Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Version of the Composite Scale of Morningness

Abstract The Composite Scale of Morningness is widely used and translated into several languages. The aim of the study was to present psychometric properties of Turkish version of CSM based on a sample of high school and university students. A total of 543 high school and 650 university students have participated in to the study. The internal consistency coefficient was found to be . 73 (high school) and . 80 (university). The test-retest reliability of the scale was . 89 in high school sample and . 84 in university sample. The mean CMS scores did not differ by gender in both samples. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the scale is valid. As an external validation, morningness was associated with MEQ scores, sleep length, mid-point of sleep, rising and retiring time. The data obtained in the study suggested that the Turkish version of the CSM is a reliable and valid instrument to assess circadian preference in both high school and university samples.
Tumor Progression While on Chemotherapy: A Contraindication to Liver Resection for Multiple Colorectal Metastases?

Objective:To evaluate the influence of the response to preoperative chemotherapy, especially tumor progression, on the outcome following resection of multiple colorectal liver metastases (CRM). Summary Background Data:Hepatic resection is the only treatment that currently offers a chance of long-term survival, although it is associated with a poor outcome in patients with multinodular CRM. Because of its better efficacy, chemotherapy is increasingly proposed as neoadjuvant treatment in such patients to allow or to facilitate the radicality of resection. However, little is known of the efficacy of such a strategy and the influence of the response to chemotherapy on the outcome of hepatic resection. Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the course of 131 consecutive patients who underwent liver resection for multiple (≥4) CRM after systemic chemotherapy between 1993 and 2000, representing 30% of all liver resections performed for CRM in our institution during that period. Chemotherapy included mainly 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and either oxaliplatin or irinotecan for a mean of 9.8 courses (median, 9 courses). Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the type of response obtained to preoperative chemotherapy. All liver resections were performed with curative intent. We analyzed patient outcome in relation to response to preoperative chemotherapy. Results:There were 58 patients (44%) who underwent hepatectomy after an objective tumor response (group 1), 39 (30%) after tumor stabilization (group 2), and 34 (26%) after tumor progression (group 3). At the time of diagnosis, mean tumor size and number of metastases were similar in the 3 groups. No differences were observed regarding patient demographics, characteristics of the primary tumor, type of liver resection, and postoperative course. First line treatments were different between groups with a higher proportion of oxaliplatin- and/or irinotecan-based treatments in group 1 (P < 0.01). A higher number of lines of chemotherapy were used in group 2 (P = 0.002). Overall survival was 86%, 41%, and 28% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. Five-year survival was much lower in group 3 compared with groups 1 and 2 (8% vs. 37% and 30%, respectively at 5 years, P < 0.0001). Disease-free survival was 3% compared with 21% and 20%, respectively (P = 0.02). In a multivariate analysis, tumor progression on chemotherapy (P < 0.0001), elevated preoperative serum CA 19–9 (P < 0.0001), number of resected metastases (P < 0.001), and the number of lines of chemotherapy (P < 0.04), but not the type of first line treatment, were independently associated with decreased survival. Conclusions:Liver resection is able to offer long-term survival to patients with multiple colorectal metastases provided that the metastatic disease is controlled by chemotherapy prior to surgery. Tumor progression before surgery is associated with a poor outcome, even after potentially curative hepatectomy. Tumor control before surgery is crucial to offer a chance of prolonged remission in patients with multiple metastases.
QTAG: a standard for test fixture based I/sub DDQ//I/sub SSQ/ monitors

This paper describes the goals and history of the Quality Test Action Group (QTAG) since if was formed at the 1993 International Test Conference. QTAG was created to provide the industry with a de-facto standard for I/sub DDQ//I/sub SSQ/ monitors on test fixtures for production testing of CMOS ICs. The group was needed because informal discussions between the semiconductor test departments and the ATE vendors over the past decade had failed to generate the ATE based I/sub DDQ/ test instrumentation needed by the semiconductor industry.
In Vitro and In Vivo Studies To Characterize the Clearance Mechanism and Potential Cytochrome P450 Interactions of Anidulafungin

ABSTRACT Anidulafungin is a novel semisynthetic echinocandin with potent activity against Candida (including azole-resistant isolates) and Aspergillus spp. and is used for serious systemic fungal infections. The purpose of these studies was to characterize the clearance mechanism and potential for drug interactions of anidulafungin. Experiments included in vitro degradation of anidulafungin in buffer and human plasma, a bioassay for antifungal activity, in vitro human cytochrome P450 inhibition studies, in vitro incubation with rat and human hepatocytes, and mass balance studies in rats and humans. Clearance of anidulafungin appeared to be primarily due to slow chemical degradation, with no evidence of hepatic-mediated metabolism (phase 1 or 2). Under physiological conditions, further degradation of the primary degradant appears to take place. The primary degradation product does not retain antifungal activity. Anidulafungin was not an inhibitor of cytochrome P450 enzymes commonly involved in drug metabolism. Mass balance studies showed that anidulafungin was eliminated in the feces predominantly as degradation products, with only a small fraction (10%) eliminated as unchanged drug; fecal elimination likely occurred via biliary excretion. Only negligible renal involvement in the drug's elimination was observed. In conclusion, the primary biotransformation of anidulafungin is mediated by slow chemical degradation, with no evidence for hepatic enzymatic metabolism or renal elimination.
Differences in the risk factors of reflux esophagitis according to age in Korea.

The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Korea has been believed to be low, but the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Korea is expected to increase because of the longer life expectancy and more ingestion of westernized food. The aim of this study was to report differences in the risk factors of reflux esophagitis (RE) according to age in Korea. We prospectively recruited the subjects who had RE among those who visited a health promotion center for upper gastrointestinal cancer surveillance at Hallym Medical Center (five institutions) between January 2008 and February 2009. The enrolled study participants comprised 742 subjects with RE and 1484 healthy controls. The independent risk factors of RE in young and adult group were male sex, smoking, coffee, body mass index ≥ 25, hiatal hernia, and Helicobacter pylori negativity. The risk factors of RE in elderly group were smoking, coffee, and hiatal hernia. The risk factors for RE according to age group were found to differ. In elderly group, Helicobacter pylori infection was not a significant protective factor contrary to young and adult groups.
A Blue Light‐inducible Phosphodiesterase Activity in the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus

A blue light‐inducible phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity, specific for the hydrolysis of cyclic di‐GMP (c‐di‐GMP), has been identified in a recombinant protein from Synechococcus elongatus. Blue light (BL) activation is accomplished by a light, oxygen, voltage (LOV) domain, found in plant phototropins and bacterial BL photoreceptors. The genome of S. elongatus contains two genes coding for proteins with LOV domains fused to EAL domains (SL1 and SL2). In both cases, a GGDEF motif is placed in between the LOV and the EAL motifs. Such arrangement is frequently found with diguanylate‐cyclase (DGC) functions that form c‐di‐GMP. Cyclic di‐GMP acts as a second messenger molecule regulating biofilm formation in many microbial species. Both enzyme activities modulate the intracellular level of this second messenger, although in most proteins only one of the two enzyme functions is active. Both S. elongatus LOV‐GGDEF‐EAL proteins were expressed in full length or as truncated proteins. Only the SL2 protein, expressed as a LOV‐GGDEF‐EAL construct, showed an increase of PDE activity upon BL irradiation, demonstrating this activity for the first time in a LOV‐domain protein. Addition of GTP or c‐di‐GMP did not affect the observed enzymatic activity. In none of the full‐length or truncated proteins was a DGC activity detected.
Performance comparison of routing protocols for ad hoc networks

Routing protocols for ad hoc networks are currently a hot research topic and when a lot of metrics are jointly considered, some nontrivial conclusions can be drawn. In this work, we make a comparison of link state, AODV and DSR protocols for two different traffic classes, in a selected environment. The classic Dijkstra is also reported as comparison term. As performance metric, packet delivery fraction, throughput, average delay and energy are considered. We show that AODV and DSR perform well when the network load is moderate, while, if the traffic load is heavy, simple link state outperforms the reactive protocols and becomes a good candidate to be used.
Multimodal analgesia for controlling acute postoperative pain

Purpose of review Multimodal analgesia is needed for acute postoperative pain management due to adverse effects of opioid analgesics, which can impede recovery; a problem that is of increasing concern with the rapid increase in the number of ambulatory surgeries. Yet, the literature on multimodal analgesia often shows variable degrees of success, even with studies utilizing the same adjuvant medication. Recent findings Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors consistently reduce postoperative opioid consumption. The N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists have produced variable results in studies, which may be due to the dose and timing of drug administration. Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists have been useful as adjuvant for regional analgesia but not when administered orally. The alpha-2-delta receptor modulators such as gabapentin have shown early promising results in multimodal analgesia. Local anesthetic injection at the surgical site, though not as a preemptive analgesic, has recently been demonstrated to be beneficial in multimodal analgesia. No new adjuvants have appeared in the last year, which robustly reduce opioid consumption and opioid-related adverse effects. Summary There is a continuing need to explore new drug combinations to achieve all of the purported goals of multimodal anesthesia.
Etiologies and posttreatment conditions of thyrotoxic patients in Sylhet division, Bangladesh: A clinical series

Abstract Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) is a B-cell lymphocytic neoplasm with indolent clinical course. If identified early, observation is opted. Many variables lead to the initiation of treatment. Authors describe a 62-year-old male presenting with shortness of breath and found to have white cell count of 1360 × 109/L and subsequently was diagnosed with CLL/SLL. The patient received leukapheresis along with tumor lysis treatment and systemic chemotherapy with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab regimen. His course was complicated with deep venous thrombosis, extensive cutaneous, and sinus mucosa involvement by CLL/SLL. The patient clinically improved and on follow-up clinic visits documented normalization of his white cell counts. The case report brings up a rare presentation of CLL/SLL with such an extreme high white cell count, leukostasis symptoms and extramedullary involvement of disease and encourages providers to be vigilant of rare presentation of CLL/SLL.
Thoracic epidural anesthesia as an adjunct to general anesthesia for cardiac surgery: effects on ventilation-perfusion relationships.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 359 I would like to challenge the conclusions made by the authors—that TEA facilitated the reduction of postoperative intubation time and decreased the need for morphine analgesics after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. First, according to the protocol, one of the measurements had to be taken 4 hours after separation from cardiopulmonary bypass, necessitating compulsory postoperative sedation. This factor may have precluded some patients from earlier extubation in the TEA group. Nevertheless, the duration of intubation in the control group after admission to the ICU was on average 4 hours longer than in the TEA group. Although it was stated that extubation criteria were the same for both groups, the reasons for prolonged intubation in the control group were not identified. The dose of fentanyl was not standardized between the groups (5 to 10 µg/kg v 1 to 2 mg in the TEA and control groups). This difference was clearly an inherent contributing element that prevented patients from early extubation in the control group. Second, the authors showed that opioid requirements were reduced in the epidural group; however, they failed to comment on the clinical significance of this finding (reduced incidence of opioid side effects? , improved respiratory function? , earlier mobilization of patients? , reduced length of stay? , improved patient satisfaction? ). The epidural administration of sufentanil infusion (3 to 7 µg/hr) must have largely contributed to morphine-sparing effects in the TEA group and should have been accounted for when average doses of postoperative opioid analgesics were calculated. It has been confirmed that early extubation is safe and cost-effective in cardiac surgery. 2,3 Most studies to date that have explored TEA in cardiac surgery have been limited to patients with good left ventricular function undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The rates of serious complications after this type of surgery are rather low, making it difficult to show that one anesthetic technique is better than the other. Future research trials should target the particular subgroups of patients (eg, with chronic obstructive airway disease, obesity, elderly, poor left ventricular function), as well as patients scheduled for off-pump procedures to investigate the potential improvement in outcome with application of regional techniques in cardiac surgery.
The Direct Binding of Mrc1, a Checkpoint Mediator, to Mcm6, a Replication Helicase, Is Essential for the Replication Checkpoint against Methyl Methanesulfonate-Induced Stress

ABSTRACT Mrc1 plays a role in mediating the DNA replication checkpoint. We surveyed replication elongation proteins that interact directly with Mrc1 and identified a replicative helicase, Mcm6, as a specific Mrc1-binding protein. The central portion of Mrc1, containing a conserved coiled-coil region, was found to be essential for interaction with the 168-amino-acid C-terminal region of Mcm6, and introduction of two amino acid substitutions in this C-terminal region abolished the interaction with Mrc1 in vivo. An mcm6 mutant bearing these substitutions showed a severe defect in DNA replication checkpoint activation in response to stress caused by methyl methanesulfonate. Interestingly, the mutant did not show any defect in DNA replication checkpoint activation in response to hydroxyurea treatment. The phenotype of the mcm6 mutant was suppressed when the mutant protein was physically fused with Mrc1. These results strongly suggest for the first time that an Mcm helicase acts as a checkpoint sensor for methyl methanesulfonate-induced DNA damage through direct binding to the replication checkpoint mediator Mrc1.
Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Urinary Tract Infections

SUMMARY Urinary tract infection (UTI) is among the most commonly diagnosed bacterial infections of childhood. Although frequently encountered and well researched, diagnosis and management of UTI continue to be a controversial issue with many challenges for the clinician. Prevalence studies have shown that UTI may often be missed on history and physical examination, and the decision to screen for UTI must balance the risk for missed infections with the cost and inconvenience of testing. Interpretation of rapid diagnostic tests and culture is complicated by issues of contamination, false test results, and asymptomatic colonization of the urinary tract with nonpathogenic bacteria. The appropriate treatment of UTI has been controversial and has become more complex with the emergence of resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Finally, the anatomic evaluation and long-term management of a child after a UTI have been based on limited evidence, and newer studies question some of the tenets of prior recommendations. The goal of this review is to provide an up-to-date summary of the literature with particular attention to practical questions about diagnosis and management for the clinician.
Hypnosis creates multiple personality: myth or reality?

Abstract Since before the turn of the century, multiple personality has been associated with hysteria and hypnosis. The myth that hypnosis can create multiple personality is examined in this paper by reviewing studies that have suggested or implied a casual link between hypnosis and multiple personality. While it is possible that personality fragments can appear under hypnosis, there is no evidence that personalities with separate life histories and a full range of affect can be created with hypnosis. The author concludes that hypnosis is a valuable tool in diagnosing and treating multiple personalities.
Cryptococcus neoformans and cryptococcosis.

For a number of years we have been fascinated by a peculiar phenomenon seen in a few of our patients, who are otherwise completely well and back at work after successful treatment of cryptococcal meningitis. At follow-up examination as late as four years following treatment, such patients had cerebrospinal fluid which was completely normal (in terms of cells, protein, sugar, and culture), but in which fungi clearly typical of Cryptococcus neoformans were seen on direct examination with India ink. To study this phenomenon further we selected rabbits, in whom infection produces disease more similar to that in man. We inoculated them intravenously, and daily thereafter harvested various organs, and quantitatively determined the number of fungi present by preparing agar pour plates with serial dilutions of organ suspensions. Because disease was produced with difficulty and because in Chester Emmons' hands the Coward strain was a particularly virulent one for mice, it was selected for use. The Coward strain was named after a 23 year old Negro man, recently released from the service, and admitted for study July 15, 1956, because of an abscess in his left hip and lateral thigh. For three months previously he had received 100 mg of cortisol daily for right hip pain and for sarcoidosis, a diagnosis based on finding granulomas in both an epitrochlear and a cervical lymph node. From 250 ml of pus aspirated from the abscess C. neoformans was cultured. Examination of his cerebrospinal fluid gave normal results, and the fungus could not be cultured from such other specimens as sputum, urine, blood, or a granulomatous submandibular lymph node. Skin biopsy showed granulomas at a site on his forearm, where six weeks previously we had inejected intradermally Kveim antigen. He received an insoluble preparation of amphotericin B orally in daily dosage of one gram for approximately nine months. He recovered sufficiently to resume his post service college
Structure-relaxation mechanism for the response of T4 lysozyme cavity mutants to hydrostatic pressure

Significance High pressure has emerged as a powerful tool for exploring the energy landscape of proteins, but structural origins of the pressure response remain controversial. The results of this study on a cavity mutant of T4 lysozyme (L99A) provide direct evidence for a structure-relaxation mechanism wherein pressure shifts conformational equilibria toward states with alternative packing arrangements that fill cavities or voids in the core. Both structure relaxation and cavity hydration can occur in response to pressure, and which dominates is found to depend on details of the energy landscape. The results also address conflicting views regarding the pressure response of L99A that have recently been published. Application of hydrostatic pressure shifts protein conformational equilibria in a direction to reduce the volume of the system. A current view is that the volume reduction is dominated by elimination of voids or cavities in the protein interior via cavity hydration, although an alternative mechanism wherein cavities are filled with protein side chains resulting from a structure relaxation has been suggested [López CJ, Yang Z, Altenbach C, Hubbell WL (2013) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 110(46):E4306–E4315]. In the present study, mechanisms for elimination of cavities under high pressure are investigated in the L99A cavity mutant of T4 lysozyme and derivatives thereof using site-directed spin labeling, pressure-resolved double electron–electron resonance, and high-pressure circular dichroism spectroscopy. In the L99A mutant, the ground state is in equilibrium with an excited state of only ∼3% of the population in which the cavity is filled by a protein side chain [Bouvignies et al. (2011) Nature 477(7362):111–114]. The results of the present study show that in L99A the native ground state is the dominant conformation to pressures of 3 kbar, with cavity hydration apparently taking place in the range of 2–3 kbar. However, in the presence of additional mutations that lower the free energy of the excited state, pressure strongly populates the excited state, thereby eliminating the cavity with a native side chain rather than solvent. Thus, both cavity hydration and structure relaxation are mechanisms for cavity elimination under pressure, and which is dominant is determined by details of the energy landscape.
Mechanisms of liver disease: cross-talk between the NF-κB and JNK pathways

Abstract The liver plays a central role in the transformation and degradation of endogenous and exogenous chemicals, and in the removal of unwanted cells such as damaged, genetically mutated and virus-infected cells. Because of this function, the liver is susceptible to toxicity caused by the products generated during these natural occurrences. Hepatocyte death is the major feature of liver injury. In response to liver injury, specific intracellular processes are initiated to maintain liver integrity. Inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are key mediators of these processes and activate different cellular response such as proliferation, survival and death. TNFα induces specific signaling pathways in hepatocytes that lead to activation of either pro-survival mediators or effectors of cell death. Whereas activation of transcription factor NF-κB promotes survival, c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) and caspases are strategic effectors of cell death in the TNFα-mediated signaling pathway. This review summarizes recent advances in the mechanisms of TNFα-induced hepatotoxicity and suggests that NF-κB plays a protective role against JNK-induced hepatocyte death. Identification of the mechanisms regulating interplay between the NF-κB and JNK pathways is required in the search for novel targets for the treatment of liver disease, including hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma.