Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rhinovirus-Associated Wheezing in Infancy: Comparison With Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis

Background: There is increasing evidence that rhinoviruses (RV) are able to cause lower airway infections and to induce wheezing in young children. There are few data on the clinical characteristics of RV infections in infants. Objective: The aim of the study was to compare clinical characteristics of infantile RV infection associated with wheezing and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis. Material and Methods: During a 22-month study period in 1992–1993, 100 children younger than 24 months old were hospitalized with respiratory tract infection-associated wheezing. Viral etiology was originally assessed by antibody and antigen assays. Etiologic studies were later supplemented by polymerase chain reaction for RVs (in 2000) and for RSV (in 2002), studied in frozen respiratory samples. There were 81 children with adequate determinations for both RVs and RSV. Twenty-six children had RV and 24 had RSV infection, and these 50 cases form the material of the present study. Atopic dermatitis, oxygen saturation, respiratory rates and clinical scores based on wheezing and retractions and total serum IgE concentrations and blood eosinophil counts were studied in all cases on admission. Results: The children with RV infection, compared with RSV patients, were older (median, 13 versus 5 months), presented more often with atopic dermatitis (odds ratio, 16.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.22–100) and blood eosinophilia (odds ratio, 2.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–50). The groups did not differ from each other with regard to total serum IgE. Oxygen saturation values were lower in children with RSV infection. There were no significant differences in respiratory rates or scores combining wheezing and retractions. Conclusion: RV-associated wheezing and RSV bronchiolitis, although having rather similar clinical characteristics, differ significantly with regard to age, presence of atopic dermatitis and eosinophilia during infection.
Mid-Substance Peroneal Tendon Defects Augmented With an Acellular Dermal Matrix Allograft

Background: This study evaluated an acellular dermal matrix allograft augmentation for chronic mid-substance peroneous longus and brevis tendon tears. The hypothesis was that acellular dermal matrix allograft augmentation of chronic longitudinal mid-substance or complete tears of both peroneal tendons provides sufficient initial strength to allow a rapid rehabilitation program. Materials and Methods: A consecutive series of midsubstance peroneal tendon tears with tissue loss was prospectively evaluated with demographic data, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society hindfoot-ankle scores, subjective questionnaires, and functional tests as well as physical examination, pre-operative radiographs, and MRIs. Surgical reconstruction consisted of direct tendon repair, fibular sulcus deepening, and “gap jumping” tubular grafting augmentation using an acellular dermal matrix. A rapid rehabilitation protocol was followed. Eleven cases were included (9 females and 2 males). Average age was 46 (range, 29 to 62) years. Followup was 16.9 (range, 12 to 22) months. Two patients had prior surgery for instability, peroneal tendon debridement, and repair. Four patients had previous tenodesis. Results: All showed extensive longitudinal tearing or complete peroneal tendon rupture on MRI. The mean postoperative AOFAS hindfoot score was 93.5 (range, 75 to 100). Four patients had 1 cm of calf atrophy. All patients were able to perform single-heel rise, had painless ankle and foot range of motion bilaterally, and eversion/ inversion strength was within one half grade of strength of the contralateral side in all patients. No postoperative hindfoot varus was identified. Conclusion: An acellular dermal matrix graft provided an effective “gap jumping” augmentation for repairs of chronic degenerative peroneal tendon tears. Level of Evidence: IV, Retrospective Case Series
Melanoma case survival rates in South Australia by histological type, thickness and level of tumour at diagnosis

Data from the South Australian Cancer Registry on malignant melanoma of the skin showed that case survival rates were higher for lentigo maligna melanomas and superficial spreading lesions than for nodular and other histological classifications. Lower case survival rates applied to the thicker melanomas and those at a more invasive level at diagnosis. After adjusting for differences in thickness and level in this study, no statistically significant differences were apparent between case survival rates for the nodular lesions and the lentigo maligna and superficial spreading melanomas.
PLASMA EXCHANGE: A SELECTIVE FORM OF BLOOD‐LETTING

The technique of, and indications for, plasma exchange are presented. This selective form of plasma removal has re‐established “bloodletting” in medical therapeutics on a scientific basis. It is the most appropriate therapy when hyperviscosity or haemostatic failure complicate immunoproliferative disease. Plasma exchange is also a significant advance in the management of fulminant forms of autoimmune disease, but in many other conditions it must be regarded as experimental.
Effect of 4‐hydroxynonenal, a lipid peroxidation product, on exocytosis in HL‐60 cells

Our work analysed the effect of 4‐hydroxynonenal (HNE), a chemotactic aldehydic end‐product of lipid peroxidation, on exocytosis in HL‐60 cells. We measured the release of β‐glucuronidase, an enzyme of azurophil granules, from the cells incubated at 37°C for 10 min in the presence of HNE concentrations ranging between 10−8 and 10−5 M. The release of lactate dehydrogenase was assayed to test cell viability. HNE (1 μM) was able to induce a significant and strong stimulation of β‐glucuronidase secretion without leading to cytotoxic effects. The finding that HNE could increase the exocytotic secretion from HL‐60 cells together with its known chemotactic property supports the hypothesis that this lipid peroxidation product may play an important role as a chemical mediator of inflammation; moreover it is noteworthy that micromolar concentrations of HNE have actually been found in exudates from acute and chronic inflammations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Telithromycin Resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae Is Conferred by a Deletion in the Leader Sequence of erm(B) That Increases rRNA Methylation

ABSTRACT A telithromycin-resistant clinical isolate of Streptococcus pneumoniae (strain P1501016) has been found to contain a version of erm(B) that is altered by a 136-bp deletion in the leader sequence. By allele replacement mutagenesis, a second strain of S. pneumoniae (PC13) with a wild-type erm(B) gene was transformed to the telithromycin-resistant phenotype by introduction of the mutant erm(B) gene. Whereas the wild-type PC13 strain showed slight telithromycin resistance only after induction by erythromycin (telithromycin MIC increased from 0.06 to 0.5 μg/ml), the transformed PC13 strain is constitutively resistant (MIC of 16 μg/ml). Expression of erm(B) was quantified by real-time reverse transcription-PCR in the presence of erythromycin or telithromycin; erm(B) expression was significantly higher in the transformed PC13 strain than the wild-type strain. Furthermore, the transformed strain had significantly higher levels of ribosomal methylation in the absence as well as in the presence of the antibiotics. Growth studies showed that the transformed PC13 strain had a shorter lag phase than the wild-type strain in the presence of erythromycin. Telithromycin resistance is conclusively shown to be conferred by the mutant erm(B) gene that is expressed at a constitutively higher level than the inducible wild-type gene. Elevated erm(B) expression results in a higher level of rRNA methylation that presumably hinders telithromycin binding to the ribosome.
Agreement between gastrointestinal panel testing and standard microbiology methods for detecting pathogens in suspected infectious gastroenteritis: Test evaluation and meta-analysis in the absence of a reference standard

Objective Multiplex gastrointestinal pathogen panel (GPP) tests simultaneously identify bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens from the stool samples of patients with suspected infectious gastroenteritis presenting in hospital or the community. We undertook a systematic review to compare the accuracy of GPP tests with standard microbiology techniques. Review methods Searches in Medline, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane library were undertaken from inception to January 2016. Eligible studies compared GPP tests with standard microbiology techniques in patients with suspected gastroenteritis. Quality assessment of included studies used tailored QUADAS-2. In the absence of a reference standard we analysed test performance taking GPP tests and standard microbiology techniques in turn as the benchmark test, using random effects meta-analysis of proportions. Results No study provided an adequate reference standard with which to compare the test accuracy of GPP and conventional tests. Ten studies informed a meta-analysis of positive and negative agreement. Positive agreement across all pathogens was 0.93 (95% CI 0.90 to 0.96) when conventional methods were the benchmark and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.58 to 0.77) when GPP provided the benchmark. Negative agreement was high in both instances due to the high proportion of negative cases. GPP testing produced a greater number of pathogen-positive findings than conventional testing. It is unclear whether these additional ‘positives’ are clinically important. Conclusions GPP testing has the potential to simplify testing and accelerate reporting when compared to conventional microbiology methods. However the impact of GPP testing upon the management, treatment and outcome of patients is poorly understood and further studies are needed to evaluate the health economic impact of GPP testing compared with standard methods. The review protocol is registered with PROSPERO as CRD42016033320.
Urinary levels of estrogens and pregnanediol and plasma levels of progesterone during the menstrual cycle of the chimpanzee; relationship to the sexual swelling.

Urinary estrone, estradiol–17β, estriol and pregnanediol were identified and measured during 3 normal menstrual cycles in 3 chimpanzees. During the first half of the menstrual cycle, the animals excreted 1–10 βg/day estrone, 0.5–5.0 βg/day estradiol–17β, 0.1–0.8 μg/day estriol, and < 20–700 Hg/day pregnanediol. In the second half of the cycle, corresponding values were 1–20 μg/day estrone, 1–9 μg/day estradiol– 17β, < 1.0–2.5 μg/day estriol, and <20–1860 μg/ day pregnanediol. The values for estrone and estradiol–17β are similar to those found during the human menstrual cycle, but the levels for estriol are strikingly lower. Levels for urinary pregnanediol were significantly lower than in the human, both in absolute terms and in relation to the plasma progesterone levels. Plasma progesterone levels (26 subjects) were similar to those in the human. Variations during the cycle in urinary estrone, estradiol–17β, pregnanediol and plasma progesterone corresponded to those in the human. There was a marked mid—cy.
Safety and Tolerability of Atomoxetine Hydrochloride in a Long-Term, Placebo-Controlled Randomized Withdrawal Study in European and Non-European Adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder

ABSTRACT � Background and Objectives: Safety and tolerability of atomoxetine were studied in the largest double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised withdrawal trial of atomoxetine (80 or 100 mg/day) in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: Patients (N = 2017), 18 to 50 years of age, with ADHD were enrolled from 18 countries. Patients who responded to atomoxetine during a 12-week open-label treatment phase and maintained that response during a 12-week double-blind maintenance phase were randomised to atomoxetine (N = 266) or placebo (N = 258) for 25 weeks of double-blind treatment. Treatment differences were compared for serious adverse events (AEs), treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs), discontinuation due to AEs, vital signs, body weight, and electrocardiograms. Results: During the 25-week double-blind treatment phase, discontinuations due to AEs were similar between atomoxetine and placebo (3.4% vs. 1.9%; P = .418). The percentage of patients experiencing . 1 TEAE(s) was significantly higher for atomoxetine than placebo (47.0% vs. 37.6%; P = .034), but there were no significant differences for any individual TEAE. Diastolic blood pressure (-0.1 vs. -2.3 mmHg), heart rate (-1.4 vs. -5.3 bpm), and weight (-0.2 vs. 1.1 kg) were significantly different between atomoxetine and placebo (P <.001). There were no significant differences between atomoxetine and placebo in the frequencies of patients showing an increase from baseline >30 ms in Fridericia�fs QT correction (QTcF; 1.4% vs. 2.6%) or Bazett�fs QT correction (QTcB; 2.8% vs. 2.6%). During the entire study, no patient had a QTcF or QTcB >500 ms, or an increase from baseline >60 ms. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that atomoxetine exhibited an acceptable safety profile in adults with ADHD after 1 year of treatment, and no clinically meaningful safety- related rebound effects were observed following abrupt discontinuation after 24 weeks of treatment.
E-learning Motivation and Educational Portal Acceptance in Developing Countries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to: empirically validate a modified unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model by adding an “e‐learning motivation” construct in the South American context; try to determine the role of e‐learning motivation in the use and adoption of e‐learning systems and conversely the effect of technology on students' e‐learning motivation; and to test region and gender as moderators in the model.Design/methodology/approach – A survey method was used to collect data from 47 schools located at different regions: the coast, Andes, and jungle of Peru. The partial least square technique was used for data analysis.Findings – It was found that “e‐learning motivation” and “social influence” had a positive influence on behavioural intention, while “facilitating condition” had no effect on e‐learning portal use. Furthermore, use behaviour had a positive influence on e‐learning motivation. Also found was the moderating role of “region”. Research limitations/implication.
Learning from Regulatory Disasters

Regulatory disasters are catastrophic events or series of events which have significantly harmful impacts on the life, health or financial wellbeing of individuals or the environment. They are caused, at least in part, by failures in, or unforeseen consequences of, the design and /or operation of the regulatory system put in place to prevent those harmful effects from occurring. Regulatory disasters are horrendous for those affected by them. Because of that we have an obligation to learn as much from them as we can, notwithstanding all the well-known challenges related to policy and organisational learning. The article focuses on five distinct and unrelated regulatory disasters which, although they occurred in apparently unrelated domains or countries, contain insights for all regulators as the regulatory regimes share a common set of elements which through their differential configuration and interaction create the unique dynamics of that regime. In the regulatory disasters analysed here, these manifest themselves as six contributory causes, operating alone or together: the incentives on individuals or groups; the organisational dynamics of regulators, regulated operators and the complexity of the regulatory system in which they are situated; weaknesses, ambiguities and contradictions in the regulatory strategies adopted; misunderstandings of the problem and the potential solutions; problems with communication about the conduct expected, or conflicting messages; and trust and accountability structures.
Resistant bacteria in the adenoids: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence of resistant bacteria in adenoid cultures from children with and without middle ear disease and rhinosinusitis symptoms. DESIGN Children meeting the requirement for tympanostomy tube placement underwent an adjuvant adenoidectomy for symptoms of adenoid hypertrophy or recurrent rhinosinusitis. Adenoid tissue and coexisting middle ear fluid, if present, were cultured. SETTING Tertiary referral children's hospital with community-based satellite clinics. PATIENTS Forty-six patients ranging in age from 1 to 11 years (68% <3 years) with recurrent or persistent otitis media and symptoms of adenoid hypertrophy or rhinosinusitis (study patients) underwent tympanostomy tube placement and adenoidectomy with culture of the adenoids and middle ear effusions. Eighteen patients with adenoid hypertrophy without ear disease or rhinosinusitis were used as controls. INTERVENTIONS Tympanostomy tube placement and adenoidectomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Presence or absence of resistant bacteria. RESULTS Resistant bacteria were found in cultures of the adenoids in 56% (26/46) of the study group compared with 22% (4/18) of the control patients (P<.02). Also, strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, or Moraxella catarrhalis were found in cultures from 78% (36/ 46) of the study group, compared with 44% (8/18) of those from the control group (P<.01). Resistant isolates were found in 65% (23/35) of the S. pneumoniae, 37% (18/49) of the H. influenzae, and 100% (19/19) of the M. catarrhalis cultures from the adenoids or middle ear spaces. CONCLUSION Resistant bacteria are present in significant amounts in the adenoids of children with middle ear disease and rhinosinusitis symptoms compared with patients without those diseases or symptoms.
Outcome of treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia with hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, dexamethasone/methotrexate, cytarabine: results from an Australian population

The optimal initial therapy for treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia is yet to be defined. Hyper-CVAD has become a widely used treatment for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia, although publication of outcomes is largely limited to single-center experience. We performed a retrospective analysis of 63 patients treated with Hyper-CVAD at two Australian institutions between 1995 and 2007. Complete remission was obtained in 86% of patients, with an induction mortality of 8%. Treatment-related toxicity was high, resulting in premature cessation of planned treatment in 29% of patients achieving CR. Survival estimates were comparable to previously published experience, with estimated 5-year overall and progression-free survival of 48% and 42%, respectively. Allogeneic stem cell transplant was performed in 22% of patients in first complete remission, with encouraging survival outcomes (estimated 5-year overall survival 75%, progression free survival 82%). Hyper-CVAD is an effective and tolerable induction strategy for adult ALL, and is suitable for use prior to allogeneic stem cell transplant in first complete remission.
Step Test: a method for evaluating maximum oxygen consumption to determine the ability kind of work among students of medical emergencies

Introduction Maximum oxygen consumption shows the maximum oxygen rate of muscle oxygenation that is acceptable in many cases, to measure the fitness between person and the desired job. Given that medical emergencies are important, and difficult jobs in emergency situations require people with high physical ability and readiness for the job, the aim of this study was to evaluate the maximum oxygen consumption, to determine the ability of work type among students of medical emergencies in Qazvin in 2016. Methods This study was a descriptive – analytical, and in cross-sectional type conducted among 36 volunteer students of medical emergencies in Qazvin in 2016. After necessary coordination for the implementation of the study, participants completed health questionnaires and demographic characteristics and then the participants were evaluated with step tests of American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM). Data analysis was done by SPSS version 18 and U-Mann-Whitney tests, Kruskal-Wallis and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results Average of maximum oxygen consumption of the participants was estimated 3.15±0.50 liters per minute. 91.7% of medical emergencies students were selected as appropriate in terms of maximum oxygen consumption and thus had the ability to do heavy and too heavy work. Average of maximum oxygen consumption evaluated by the U-Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis, had significant relationship with age (p<0.05) and weight groups (p<0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between maximum oxygen consumption with weight and body mass index (p<0.001). Conclusion The results of this study showed that demographic variables of weight and body mass index are the factors influencing the determination of maximum oxygen consumption, as most of the students had the ability to do heavy, and too heavy work. Therefore, people with ability to do average work are not suitable for medical emergency tasks.
ECOLOGY OF CULICOIDES (DIPTERA: CERATOPOGONIDAE) IN SOUTHCENTRAL FLORIDA AND EXPERIMENTAL CULICOIDES VECTORS OF THE AVIAN HEMATOZOAN HAEMOPROTEUS DANILEWSKYI KRUSE

To determine the vectors of Haemoproteus danilewskyi in blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) in southcentral Florida (USA), we conducted a 2 yr study from January 1993 to December 1995 of the presence and seasonal abundance of Culicoides spp. Of the 14 species of Culicoides captured in Centers for Disease Control light traps, 10 were ornithophilic. Of these, C. edeni, C. knowltoni, C. stellifer, C. beckae, and C. arboricola were most abundant, representing 46% of the total collection and 99% of the ornithophilic collection. The presence of C. stellifer in Bennett trap collections represents a new biting record for this species on passerine birds. We experimentally challenged the most abundant ornithophilic species to determine which were capable of supporting sporogonic development of H. danilewskyi. Culicoides edeni, C. knowltoni, and C. arboricola supported sporogonic development of H. danilewskyi.
Application of the SILAC (stable isotope labelling with amino acids in cell culture) technique in quantitative comparisons for tissue proteome expression

Stable isotope labelling has recently become a popular tool for the quantitative profiling of the proteome, especially the emergence and development of the SILAC (stable isotope labelling with amino acids in cell culture) technique. Here we have expanded the application of SILAC to comparison of the relative protein expression levels between two different states of tissues based on cultured cells with [2H]leucine labelling as an internal standard in mass spectra. The SILAC ratio of tissue proteins versus labelled cells was determined by the calculation of peak intensity of the pair of labelled and unlabelled peptide fragment ions from the mass spectra, and the relative expression level of proteins in two groups of tissues was estimated by calculating the ratio of their SILAC ratio. To validate our [2H]leucine‐based differential proteome analysis for tissues, we successfully compared two known proteins, one up‐regulated vimentin and one down‐regulated enoyl‐CoA hydratase in human renal cancerous tissues versus human normal kidney tissues, which was previously confirmed by other groups using conventional two‐dimensional PAGE analysis. Furthermore, we identified a previously unknown down‐regulated protein, COX4I1 (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4 isoform 1), in renal carcinoma tissues by this [2H]leucine‐based quantitative proteomics method, which was also validated by immunohistochemistry and Western‐blot analysis. In conclusion, the application of the [2H]leucine‐based quantitative technique can be effectively expanded to comparison of the expression levels for the tissue proteome at different states, which would help us to identify new candidate biomarkers for tumours.