Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Outcome, functional autonomy, and quality of life of elderly patients with a long-term intensive care unit stay

ObjectiveTo examine the outcome, functional autonomy, and quality of life of elderly patients (≥70 yrs old) hospitalized for >30 days in an intensive care unit (ICU). DesignProspective cohort study. SettingA ten-bed, medical-surgical ICU in a 460-bed, acute care, tertiary, university hospital. PatientsA consecutive cohort of 75 patients, >70 yrs old, admitted to the ICU from January 1, 1993, to August 1, 1998, for >30 days. InterventionsNone. Measurements and Main ResultsSeverity at admission and of the underlying disease was estimated according to the Simplified Acute Physiologic Score (SAPS II), the Organ Dysfunction and/or Infection (ODIN) score, the McCabe score, and the Knaus classification. Therapeutic intensity was measured through the French Omega scoring system. All patients were mechanically ventilated during their ICU stay. Outcome measurements were made by two cross-sectional studies using telephone interviews on the first week of September 1996 and 1998 with a questionnaire including measures of functional capacity by Katz’s Activities of Daily Living, modified Patrick’s Perceived Quality of Life score, and the Nottingham Health Profile. The survival rate was 67% in the ICU and 47% in the hospital. A total of 30 patients were alive and able to participate in at least one of the cross-sectional studies. Independence in activities of daily living was decreased significantly after the ICU stay, except for feeding. However, most of the 30 patients remained independent (class A of the Activities of Daily Living index) with the possibility of going home. Perceived Quality of Life scores remained good, even if the patients estimated a decrease in their quality of life for health and memory. Return to society appeared promising regarding patient self respect and happiness with life. The estimated cost by survivor was of 55,272 EUR ($60,246 US). ConclusionsThis study suggests that persistent high levels of ICU therapeutic intensity were associated with a reasonable hospital survival in elderly patients experiencing prolonged mechanical ventilatory support. These patients presented a moderate disability that influenced somewhat their perceived quality of life. These results are sufficient to justify prolonged ICU stays for elderly patients.
Studies on the association of 2-thiazolidinecarboxylic acid and antimony potassium tartrate: chiral recognition and prediction of absolute configuration by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Optically active 2-thiazolidinecarboxylic acid (2-THC), a substrate for D-amino acid oxidase in animal kidney, is known to undergo racemization quickly in solution. The association of (+)- and (-)-2-THC with antimony potassium tartrate K(2)[Sb(2)(L or D-tart)(2)] was studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). We observed that relative intensities of associated ions in acetonitrile/water solution were changing as the racemization progressed. For [Sb(2)(L-tart)(2)](2-), the intensities of the associated ions increased as (+)-2-THC underwent racemization to a (-)-isomer; on the other hand, the intensity of the associated ion decreased as (-)-2-THC underwent racemization to a (+)-isomer. In the case of [Sb(2)(D-tart)(2)](2-), an opposite effect on the intensities of the associated ions was observed. The change in the intensities of associated ions can be used for chiral recognition of (+)-2-THC and (-)-2THC. Stereochemical models of the association of the optical isomers with [Sb(2)(L- or D-tart)(2)](2-) were constructed from the consideration of both hydrogen bonding of NH-O functions and HSAB (hard and soft acids and bases) interaction of S and Sb atoms. Comparison of the stereochemical models with the ESI-MS results enabled us to predict the absolute configurations of the 2-THC isomers.
Xenopus NF‐Y pre‐sets chromatin to potentiate p300 and acetylation‐responsive transcription from the Xenopus hsp70 promoter in vivo

We identify Xenopus NF‐Y as a key regulator of acetylation responsiveness for the Xenopus hsp70 promoter within chromatin assembled in Xenopus oocyte nuclei. Y‐box sequences are required for the assembly of DNase I‐hypersensitive sites in the hsp70 promoter, and for transcriptional activation both by inhibitors of histone deacetylase and by the p300 acetyltransferase. The viral oncoprotein E1A interferes with both of these activation steps. We clone Xenopus NF‐YA, NF‐YB and NF‐YC and establish that NF‐Y is the predominant Y‐box‐binding protein in Xenopus oocyte nuclei. NF‐Y interacts with p300 in vivo and is itself a target for acetylation by p300. Transcription from the hsp70 promoter in chromatin can be enhanced further by heat shock factor. We suggest two steps in chromatin modification at the Xenopus hsp70 promoter: first the binding of NF‐Y to the Y‐boxes to pre‐set chromatin and second the recruitment of p300 to modulate transcriptional activity.
Where’s dad? Exploring the low take-up of inclusive parenting policies in the UK

ABSTRACT This research explores approaches to promoting gender equality in the workplace by highlighting barriers to take-up of statutory policies designed to increase fathers’ involvement in childcare. Specifically, the paper examines why take-up of Shared Parental Leave (SPL), designed to improve gender equality in the workplace and home, has been low in the UK. There is a dearth of academic literature in this area. Extant grey literature suggests financial barriers, maternal gatekeeping and the perceived effects of extended leave on fathers’ careers are key, but fails to explore other barriers, or the variations in take-up. We interviewed 70 men and women entitled to SPL to address these limitations. We identify new barriers, notably poor policy communication at an organizational level, perceived policy complexity and societal expectations around maternal identities, while also showing how these barriers affect different groups of parents. We find professional couples are most likely to take SPL, particularly where the mother earns more or the father’s company enhances Shared Parental Pay. The complex, multiple barriers parents face also differ, according to the couple’s educational background and the workplace culture. Finally, we offer recommendations for increasing SPL take-up and driving workplace gender equality in the UK and internationally.
Combinatorial quorum sensing allows bacteria to resolve their social and physical environment

Significance Many bacterial species engage in a form of cell–cell communication known as quorum sensing (QS). Despite great progress in unravelling the molecular mechanisms of QS, controversy remains over its functional role. There is disagreement over whether QS surveys bacterial cell density or rather environmental properties like diffusion or flow, and moreover there is no consensus on why many bacteria use multiple signal molecules. We develop and test a new conceptual framework for bacterial cell–cell communication, demonstrating that bacteria can simultaneously infer both their social (density) and physical (mass-transfer) environment, given combinatorial (nonadditive) responses to multiple signals with distinct half-lives. Our results also show that combinatorial communication is not restricted solely to primates and is computationally achievable in single-celled organisms. Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell–cell communication system that controls gene expression in many bacterial species, mediated by diffusible signal molecules. Although the intracellular regulatory mechanisms of QS are often well-understood, the functional roles of QS remain controversial. In particular, the use of multiple signals by many bacterial species poses a serious challenge to current functional theories. Here, we address this challenge by showing that bacteria can use multiple QS signals to infer both their social (density) and physical (mass-transfer) environment. Analytical and evolutionary simulation models show that the detection of, and response to, complex social/physical contrasts requires multiple signals with distinct half-lives and combinatorial (nonadditive) responses to signal concentrations. We test these predictions using the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and demonstrate significant differences in signal decay between its two primary signal molecules, as well as diverse combinatorial responses to dual-signal inputs. QS is associated with the control of secreted factors, and we show that secretome genes are preferentially controlled by synergistic “AND-gate” responses to multiple signal inputs, ensuring the effective expression of secreted factors in high-density and low mass-transfer environments. Our results support a new functional hypothesis for the use of multiple signals and, more generally, show that bacteria are capable of combinatorial communication.
Strain-related differences in susceptibility to transient forebrain ischemia in SV-129 and C57black/6 mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE We explored susceptibility to injury after global ischemia in SV-129 and C57Black/6 mice, two commonly used-background strains in genetically engineered mice. METHODS Mice (n = 84) were subjected to 15, 30, or 75 minutes of bilateral common carotid artery (BCCA) occlusion followed by reperfusion for 72 hours. BCCA occlusion was performed under halothane or chloral hydrate anesthesia, in one experiment, mean arterial blood pressure and regional cerebral blood flow (laser Doppler flowmetry) were matched by controlled exsanguination. Baseline absolute blood flow measurements were obtained in both strains using a tracer, N-isopropyl-[methyl 1,3-14C]-p-iodoamphetamine, indicator fractionation technique (n = 5 per group). Vascular anatomy of the circle of Willis was visualized by intravascular perfusion of carbon black ink (n = 10 per group). Cerebrovascular reactivity was assessed by measuring the diameter of pial vessels (intravital microscopy) to acetylcholine (ACh) superfusion (0.1 to 10 mmol/L) in a closed cranial window preparation (n = 29). RESULTS Resting blood flow values did not differ between groups in striatum, cerebellum, and brain-stem regions. SV-129 mice were less susceptible than C57Black/6 mice to ischemic injury (0.0 +/- 0.0 versus 1.3 +/- 0.3 damage in hippocampal CA1 region after 30 minutes of ischemia in SV-129 and C57Black/6, respectively; P < .01). Cellular damage (grade 1 to 3 injury) comparable to 30-minute BCCA occlusion was achieved only after 75 minutes of ischemia in SV-129 mice (1.1 +/- 0.3). Ischemic damage was also significantly less in SV-129 mice after blood pressure and flow were matched during ischemia in halothane-anesthetized SV-129 mice (0.5 +/- 0.3 versus 1.4 +/- 0.2, P < .05), or after chloral hydrate anesthesia (0.4 +/- 0.2 versus 1.5 +/- 0.4, P < .05). Hypoplastic posterior communicating arteries were found in all 10 C57Black/6 mice and may explain the greater susceptibility of these mice to injury after BCCA occlusion. More robust vasodilation to ACh in C57Black/6 mice could also indicate genetic differences in responses to vasoactive substances. CONCLUSIONS C57Black/6 mice exhibit enhanced susceptibility to global cerebral ischemic injury, an incompletely formed circle of Willis, and augmented pial vessel dilation to ACh compared with SV-129 mice. Our findings suggest that strain differences may confound results when genetically engineered mice generated from more than a single background strain are used.
Novel Pathway for Induction of Latent Virus from Resting CD4+ T Cells in the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus/Macaque Model of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Latency

ABSTRACT Although combination therapy allows the suppression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) viremia to undetectable levels, eradication has not been achieved because the virus persists in cellular reservoirs, particularly the latent reservoir in resting CD4+ T lymphocytes. We previously established a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)/macaque model to study latency. We describe here a novel mechanism for the induction of SIV from latently infected resting CD4+ T cells. Several human cell lines including CEMx174 and Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human B-lymphoblastoid cell lines mediated contact-dependent activation of resting macaque T cells and induction of latent SIV. Antibody-blocking assays showed that interactions between the costimulatory molecule CD2 and its ligand CD58 were involved, whereas soluble factors and interactions between T-cell receptors and major histocompatibility complex class II were not. Combinations of specific antibodies to CD2 also induced T-cell activation and virus induction in human resting CD4+ T cells carrying latent HIV-1. This is the first demonstration that costimulatory signals can induce latent virus without the coengagement of the T-cell receptor, and this study might provide insights into potential pathways to target latent HIV-1.
Experimental Escherichia coli endocarditis in rats: roles of serum bactericidal activity and duration of catheter placement

Studies were undertaken to investigate the relationship of the sensitivity of Escherichia coli to the bactericidal properties of serum and the ability of different strains to induce and sustain endocardial infection in rats. Strains of E. coli demonstrated different degrees of serum sensitivity, as determined by a method which employed concentrations of serum from 10 to 95% and periods of incubation as long as 24 h. The greater the serum sensitivity of the E. coli strain, the less able it was to initiate infection and the more rapidly it was spontaneously eliminated from established infections. Endocardial infection with E. coli was established by intravenous challenge in rats with polyethylene catheters passing through the aortic valve into the left ventricle. An E. coli strain of low serum sensitivity was used; the initiation of infection depended upon the length of time the catheter had been in place and, in addition, whether the catheter was in place at the time of bacterial challenge. Removal of the catheter permitted spontaneous sterilization of the endocardial vegetations. The time necessary for sterilization was in direct proportion to the length of time the catheter remained in place following bacterial challenge. If the catheter was not removed, sterilization of the endocardial vegetations did not take place. These studies suggest that serum bactericidal activity is an important host defense mechanism, acting to prevent the initiation of endocarditis in the case of highly serum-sensitive E. coli and to sterilize experimentally induced endocarditis in the case of less-serum-sensitive bacteria. The catheter used to induce nonbacterial endocardial vegetations favored the colonization of vegetations by E. coli, and it delayed the spontaneous sterilization of infected vegetations which occurred in relation to the susceptibility of the strain to the bactericidal properties of the serum. This effect of the catheter was not attributable to bacteria remaining viable in its lumen, nor was it attributable to inhibition of the bactericidal capacity of the serum as measured in vitro. Whatever the mechanism responsible for the catheter effect, experimental studies of the evolution of infections established with this technique must take into consideration the duration of catheter placement and whether and for how long it was present before or after inoculation with test bacteria.
The Adhesion-Associated sca Operon inStreptococcus gordonii Encodes an Inducible High-Affinity ABC Transporter for Mn2+ Uptake

ABSTRACT ScaA lipoprotein in Streptococcus gordonii is a member of the LraI family of homologous polypeptides found among streptococci, pneumococci, and enterococci. It is the product of the third gene within the scaCBA operon encoding the components of an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter system. Inactivation ofscaC (ATP-binding protein) or scaA(substrate-binding protein) genes resulted in both impaired growth of cells and >70% inhibition of 54Mn2+ uptake in media containing <0.5 μM Mn2+. In wild-type andscaC mutant cells, production of ScaA was induced at low concentrations of extracellular Mn2+ (<0.5 μM) and by the addition of ≥20 μM Zn2+. Sca permease-mediated uptake of 54Mn2+ was inhibited by Zn2+ but not by Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, or Cu2+. Reduced uptake of54Mn2+ by sca mutants and by wild-type cells in the presence of Zn2+ was abrogated by the uncoupler carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, suggesting that Mn2+ uptake under these conditions was proton motive force dependent. The frequency of DNA-mediated transformation was reduced >20-fold in sca mutants. The addition of 0.1 mM Mn2+ to the transformation medium restored only partly the transformability of mutant cells, implying an alternate role for Sca proteins in the transformation process. Cells ofsca mutants were unaffected in other binding properties tested and were unaffected in sensitivity to oxidants. The results show that Sca permease is a high-affinity mechanism for the acquisition of Mn2+ and is essential for growth of streptococci under Mn2+-limiting conditions.
Effects of Medicare payment changes on nursing home staffing and deficiencies.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of Medicare's Prospective Payment System (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and associated rate changes on quality of care as represented by staffing ratios and regulatory deficiencies. DATA SOURCES Online Survey, Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data from 1996-2000 were linked with Area Resource File (ARF) and Medicare Cost Report data to form a panel dataset. STUDY DESIGN A difference-in-differences model was used to assess effects of the PPS and the BBRA (Balanced Budget Refinement Act) on staffing and deficiencies, a design that allows the separation of the effects of the policies from general trends. Ordinary least squares and negative binomial models were used. DATA COLLECTION METHODS The OSCAR and Medicare Cost Report data are self-reported by nursing facilities; ARF data are publicly available. Data were linked by provider ID and county. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We find that professional staffing decreased and regulatory deficiencies increased with PPS, and that both effects were mitigated with the BBRA rate increases. The effects appear to increase with the percent of Medicare residents in the facility except, in some cases, at the highest percentage of Medicare. The findings on staffing are statistically significant. The effects on deficiencies, though exhibiting consistent signs and magnitudes with the staffing results, are largely insignificant. CONCLUSIONS Medicare's PPS system and associated rate cuts for SNFs have had a negative effect on staffing and regulatory compliance. Further research is necessary to determine whether these changes are associated with worse outcomes. Findings from this investigation could help guide policy modifications that support the provision of quality nursing home care.
Effects of prolonged application of isoprenaline on intracellular free magnesium concentration in isolated heart of rat

1 The effect of prolonged application of isoprenaline on intracellular free‐Mg2+ concentration ([Mg2+]i) was examined by use of 31P‐nuclear magnetic resonance (31P‐n.m.r.) in rat isolated hearts. Left ventricular pressure (LVP) was simultaneously measured. 2 [Mg2+]i was estimated from the separation of the α‐ and β‐ATP peaks, using the dissociation constant of MgATP 38 μm (established previously). In normal (phosphate‐free, Krebs‐Henseleit) solution, [Mg2+]i was approximately 0.4 mm. 3 When isoprenaline was applied for 100 min, a transient increase in [Mg2+]i was observed during the initial 25 min, whilst concentrations of ATP ([ATP]) and phosphocreatine ([PCr]) decreased and [Pi] correspondingly increased. During the subsequent 75 min of isoprenaline application, [Mg2+]i decreased below its resting levels. Washout of isoprenaline restored [Mg2+]i and [PCr], but [ATP] remained low. These changes elicited by isoprenaline were not observed in the presence of propranolol, a typical α‐adrenoceptor blocker. 4 Isoprenaline increased both LVP and heart rate. The increased LVP and heart rate slowly returned to lower values during prolonged application of isoprenaline, but remained higher than those before application. 5 The transient rise in [Mg2+]i elicited by isoprenaline could be attributed to the decrease in [ATP] resulting in a release of Mg2+. The subsequent decrease in [Mg2+]i during the prolonged applications suggests that β‐adrenoceptor stimulation itself facilitates Mg2+‐extruding mechanism(s).
Phase asymmetry of heart rate variability signal

Heart rate asymmetry (HRA) is considered as a physiological phenomenon in healthy subjects. In this article, we propose a novel HRA index, Slope Index (SI), to quantify phase asymmetry of heart rate variability (HRV) system. We assessed the performance of proposed index in comparison with conventional (Guzik’s Index (GI) and Porta’s Index (PI)) HRA indices. As illustrative examples, we used two case studies: (i) differentiate physiologic RR series from synthetic RR series; and (ii) discriminate arrhythmia subjects from Healthy using beat-to-beat heart rate time series. The results showed that SI is a superior parameter than GI and PI for both case studies with maximum ROC area of 0.84 and 0.82 respectively. In contrast, GI and PI had ROC areas {0.78, 0.61} and {0.50, 0.56} in two case studies respectively. We also performed surrogate analysis to show that phase asymmetry is caused by a physiologic phenomena rather than a random nature of the signal. In conclusion, quantification of phase asymmetry of HRV provides additional information on HRA, which might have a potential clinical use to discriminate pathological HRV in future.
Foreign Language Teachers’ Education: Challenges and Implications in Integrating Technologies of Information and Communication

The process of globalization and the rapid development of science and technology have brought up challenges to education systems at all levels. The Society of the 21st century demands creative, critical citizens who have the capacity of adapting to working and social circumstances which are continuously evolving. Accordingly, the formation of the agents who directly drive the educational process - the teachers - is a vital issue for education systems, and modern societies (White, 2003).
Fresh Tympanic Membrane Perforations Heal Without Significant Loss of Strength

Hypothesis: The mechanical and structural properties of the tympanic membrane change after a perforation has healed. Background: In previous studies, efforts have been made to enhance the healing process of tympanic membrane perforations. The strength of the healed perforation has been tested with moiré interferometry in gerbils, but in no other species. Methods: A laser myringotomy was made on 10 Sprague-Dawley rats and 10 CBA mice, and assessments were made after 2 or 4 weeks with moiré interferometry and light and electron microscopy. Results: The mean peak displacement at pressure loads of +350 daPa and of −350 daPa did not differ significantly in the healed perforations as compared with the untouched tympanic membranes. Morphologic assays showed fivefold increased thickness at the site of the perforation due to invaded fibroblasts and extracellular matrix. Conclusion: Moiré interferometry was successfully performed in the rat ears, whereas in mouse ears the method was not easily applicable due to technical difficulties. The stress-strain curve of the rat tympanic membrane displays an S-shape. The strength of the spontaneously healed tympanic membrane after myringotomy was not significantly impaired. The site of the perforation became significantly thickened at 2 and 4 weeks post-myringotomy. This information is of clinical importance, because recently closed perforations will be challenged by pressure gradient in everyday life.