKU) patients and 69 controls, age 7 to 14 years. A computerized task was used requiring participants to process consecutive stimuli according to various attentional sets. Analysis of error rate suggested poorer inhibition of prepotent responding in PKU patients compared with controls. No influence of concurrent plasma phenylalanine (phe) was shown, neither in the younger (age < 11 years) nor in the older participants (age sup3; 11 years). Analysis of error rate provided strong evidence for poorer attentional flexibility in PKU patients compared with controls. The difference between attentional flexibility in controls and PKU patients could mainly be attributed to younger PKU patients, with concurrent phe levels higher than 360μmol/L.Younger PKU patients with phe levels below 360 μmol/L performed at the same level as age-matched controls. Performance of PKU patients was strongly associated with phe levels in age periods during the first 10 years of life, which are characterized by a strong development of executive functioning (ages 2-7 and age 9). High phe levels during these age periods could delay development of inhibitory control and attentional flexibility. With regard to treatment, analyses with lifetime and concurrent phe levels support strict dietary control throughout the first decade of life, after which the phe-restricted diet can be relaxed. However, based on the evidence that development of specific executive functions continues until approximately age 12, it is recommended to maintain phe levels below 360 μmol/L throughout early adolescence.
Molecular characterization of pyrethroid knockdown resistance (kdr) in the major malaria vector Anopheles gambiae s.s.

Pyrethroid‐impregnated bednets are playing an increasing role for combating malaria, especially in stable malaria areas. More than 90% of the current annual malaria incidence (c. 500 million clinical cases with up to 2 million deaths) is in Africa where the major vector is Anopheles gambiae s.s. As pyrethroid resistance has been reported in this mosquito, reliable and simple techniques are urgently needed to characterize and monitor this resistance in the field. In insects, an important mechanism of pyrethroid resistance is due to a modification of the voltage‐gated sodium channel protein recently shown to be associated with mutations of the para‐type sodium channel gene. We demonstrate here that one of these mutations is present in certain strains of pyrethroid resistant A. gambiae s.s. and describe a PCR‐based diagnostic test allowing its detection in the genome of single mosquitoes. Using this test, we found this mutation in six out of seven field samples from West Africa, its frequency being closely correlated with survival to pyrethroid exposure. This diagnostic test should bring major improvement for field monitoring of pyrethroid resistance, within the framework of malaria control programmes.
A Three Year Study Of Student Achievement And Factors Related To Achievement In a State FFA Agricultural Mechanics Contest

This investigation demonstrates the utility of contest score evaluation and the need for further evaluation. Investigations of the prediction value of selected variables could prove useful in the development and enhancement of the contests. The use of trend analysis could explore the progress of contestants’ scores in the various areas of a contest and may indicate areas needing particular attention (p. 32).
A comprehensive analysis of the CVD growth of boron nitride nanotubes

Boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) films were grown on silicon/silicon dioxide (Si/SiO2) substrates by a catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method in a horizontal electric furnace. The effects of growth temperature and catalyst concentration on the morphology of the films and the structure of individual BNNTs were systematically investigated. The BNNT films grown at 1200 and 1300 °C consisted of a homogeneous dispersion of separate tubes in random directions with average outer diameters of ∼30 and ∼60 nm, respectively. Meanwhile, the films grown at 1400 °C comprised of BNNT bundles in a flower-like morphology, which included thick tubes with average diameters of ∼100 nm surrounded by very thin ones with diameters down to ∼10 nm. In addition, low catalyst concentration led to the formation of BNNT films composed of entangled curly tubes, while high catalyst content resulted in very thick tubes with diameters up to ∼350 nm in a semierect flower-like morphology. Extensive transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations revealed the diameter-dependent growth mechanisms for BNNTs; namely, thin and thick tubes with closed ends grew by base-growth and tip-growth mechanisms, respectively. However, high catalyst concentration motivated the formation of filled-with-catalyst BNNTs, which grew open-ended with a base-growth mechanism.
Exploring Games as Formal Models

Computer games have become increasingly complex. Modern game specifications need to accommodate many detailed design documents, which results in increasing complexity. Complex games are difficult to understand, maintain and update, but their software cannot be extensively functional, as this might confuse the player. Consequently, game developers can benefit from following precise guidelines to design games for players. Formal methods can provide a suitable specification environment to formalize static and dynamic game aspects and realistically model game rules and events. At a higher level of abstraction, a formal game model can provide understandability and communication of the activities within a development process.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosis and Management in Young People: A Primer

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex disease that affects children and adolescents as well as adults. The etiology has not been established. While many pediatricians and other health-care providers are aware of ME/CFS, they often lack essential knowledge that is necessary for diagnosis and treatment. Many young patients experience symptoms for years before receiving a diagnosis. This primer, written by the International Writing Group for Pediatric ME/CFS, provides information necessary to understand, diagnose, and manage the symptoms of ME/CFS in children and adolescents. ME/CFS is characterized by overwhelming fatigue with a substantial loss of physical and mental stamina. Cardinal features are malaise and a worsening of symptoms following minimal physical or mental exertion. These post-exertional symptoms can persist for hours, days, or weeks and are not relieved by rest or sleep. Other symptoms include cognitive problems, unrefreshing or disturbed sleep, generalized or localized pain, lightheadedness, and additional symptoms in multiple organ systems. While some young patients can attend school, on a full or part-time basis, many others are wheelchair dependent, housebound, or bedbound. Prevalence estimates for pediatric ME/CFS vary from 0.1 to 0.5%. Because there is no diagnostic test for ME/CFS, diagnosis is purely clinical, based on the history and the exclusion of other fatiguing illnesses by physical examination and medical testing. Co-existing medical conditions including orthostatic intolerance (OI) are common. Successful management is based on determining the optimum balance of rest and activity to help prevent post-exertional symptom worsening. Medications are helpful to treat pain, insomnia, OI and other symptoms. The published literature on ME/CFS and specifically that describing the diagnosis and management of pediatric ME/CFS is very limited. Where published studies are lacking, recommendations are based on the clinical observations and practices of the authors.
Haemophilus ducreyi adheres to but does not invade cultured human foreskin cells

Haemophilus ducreyi is the etiologic agent of the localized genital ulcer disease known as chancroid. The pathogenesis of this organism is poorly understood. The role of attachment in the disease process has not been evaluated. In this study, 125I-H. ducreyi was used to quantitatively evaluate the interaction of virulent and avirulent H. ducreyi strains with human foreskin cells. Using this in vitro model system, we demonstrated that, at 22 and 35 degrees C, the attachment of virulent H. ducreyi 35000 to human foreskin cells was significantly more marked than that of avirulent H. ducreyi A77. Although H. ducreyi penetrated between human foreskin cells, internalization was not a major component. Our competition assay data suggest that the attachment mechanism of H. ducreyi may be similar to that of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. We speculate that the attachment and microcolony formation of virulent H. ducreyi may provide a mechanism for bacterial localization and evasion of host defenses.