Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of reinforced aluminium alloy LM30 with pure ceramic particles to evaluate hardness and wear properties

ABSTRACT In this paper, the hardness and wear properties of pure ceramic particles like silicon carbide, boron carbide and graphite are considered in micron size with the reinforced aluminium LM30 metal matrix composites. The stir casting setup is used to prepare the matrix alloy of different compositions i.e. 2, 4 and 6 % of silicon carbide, boron carbide and graphite respectively. The rate of wear in E24 steel disc is found by placing a pin over disc wear test machine under the dry condition. This paper is intended to study the hardness and wear characteristics of all the casted ceramics. The results show that hardness and wear of casted ceramics with RA-MMC has increased in loading and in unloading conditions. Further, it is proved that casting material after stir casting attains a better wear rate and hardness due to better dispersal of micro powder.
Endothelial and adrenergic dysfunction in Raynaud's phenomenon and scleroderma.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the involvement of endothelial and adrenergic mechanisms in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and scleroderma. METHODS Ten patients with RP and scleroderma and 10 healthy volunteer controls were studied. Intraarterial methacholine, sodium nitroprusside, and clonidine were administered while bilateral finger blood flow was measured with venous occlusion plethysmography. RESULTS Compared to the controls, the patients showed diminished responses to methacholine, an endothelium dependent vasodilator, and to clonidine, an alpha2-adrenergic agonist. However, both groups showed similar responses to sodium nitroprusside, an endothelium independent vasodilator. CONCLUSION The findings were consistent with previous histological evidence of endothelial damage in scleroderma blood vessels. Failure to release nitric oxide from vascular endothelium may play a role in RP in patients with scleroderma.
RP-HPLC METHOD DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF ASIATIC ACID ISOLATED FROM THE PLANT CENTELLA ASIATICA.

Objective: Asiatic acid is a triterpene saponin and the main constituent of the species Centellaasiatica. The current study aimed to isolate, characterize and develop an analytical method for asiatic acid in the shorter run time with good efficiency. Methods: In this study isolation of asiatic acid was achieved by TLC and thus isolated asiatic acid was characterized by 1HNMR spectral analysis and LCMS. An isocratic RP-HPLC method was established for the assessment of asiatic acid from the methanol extract of Centellaasiatica. The chromatographic separations were achieved by RP-C18 column 250x4.6 mm (5µ Particle size) Shimadzu UFLC pump LC 20AD and mobile phase composed of 0.1% orthophosphoric acid: acetonitrile (50:50). The analysis of column effluents was achieved using a PDA detector (Photo Diode Array) at 210 nm, and the flow rate was recorded 1 ml/min. Results: Soxhlet extraction process followed by fractional extraction using different solvents was performed. Methnol extract was taken to isolate asiatic acid by TLC (RF 0.97) and base peak from mass spectra was found to be 489M+which was confirmed successful isolation. Retention time of asiatic acid was found to be 9.6±0.22 min. This method obeyed linearity over the concentration range of 10-50µg/ml and regression coefficient was obtained from the alinearity plot for asiatic acid which was found to be 0.9987 LoD and LoQ were obtained to be 0. 784507µg/ml and 2. 615µg/ml respectively. RSD of mean assay values was found to be 1.02%. Since there were no marked changes in the performance characteristics of the method. Conclusion: Isolation, characterization and identification of asiatic acid were achieved significantly which will be useful for the standardization of herbal formulation containing asiatic acid.
Evaluation of selenite F broth as an enrichment step for the isolation of 'Salmonella' and 'Shigella' in clinical faecal specimens - a retrospective study

Objectives: To investigate whether enrichment of clinical faecal specimens in Selenite F broth, for the cultivation of Salmonella and Shigella, should be discontinued in the community laboratory setting. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all faecal specimens submitted to Aotea Pathology Limited for bacterial culture over a two-year period was analysed using the Labsolutions statistics software. Samples positive for either Salmonella or Shigella were analysed as being isolated from either the direct Hektoen agar plate, isolated on secondary XLD agar plate following enrichment in Selenite F broth, or both. Results: Direct culture on Hektoen agar yielded a recovery rate of 39% of the Salmonella isolated and 67% of the Shigella isolated. Secondary sub culture on XLD agar following enrichment in Selenite F broth yielded a recovery rate of 99% of the Salmonella isolated and 50% of the Shigella isolated. Conclusions: This study shows that enrichment in Selenite F broth should continue to be used and a combination of direct plating and sub-culturing is required in order to maximise the recovery rate of both Salmonella and Shigella as well as to provide early detection. If enrichment was to be discontinued, potentially a significant proportion of Salmonella and Shigella isolates may have been missed (61% and 33% respectively).
Endoscopic submucosal dissection for sessile, nonampullary duodenal adenomas

Although endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is increasingly utilized to treat early neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract, its use for duodenal neoplasms is limited by the thin wall and narrow lumen of the duodenum. We have reviewed cases where ESD was used to treat sessile, nonampullary duodenal neoplasms. To do this, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients treated with ESD for adenomas of the duodenum from January 2001 to December 2010, assessing the curative outcomes and complication rates. A total of 14 cases were reviewed. Mean patient age was 56.4 years. The mean size of tumors and mean size of the specimens were 17.1 mm and 26.4 mm, respectively. The en bloc resection rate with ESD was 78.6 %, and the complete (R0) resection rate was 85.7 %. No patient in the study experienced major bleeding. However, second-look endoscopy revealed minor bleeding requiring endoscopic homeostasis in one case (7.1 %). Perforations were observed in five cases (35.7 %). Two of the five patients with perforation underwent surgery. The ESD methods yielded acceptable curative resection rates for duodenal adenomas, although ESD was associated with a higher rate of perforation. Therefore, duodenal ESD should be performed with care and only in selected patients to avoid serious complications.
Apple juices processed by high hydrostatic pressure: Interaction between chitosan application and quality drift

Apple juice submitted to high hydrostatic pressure was supplemented with chitosan (0.6 and 0.8 g L-1, added in powder and solution) and ascorbate in powder (0.06% and 0.08%) or solution (1%), to optimize its amounts and forms of application, as well as the implications on juice quality during a storage period of 35 days. Thru these experiments it was found that dissociation of hydrogen ions, protonation and ascorbate oxidation was significantly affected. Accordingly, significant variations were found in the pH, total soluble solids, titrable acidity, Hue, turbidity and phenols, exogenous added ascorbate and sugars contents. It is concluded that addition of 0.8% chitosan as powder has the most effective action to counterbalance total phenols drift, which correlate with the inhibition of enzymatic browning and green/yellow Hue.
Erythrocyte deformability and hereditary elliptocytosis.

Hereditary elliptocytosis (HE) is a hereditary membranopathy that comprises a heterogeneous group of diseases, which share irreversible erythrocyte elongation with a prolonged longitudinal diameter in relation to the cross-section (elliptocytes and ovalocytes), which acts as a morphological sign to guide diagnosis. It is characterised by certain molecular alterations to cytoskeleton proteins, such as mutations of alpha-spectrin, beta-spectrin, protein 4.2 and, more rarely, of glycophorin C [3]. This disorder is considered rare, although its incidence is probably underestimated because most cases are paucior asymptomatic, and discovery is often fortuitous [8]. It can appear in several clinical forms (asymptomatic, mild, sporadic haemolysis, chronic haemolysis and hereditary pyropoikilocytosis), although most patients do not suffer from anaemia, and haemolysis is poorly marked if and when it occurs. Mild HE is more frequent with few clinical manifestations and with more than 15% of circulating elliptocytes found in peripheral blood [5]. Very few studies have dealt with rheological red blood cell behaviour in patients with HE [1, 2, 4, 6, 7] in which erythrocyte deformability has been determined by ectacytometric techniques. We report a case of HE in a 37-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital with clinical manifestations and analytic parameters compatible with marked iron deficiency anaemia in whom, after both treatment with iron therapy and correcting iron deficiency, a high percentage of elliptocytes was found in peripheral blood extension, which is compatible with HE. The patient came to our centre presenting long-term weakness, hair loss, brittle nails and occasional heartburn. She sometimes noticed her skin took on a yellowish colour. She never had choluric urine, lower back pain nor haemorrhagic symptoms, save heavy periods lasting up to 2 weeks, nor fever, frequent infections or nightly itching. The haematimetric test showed hypochromic microcytic anaemia: RBC count 4.86 × 106/ L, Hb 9.9 g/dL, Ht 33.1%, MCV 68 fL, MCH 20.4 pg, MCHC 29.9 g/dL, RDW 17.2%. The iron metabolism test highlighted: iron 21 g/dL, total iron-binding capacity 420 g/dL, IS 5% and ferritin 8 ng/mL. The vitamin B12 and folic acid values were within the normal range (474 pg/mL and 10.13 ng/mL, respectively). Presence of thalassaemia trait was ruled out by Hb electrophoresis and molecular biology techniques, as
Association of cord blood chemokines and other biomarkers with neonatal complications following intrauterine inflammation

Background Intrauterine inflammation has been associated with preterm birth and neonatal complications. Few reports have comprehensively investigated multiple cytokine profiles in cord blood and precisely identified surrogate markers for intrauterine inflammation. Aim To identify the cytokines and surrogate markers associated with intrauterine inflammation and subsequent neonatal complications. Patients and methods We analyzed cord blood samples from 135 patients admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Sasebo City General Hospital. We retrospectively determined the associations between the presence of neonatal complications and cord blood cytokines, prenatal factors, and laboratory data at birth. A total of 27 cytokines in the cord blood were measured using a bead-based array sandwich immunoassay. Results Both Th1 and Th2 cytokine levels were low, whereas the levels of growth factors and chemokines were high. In particular, chemokines IL-8, MCP-1, and MIP-1α were significantly higher in very premature neonates when compared with more mature neonates. In addition, some have been shown to be associated with multiple neonatal complications, including patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), and chronic lung disease (CLD). Similarly, the levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, nucleated RBC, and urinary β2-microglobulin were associated with these complications and chemokine levels. Conclusions Our results suggest the association of inflammatory chemokines IL-8, MCP-1, and MIP-1α with intrauterine inflammation, premature birth, and neonatal complications in these perinatal subjects. Furthermore, the association of the aforementioned biomarkers with PDA, RDS, and CLD may help establish early diagnostic measures to predict such neonatal complications following intrauterine inflammation.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Cervical Cancer Screening and Outcomes

Invasive cervical cancer disproportionately affects women without sufficient access to care, with higher rates among minority groups in higher-income countries and women in low-resource regions of the world. Many elements contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in the cervical cancer continuum - from screening and diagnosis to treatment and outcome. Sociodemographic factors, access to healthcare, income and education level, and disease stage at diagnosis are closely linked to such inequities. Despite the identification of such elements, racial/ethnic disparities persist, and are widening in several minority subgroups, particularly in older women, who are ineligible for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and are underscreened. Recent studies suggest that racial/ethnic differences in HPV infection exist and may also have a role in observed differences in cervical cancer. In this review, we provide an overview of the current literature on racial disparities in cervical cancer screening, incidence, treatment and outcome to inform future strategies to reduce persistent inequities.
Adoptive transfer of allogeneic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific cytotoxic T cells with in vitro antitumor activity boosts LMP2-specific immune response in a patient with EBV-related nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND The outcome of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) presenting as advanced-stage disease or failing conventional radio-chemotherapy is poor. Thus, additional forms of effective, low-toxicity treatment are warranted to improve NPC prognosis. Since NPC is almost universally associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cellular immunotherapy with EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) may prove a successful treatment strategy. Patient and methods A patient with relapsed NPC, refractory to conventional treatments, received salvage adoptive immunotherapy with EBV-specific CTLs reactivated ex vivo from a human leukocyte antigen-identical sibling. EBV-specific immunity, as well as T-cell repertoire in the tumor, before and after immunotherapy, was evaluated. RESULTS CTL transfer was well tolerated, and a temporary stabilization of disease was obtained. Moreover, notwithstanding the short in-vivo duration of allogeneic CTLs, immunotherapy induced a marked increase of endogenous tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes, and a long-term increase of latent membrane protein 2-specific immunity. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary data obtained in this patient indicate that EBV-specific CTLs are safe, may exert specific killing of NPC tumor cells in vitro, and induce antitumor effect in vivo.
Experience with the multiple‐choice paper in the Primary Fellowship Examination in Glasgow

A Primary Examination for the FRCS diploma was first introduced by the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1867 based on the preclinical subjects of anatomy and physiology. A similar examination was introduced by the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland in 1888 and by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in 1949. In 1960, all four of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons introduced a tripartite examination in anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Since 1955, representatives of the four Royal Colleges have met annually and have reviewed, among other mutually important matters, the conducting of this examination. More recently, representatives of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the College of Physicians, Surgeons and Gynaecologists of South Africa, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the American College of Surgeons have participated. I n 1967, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow set up a committee to study the form, content, and purpose of the Primary Examination. The committee considered that the existing content of the examination at that time had little relevance to the actual work being performed by young doctors during the first two years after graduation and reported as follows: 'In our view the candidate should be examined on the work in which he has been actively engaged and this in essence will be the application of basic medical sciences to clinical practice, rather than to a re-examination in the basic sciences which he will already have covered i n depth as an undergraduate. '
Prothioconazole and Prothioconazole-Desthio Activities against Candida albicans Sterol 14-α-Demethylase

ABSTRACT Prothioconazole is a new triazolinthione fungicide used in agriculture. We have used Candida albicans CYP51 (CaCYP51) to investigate the in vitro activity of prothioconazole and to consider the use of such compounds in the medical arena. Treatment of C. albicans cells with prothioconazole, prothioconazole-desthio, and voriconazole resulted in CYP51 inhibition, as evidenced by the accumulation of 14α-methylated sterol substrates (lanosterol and eburicol) and the depletion of ergosterol. We then compared the inhibitor binding properties of prothioconazole, prothioconazole-desthio, and voriconazole with CaCYP51. We observed that prothioconazole-desthio and voriconazole bind noncompetitively to CaCYP51 in the expected manner of azole antifungals (with type II inhibitors binding to heme as the sixth ligand), while prothioconazole binds competitively and does not exhibit classic inhibitor binding spectra. Inhibition of CaCYP51 activity in a cell-free assay demonstrated that prothioconazole-desthio is active, whereas prothioconazole does not inhibit CYP51 activity. Extracts from C. albicans grown in the presence of prothioconazole were found to contain prothioconazole-desthio. We conclude that the antifungal action of prothioconazole can be attributed to prothioconazole-desthio.
Agonist-Receptor-Arrestin, an Alternative Ternary Complex with High Agonist Affinity*

The rapid decrease of a response to a persistent stimulus, often termed desensitization, is a widespread biological phenomenon. Signal transduction by numerous G protein-coupled receptors appears to be terminated by a strikingly uniform two-step mechanism, most extensively characterized for the β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR), m2 muscarinic cholinergic receptor (m2 mAChR), and rhodopsin. The model predicts that activated receptor is initially phosphorylated and then tightly binds an arrestin protein that effectively blocks further G protein interaction. Here we report that complexes of β2AR-arrestin and m2 mAChR-arrestin have a higher affinity for agonists (but not antagonists) than do receptors not complexed with arrestin. The percentage of phosphorylated β2AR in this high affinity state in the presence of full agonists varied with different arrestins and was enhanced by selective mutations in arrestins. The percentage of high affinity sites also was proportional to the intrinsic activity of an agonist, and the coefficient of proportionality varies for different arrestin proteins. Certain mutant arrestins can form these high affinity complexes with unphosphorylated receptors. Mutations that enhance formation of the agonist-receptor-arrestin complexes should provide useful tools for manipulating both the efficiency of signaling and rate and specificity of receptor internalization.
A pilot study on assessing hearing threshold using the Cochlea-Scan.

BACKGROUND The objective of the study was to evaluate hearing threshold errors induced by the use of a new acoustical protocol (Cochlea-Scan). MATERIAL/METHODS Thirty-five normally hearing and 30 hearing-impaired adults were used in the study. Hearing threshold levels were assessed by pure tone audiometry (PTA) and the Cochlea-Scan (Fischer-Zoth/Natus) DPOAE protocols. RESULTS In the normal-hearing group, the mean difference in hearing levels at 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 kHz was below 8 dB HL. At 1.5 kHz the mean difference was around 9 dB HL, while at 6.0 kHz the behavioral threshold was overestimated by 2 dB HL. Although linear regression models suggested a significant relationship between the behavioral and the Cochlea-Scan data in all the tested frequencies, the low R(2) values in each model suggest an unexplained variability in the data. For the hearing-impaired group the mean difference in hearing levels at 1.5 and 2.0 kHz was below 5 dB, while at 4.0 kHz the behavioral threshold was overestimated by 7 dB. In this group the observed relationships were stronger (larger R(2) values) than in the normal group, and the most significant relationships were observed at 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0 kHz (with descending R(2) values). CONCLUSIONS The data from this pilot study indicate that Cochlea-Scan assessment is possible and accurate in both normal-hearing and in hearing-impaired subjects. The margin of assessment in the hearing-impaired group was found to be closer to a PTA value of 40 dB and not 50 dB HL as previously suggested.
Mdt(A), a New Efflux Protein Conferring Multiple Antibiotic Resistance in Lactococcus lactis andEscherichia coli

ABSTRACT The mdt(A) gene, previously designatedmef214, from Lactococcus lactis subsp.lactis plasmid pK214 encodes a protein [Mdt(A) (multiple drug transporter)] with 12 putative transmembrane segments (TMS) that contain typical motifs conserved among the efflux proteins of the major facilitator superfamily. However, it also has two C-motifs (conserved in the fifth TMS of the antiporters) and a putative ATP-binding site. Expression of the cloned mdt(A) gene decreased susceptibility to macrolides, lincosamides, streptogramins, and tetracyclines in L. lactis and Escherichia coli, but not in Enterococcus faecalis or inStaphylococcus aureus. Glucose-dependent efflux of erythromycin and tetracycline was demonstrated in L. lactisand in E. coli.
Healing of two and three wall intrabony periodontal defects following treatment with an enamel matrix derivative combined with autogenous bone.

BACKGROUND There are still limited data on the outcomes of regenerative periodontal surgery using a combination of an enamel matrix protein derivative (EMD) and autogenous bone (AB). AIM To evaluate the healing of deep intrabony defects treated with either a combination EMD+AB or EMD alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty patients with advanced chronic periodontitis, with one deep intrabony defect, were randomly treated with either EMD+AB (test) or EMD (control). Clinical assessments were performed at baseline and at 1 year after treatment. The primary outcome variable was relative attachment level (RAL). RESULTS Healing was uneventful in all patients. The test sites showed a reduction in the mean probing pocket depth (PPD) of 5.6 +/- 0.9 mm (p<0.001), a gain in the mean RAL of 4.2 +/- 1.1 mm (p<0.001) and a gain in the mean probing bone level (PBL) of 3.9 +/- 1.0 mm (p<0.001). The control group displayed a mean PPD reduction of 4.6 +/- 0.4 mm (p<0.001), a mean RAL gain of 3.4 +/- 0.8 mm (p<0.001) and a mean PBL gain of 2.8 +/- 0.8 mm (p<0.001). RAL gains of > or =4 mm were measured in 90% of the test defects and in 55% of the controls. PBL gains of > or =4 mm were obtained in 85% of the test defects and in 25% of the control ones. The test treatment resulted in statistically higher PPD reductions, RAL gains and PBL gains compared with the control (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Within their limits, the present results indicate that: (i) at 1 year after surgery, both therapies resulted in statistically significant clinical improvements compared with baseline and (ii) although the combination of EMD+AB resulted in statistically significant higher soft and hard tissue improvements compared with treatment with EMD, the clinical relevance of this finding is unclear.