Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal associations of depressive symptoms and pain with quality of life in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis

Depressive symptoms and pain are common in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD), yet their associations with quality of life (QOL) are not fully understood. We sought to characterize the longitudinal associations of these symptoms with QOL. As part of a trial comparing two symptom management strategies in patients receiving chronic HD, we assessed depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9), and pain using the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF‐MPQ) monthly over 24 months. We assessed health‐related QOL (HR‐QOL) quarterly using the Short Form 12 (SF‐12) and global QOL (G‐QOL) using a single‐item survey. We used random effects linear regression to analyze the independent associations of depressive symptoms and pain, scaled based on 5‐point increments in symptom scores, with HR‐QOL and G‐QOL. Overall, 286 patients completed 1417 PHQ‐9 and SF‐MPQ symptom assessments, 1361 SF‐12 assessments, and 1416 G‐QOL assessments. Depressive symptoms were independently and inversely associated with SF‐12 physical HR‐QOL scores (β = −1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.69, −0.50, P < 0.001); SF‐12 mental HR‐QOL scores (β = −4.52; 95% CI: −5.15, −3.89, P < 0.001); and G‐QOL scores (β = −0.64; 95%CI: −0.79, −0.49, P < 0.001). Pain was independently and inversely associated with SF‐12 physical HR‐QOL scores (β = −0.99; 95% CI: −1.30, −0.68, P < 0.001) and G‐QOL scores (β = −0.12; 95%CI: −0.20, −0.05, P = 0.002); but not with SF‐12 mental HR‐QOL scores (β = −0.16; 95%CI: −0.050, 0.17, P = 0.34). In patients receiving chronic HD, depressive symptoms and to a lesser extent pain, are independently associated with reduced HR‐QOL and G‐QOL. Interventions to alleviate these symptoms could potentially improve patients' HR‐QOL and G‐QOL.
Information literacy in Tanzanian universities

A study was undertaken in four Tanzanian universities to investigate the status and practice of information literacy (IL) so as to determine the best ways of introducing or improving IL programmes. This article reports on the findings related to challenges and opportunities that could influence the effective implementation and introduction of IL programmes in Tanzanian universities. Data for the study was collected using a questionnaire-based survey administered to teaching staff, librarians and undergraduate students. Semi-structured interviews collected data from Deputy Vice Chancellors (DVCs) for academic affairs, Faculty Deans, Library Directors and a Library Head. The findings of the study showed that IL was new in the university curricula although some IL rubrics were being practised. Lack of adequate resources, lack of an IL policy, lack of proactive solutions among librarians coupled with the need for adequate library staffing and training, and collaboration between librarians and teaching staff in IL activities were all identified as challenges facing IL effectiveness. Also identified were potential opportunities such as the support by the majority of university stakeholders to mainstream IL and make it a compulsory course. These opportunities would allow the introduction of effective and sustainable IL programmes. The article concludes that librarians should seize the opportunities that are available to spearhead IL while at the same time making sure they tackle the identified challenges.
Circulating NK‐Cell Subsets in Renal Allograft Recipients With Anti‐HLA Donor‐Specific Antibodies

Detection of posttransplant donor‐specific anti‐HLA antibodies (DSA) constitutes a risk factor for kidney allograft loss. Together with complement activation, NK‐cell antibody‐dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) has been proposed to contribute to the microvascular damage associated to humoral rejection. In the present observational exploratory study, we have tried to find a relationship of circulating donor‐specific and nondonor‐specific anti‐HLA antibodies (DSA and HLA non‐DSA) with peripheral blood NK‐cell subsets and clinical features in 393 renal allograft recipients. Multivariate analysis indicated that retransplantation and pretransplant sensitization were associated with detection of posttransplant DSA. Recipient female gender, DR mismatch and acute rejection were significantly associated with posttransplant DSA compared to HLA non‐DSA. In contrast with patients without detectable anti‐HLA antibodies, DSA and HLA non‐DSA patients displayed lower proportions of NK‐cells, associated with increased CD56bright and NKG2A+ subsets, the latter being more marked in DSA cases. These differences appeared unrelated to retransplantation, previous acute rejection or immunosuppressive therapy. Although preliminary and observational in nature, our results suggest that the assessment of the NK‐cell immunophenotype may contribute to define signatures of alloreactive humoral responses in renal allograft recipients.
Using Bibliometrics to Demonstrate the Value of Library Journal Collections

Although cited reference studies are common in the library and information science literature, they are rarely performed in non-academic institutions or in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences. In this paper, we analyze over 400,000 cited references made by authors affiliated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration between 2009 and 2013. Our results suggest that these methods can be applied to research libraries in a variety of institutions, that the results of analyses performed at one institution may not be applicable to other institutions, and that cited reference analyses should be periodically updated to reflect changes in authors' referencing behavior.
Affinity of cephalosporins for beta-lactamases as a factor in antibacterial efficacy

Strains of Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Enterobacter cloacae that were resistant to ceftazidime (MIC greater than 16 micrograms/ml) but susceptible to BMY 28142 (MIC less than 4 micrograms/ml) were found to contain higher levels of beta-lactamase activity (50- to 3,340-fold) than control strains of the corresponding species. Ceftazidime was at least as resistant as BMY 28142 to hydrolysis by these enzymes. However, the apparent Ki of BMY 28142 for each enzyme was larger (8- to greater than 20-fold) than that of ceftazidime; i.e., the affinity of these enzymes for BMY 28142 appeared to be lower than that for ceftazidime. Thus, BMY 28142 was affected less than ceftazidime by a mechanism of resistance that depends, at least in part, on the relative affinities of cephalosporins for the beta-lactamases of these species. These results indicate that the affinity between a beta-lactamase and a cephalosporin may be a distinguishing factor in the evaluation of beta-lactamase-resistant cephalosporins and suggest that affinity can play a major role in susceptibility to highly beta-lactamase-resistant cephalosporins.
Cardiac rehabilitation: call to action for healthcare providers.

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a multi-disciplinary, secondary prevention treatment modality 1 which reduces mortality and morbidity among patients with coronary heart disease and improves symptoms, functional capacity, metabolic status, depression, and health related quality of life. 2,3 A recent analysis suggested that CR contributed significantly to the reduction in coronary heart disease mortality observed in the United States between 1980 and 2000 and that the risk reduction attributable to CR was comparable to reductions attributed to post-event aspirin, beta-blocker, ACE-inhibitor, statin and warfarin therapy as well as to risk reductions attributed to acute thrombolysis and revascularization. 4 CR is considered a Class I indication after acute coronary syndrome, coronary revascularization, and for stable angina, but remains underutilized with low referral, low enrollment, and low completion rates and considerable disparities in access. 5,6 (SELECT FULL TEXT TO CONTINUE)
Evidence for electromagnetic fluid drift turbulence controlling the edge plasma state in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak

Plasma profiles across the separatrix and scrape-off layer (SOL) in Alcator C-Mod are examined for a range of plasma densities, currents and magnetic fields in Ohmic L-mode discharges and for a subset of conditions in Ohmic H-mode discharges. In all plasmas, electron pressure gradient scale lengths ( ) exhibit a minimum value just outside the separatrix (i.e. in the near SOL), forming the base of a weak (strong) pedestal in L-mode (H-mode) plasmas. Over a wide range of conditions in Ohmic L-mode discharges, at this location are found to track with a monotonic function of electron collision frequency, when this quantity is normalized according to the framework of electromagnetic fluid drift turbulence (EMFDT) theory. Moreover, at fixed values of normalized collisionality parameter (characterized as the ‘diamagnetic parameter’, αd), electron pressure gradients in the near SOL increase with plasma current squared, holding the MHD ballooning parameter, αMHD, unchanged. Thus, the state of the near SOL is restricted to a narrow region within this two-parameter phase-space. An implication is that cross-field heat and particle transport are strong functions of these parameters. Indeed, as αd is decreased below ∼0.3, cross-field heat convection increases sharply and competes with parallel heat conduction along open field lines, making high plasma density regions of αMHD–αd space energetically inaccessible. These observations are consistent with the idea that the operational space of the edge plasma, including boundaries associated with the tokamak density limit, is controlled by EMFDT.
Motor Cortex Stimulation for Chronic Pain: Panacea or Placebo?

In this issue, Sachs and coworkers (1) report and carefully examine their negative experience with motor cortex stimulation (MCS) for the treatment of chronic pain. This highlights an ongoing controversy in the field of brain neuromodulation; while there exists a large body of literature reporting the significant efficacy of MCS for chronic pain therapy, several investigators have more recently discussed their frustration with the long-term efficacy of MCS. Is MCS a panacea for neuropathic pain syndromes such as anesthesia dolorosa and central poststroke pain, or is this merely a placebo effect? Those of us involved in the clinical care of refractory chronic pain patients need to more thoroughly examine this controversy and provide direction for further research and clinical practice. Tsubokawa et al. first reported chronic stimulation of the precentral cortex for the treatment of pain in 1991 (2,3). Interestingly, stimulation of the motor cortex gave better results than stimulation of the sensory cortex, the latter of which caused some patients’ pain to worsen. A number of reports have followed describing the use of MCS for intractable pain syndromes including poststroke pain, phantom limb pain, spinal cord injury pain, postherpetic neuralgia, and neuropathic pain of the limbs or face (4). MCS has shown particular promise in the treatment of trigeminal neuropathic pain and central pain syndromes such as poststroke thalamic pain syndrome for which there are few other effective treatments (2,3,5–14). Based upon these reports, poststroke pain responds well to MCS, with approximately twothirds of reported patients achieving adequate relief. Several studies have reported excellent results of using MCS for the treatment of trigeminal neuropathic pain, with 75% to 100% of patients achieving good to excellent pain relief (8,10,15–17).
Immediate urodynamic and anatomic response to colposuspension in female Beagles.

OBJECTIVE To characterize urodynamic function and anatomy before and after colposuspension in anesthetized female Beagles. ANIMALS 12 adult female Beagles. PROCEDURE; During general anesthesia (thiopental sodium induction and halothane maintenance), urethral pressure profiles, leak point pressure measurements with a 50-ml bladder volume, positive contrast cystograms, and retrograde vaginourethrocystograms were performed. A caudal midline laparotomy was used to perform colposuspension. Urodynamic and radiographic studies were repeated after surgery. RESULTS Leak point pressures were increased (120 to 168.9 cm H2O), and maximum urethral closure pressures decreased (43.7 to 19.3 cm H2O ) after colposuspension. The urethra and bladder were moved cranially; the external urethral orifice was positioned closer to the pelvic cavity, and the neck of the bladder was positioned more cranially into the abdomen. Length of the urethra, as measured by use of vaginourethrocystograms, was increased by 3%. As measured by use of urethral pressure profiles, total profile length was increased by 19.9%, and functional profile length was increased by 19.2%. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Increased leak-point pressure correlated with the expected clinical improvement attributable to colposuspension. Increased exposure of the urethra to abdominal and pelvic cavity pressures may be the mechanism by which incontinent dogs become continent after colposuspension. Results of the leak-point pressure test may correlate with clinical behavior before and after colposuspension for treatment of incontinence.
A study of the specific IgM antibody response in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in man

SUMMARY Sera from 96 patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection were examined for specific IgM antibody. The complement fixation test was used to measure the IgM after separation by ultracentrifugation through sucrose density gradients. Of patients under the age of 20 years 78 % displayed positive specific IgM titres. In older patients only 34% were IgM positive. The specific IgM remained detectable, but at decreasing levels, during the follow-up period of 5 months. This diagnostic technique appears to be of value in children and young adults experiencing primary infection with M. pneumoniae.
Expression of BamHI-A Rightward Transcripts in Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Gastric Cancers

Purpose About 10% of all gastric cancers (GCs) are Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated. However, the oncogene of EBV in gastric carcinogenesis has not yet been established. In the present study, we investigated the virus-derived transcripts in the EBV-infected GC cell line to explore the viral oncogene of EBV-positive GCs. Materials and Methods We used the SNU719 cell line, a naturally derived EBV-infected GC cell line. The individual expressed sequence tags from the cDNA libraries of SNU719 were searched against the mRNA subset extracted from the GenBank data base. Sequence reaction was carried out for the EBV-associated clones. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed after cells were partitioned into nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions. Results Using bioinformatic tools, we selected 13 EBV-associated clones from cDNA libraries of SNU719. By sequencing analysis, we revealed that they were all associated with RPMS1, one of the BamHI-A rightward transcripts (BART) of EBV. Some BART cDNAs such as RPMS1 and A73 are known to be translated into protein in vitro, and have been shown to have some biochemical functions relevant to tumorigenesis. But, presently, the BART transcripts were expressed only in the nucleus and not in the cytoplasm, arguing against their role as messenger RNAs. Some other BART transcripts expressed in GCs (BARF0, CST, vIL, BARF1, BLLF1, and BcLF1) were also extensively detected in the nucleus. Conclusion BART transcripts are the predominant viral transcripts expressed in EBV-associated GCs, and they are located only in the nucleus. Therefore, it seems less likely that BART transcripts produce functional proteins to play a role in carcinogenesis of EBV-associated GCs.
2-Amino-4-(4-chlorophenyl)-7,7-dimethyl-5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-chromene-3-carbonitrile propan-2-one monosolvate

In the title compound, C18H17ClN2O2·C3H6O, the 4H-pyran ring is nearly planar [maximum deviation = −0.108 (1) Å] and the cyclohexene ring is puckered [puckering parameters Q T = 0.4596 (17) Å, θ = 55.9 (2)° and ϕ = 226.5 (3)°]. The 4H-pyran ring is approximately perpendicular to the benzene ring [dihedral angle = 84.35 (7)°] and is almost coplanar with the mean plane of the cyclohexene ring [dihedral angle = 8.64 (7)°]. In the crystal, inversion-related main molecules are linked into dimers by pairs of N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds, generating an R 2 2(12) graph-set motif. These dimers are further connected by N—H⋯O and C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds, forming a layer structure extending parallel to the (011) plane. In addition, the molecules within the layers interact with each other via C—H⋯π interactions.
Transnatal olfactory continuity in the rabbit: behavioral evidence and short-term consequence of its disruption.

This study investigates the role of prenatal odor learning on postnatal adaptive orientation responses in the newborn rabbit. Preference tests revealed that pups are equally attracted to the odors of placentae and colostrum (Experiments 1-4), suggesting that an odor continuity may exist between the fetal and neonatal environments. To test some predictions derived from this hypothesis, we manipulated the odor of the diet of pregnant-lactating does to control the chemical niches of their perinates. Fetuses exposed in this way to the odor of cumin (C) were selectively attracted as neonates to the odor of pure C (Experiment 6). Prenatal exposure to C also was followed, to a certain extent, by enhanced attraction to C odor in the placenta or colostrum from females which had consumed it (Experiments 5 & 7). Finally, the functional implications of perinatal odor continuity were tested by disrupting it. The odor component of the feto-neonatal transitional environment revealed indeed to affect the ability of certain pups to gain colostrum and milk at the very first sucking opportunities (Experiment 8).
Drug resistant anaerobic infections: Are they complicating diabetic foot ulcer?

Introduction: Poorly controlled diabetes and associated peripheral neuropathy often results in foot ulcers which get infected frequently resulting in gas gangrene and sometimes require amputation. Polymicrobial nature of infection is usually considered to start the empirical treatment. The aerobic culture and sensitivity is commonly practiced to guide the treatment but no efforts are taken to look for the anaerobic infection. The upcoming resistance of anaerobes to the commonly used antibiotics is under diagnosed leading to treatment failure in diabetic foot ulcers. The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of anaerobic infections in 50 clinically diagnosed diabetic foot ulcer patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital. Aims & Objectives: To isolate & identify the aerobic & anaerobic bacteria from diabetic foot ulcers as per the standard microbiological technique. To study the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of both aerobic & anaerobic bacteria isolated from these ulcers. Material & Methods: A prospective study was carried out in 50 diabetic patients admitted with foot ulcers. The pus samples collected from foot ulcers were processed for both aerobic & anaerobic culture followed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing as per standard protocol. Results: Anaerobic organisms were isolated from 10 patients (22%), three of which grew only anaerobic bacteria (6%). The most commonly isolated anaerobe was found to be Clostridium species (50%) followed by Peptostreptococcus species (40%). Metronidazole is the drug of choice to treat anaerobic infection; in the present study anaerobes showed 40% resistance to Metronidazole. The polymicrobial infection was seen in 22% of patients which were purely aerobic infection . The most common aerobic bacteria isolated was E.coli. Mixed aerobic & anaerobic infection was seen in14% of patients. Conclusion: This study demands further analysis of diabetic foot ulcers to formulate the empirical treatment considering the susceptibility pattern of both aerobic & anaerobic organisms.
Environmental stress, psychological stress and allostatic load

Abstract The mechanism by which chronic caregiving stress results in poor health is not well understood. The objective was to determine whether such a mechanism may be allostatic load, a novel concept specifying physiological systems that may suffer cumulative wear and tear following chronic stress, leading collectively to poor health. The study examines the association of allostatic load with environmental and psychological stress in the contexts of dementia caregiving and relinquishment of care, and is a 2-year longitudinal comparison of three groups: 80 new dementia spouse caregivers, 120 veteran caregivers, and 60 non-caregivers. Data comprised allostatic load markers and environmental and psychological stress measures. Cross-lagged analyses produced a statistically significant association between psychological stress and one allostatic load component (primary mediators). Psychological stress was a better predictor of primary mediators than environmental stress. Primary mediators rose with time for caregivers, but not for non-caregivers. A greater rise was evident for caregivers who had relinquished their role by the second year, although the level of psychological stress actually declined. Primary mediators are a key component of the relationship between allostatic load and prior stress. When allostatic load is treated as an outcome of stress, it is important to distinguish environmental and psychological stress.
Early heart development: Dynamics of endocardial cell sorting suggests a common origin with cardiomyocytes

The myocardial and endocardial cell sorting out processes take place primarily between 19 and 29 hr of development in the avian embryo. This occurs in an apparent rostral to caudal wave through the heart forming region. During heart development considerable uncertainty exists regarding the processes that regulate cell commitments, progressive aggregation, and sorting out of the different precardiac cell populations. The question addressed in this report is whether endocardial and myocardial cells have a common origin or do the endocardial cells arise from a distinct population of cells from within the precardiac mesoderm. These cells then migrate to become localized between the developing myocardium above and the endoderm below. The distribution of preendocardial cells and premyocardial cells has been followed immunohistochemically in quail heart‐forming region mesoderm explants from embryos approximately 18 hr in development and incubated for a 24‐hr period. Differentiating myocardiocytes were immunostained with anti‐N‐cadherin and endocardiocytes with QH‐1, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes an antigenic determinant on quail endothelial cells. Sparsely localized QH‐1 labeled endothelial cells are localized in the stage 5 heart‐forming region. These cells are often arranged in a columnar fashion in the mesoderm explants 6 hr after explantation. By 15–22 hr large patches of QH‐1 expressing cells are interspersed with the N‐cadherin expressing myocardiocytes. A subpopulation of cells express both N‐cadherin and QH‐1 antigen suggesting that endocardial and myocardial cells may arise from a common precursor population and that N‐cadherin regulation may be a mechanism underlying specific cell sorting of these two cell populations during heart development. © 1993 wiley‐Liss, Inc.