Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detecting Contraband: Current and Emerging Technologies and Limitations

A plastic bottle of cough syrup, a bundle of bills outside a wallet, a pornographic magazine — all of these items are contraband in a correctional facility. None, of course, would be caught by a metal detector. Today, detection devices have become more advanced. Recent models can detect many objects located on, and in some cases even within, a person’s body. In a correctional facility, checks for contraband typically occur at a perimeter gate house, the lobby or other entrances in an institution. Generally, all staff, inmates, contractors and visitors must move through these checkpoints before they are allowed entrance. Using the older radio frequency (RF) metal detectors to screen for contraband can be a tedious process. For instance, if a correctional officer sets off the metal detector, the officer must remove items such as belts, restraining devices (like handcuffs), shoes with metal toes, and any other metal objects the officer may be wearing. If the alarm continues to trigger, the officer must wait in a separate line and be searched with a handheld device. This kind of process is inefficient and can cause staff to feel like they are not trusted.
Pilot study to determine the utility of point-of-care ultrasound in the assessment of difficult laryngoscopy.

OBJECTIVES Prediction of difficult laryngoscopy in emergency care settings is challenging. The preintubation clinical screening tests may not be applied in a large number of emergency intubations due to the patient's clinical condition. The objectives of this study were 1) to determine the utility of sonographic measurements of thickness of the tongue, anterior neck soft tissue at the level of the hyoid bone, and thyrohyoid membrane in distinguishing difficult and easy laryngoscopies and 2) to examine the association between sonographic measurements (thickness of tongue and anterior neck soft tissue) and difficult airway clinical screening tests (modified Mallampati score, thyromental distance, and interincisor gap). METHODS This was a prospective observational study at an academic medical center. Adult patients undergoing endotracheal intubation for an elective surgical procedure were included. The investigators involved in data collection were blinded to each other's assessments. Demographic variables were collected preoperatively. The clinical screening tests to predict a difficult airway were performed. The ultrasound (US) measurements of tongue and anterior neck soft tissue were obtained. The laryngoscopic view was graded using Cormack and Lehane classification by anesthesia providers on the day of surgery. To allow for comparisons between difficult airway and easy airway groups, a two-sided Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test were employed as appropriate. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were used to examine the association between screening tests and sonographic measurements. RESULTS The mean (±standard deviation [SD]) age of 51 eligible patients (32 female, 19 male) was 53.1 (±13.2) years. Six of the 51 patients (12%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3% to 20%) were classified as having difficult laryngoscopy by anesthesia providers. The distribution of laryngoscopy grades for all subjects was 63, 25, 4, and 8% for grades 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. In this study, 83% of subjects with difficult airways were males. No other significant differences were noted in the demographic variables and difficult airway clinical screening tests between the two groups. The sonographic measurements of anterior neck soft tissue were greater in the difficult laryngoscopy group compared to the easy laryngoscopy group at the level of the hyoid bone (1.69, 95% CI = 1.19 to 2.19 vs. 1.37, 95% CI = 1.27 to 1.46) and thyrohyoid membrane (3.47, 95% CI = 2.88 to 4.07 vs. 2.37, 95% CI = 2.29 to 2.44). No significant correlation was found between sonographic measurements and clinical screening tests. CONCLUSIONS This pilot study demonstrated that sonographic measurements of anterior neck soft tissue thickness at the level of hyoid bone and thyrohyoid membrane can be used to distinguish difficult and easy laryngoscopies. Clinical screening tests did not correlate with US measurements, and US was able to detect difficult laryngoscopy, indicating the limitations of the conventional screening tests for predicting difficult laryngoscopy.
Involvement of Cytoskeleton-associated Proteins in the Commitment of C3H10T1/2 Pluripotent Stem Cells to Adipocyte Lineage Induced by BMP2/4*

The developmental pathway that gives rise to mature adipocytes involves two distinct stages: commitment and terminal differentiation. Although the important proteins/factors contributing to terminal adipocyte differentiation have been well defined, the proteins/factors in the commitment of mesenchymal stem cells to the adipocyte lineage cells have not. In this study, we applied proteomics analysis profiling to characterize differences between uncommitted C3H10T1/2 pluripotent stem cells and those that have been committed to the adipocyte lineage by BMP4 or BMP2 with the goal to identify such proteins/factors and to understand the molecular mechanisms that govern the earliest stages of adipocyte lineage commitment. Eight proteins were found to be up-regulated by BMP2, and 27 proteins were up-regulated by BMP4, whereas five unique proteins were up-regulated at least 10-fold by both BMP2/4, including three cytoskeleton-associated proteins (i.e. lysyl oxidase (LOX), translationally controlled tumor protein 1 (TPT1), and αB-crystallin). Western blotting further confirmed the induction of the expression of these cytoskeleton-associated proteins in the committed C3H10T1/2 induced by BMP2/4. Importantly, knockdown of LOX expression totally prevented the commitment, whereas knockdown of TPT1 and αB-crystallin expression partially inhibited the commitment. Several published reports suggest that cell shape can influence the differentiation of partially committed precursors of adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes. We observed a dramatic change of cell shape during the commitment process, and we showed that knockdown of these cytoskeleton-associated proteins prevented the cell shape change and restored F-actin organization into stress fibers and inhibited the commitment to the adipocyte lineage. Our studies indicate that these differentially expressed cytoskeleton-associate proteins might determine the fate of mesenchymal stem cells to commit to the adipocyte lineage through cell shape regulation.
Fleshy Fruit Expansion and Ripening Are Regulated by the Tomato SHATTERPROOF Gene TAGL1[W][OA]

The maturation and ripening of fleshy fruits is a developmental program that synchronizes seed maturation with metabolism, rendering fruit tissues desirable to seed dispersing organisms. Through RNA interference repression, we show that Tomato AGAMOUS-LIKE1 (TAGL1), the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) ortholog of the duplicated SHATTERPROOF (SHP) MADS box genes of Arabidopsis thaliana, is necessary for fruit ripening. Tomato plants with reduced TAGL1 mRNA produced yellow-orange fruit with reduced carotenoids and thin pericarps. These fruit are also decreased in ethylene, indicating a comprehensive inhibition of maturation mediated through reduced ACC Synthase 2 expression. Furthermore, ectopic expression of TAGL1 in tomato resulted in expansion of sepals and accumulation of lycopene, supporting the role of TAGL1 in ripening. In Arabidopsis, the duplicate SHP1 and SHP2 MADS box genes regulate the development of separation layers essential for pod shatter. Expression of TAGL1 in Arabidopsis failed to completely rescue the shp1 shp2 mutant phenotypes, indicating that TAGL1 has evolved distinct molecular functions compared with its Arabidopsis counterparts. These analyses demonstrate that TAGL1 plays an important role in regulating both fleshy fruit expansion and the ripening process that together are necessary to promote seed dispersal of fleshy fruit. From this broad perspective, SHP1/2 and TAGL1, while distinct in molecular function, regulate similar activities via their necessity for seed dispersal in Arabidopsis and tomato, respectively.
Perioperative Management of Pediatric Surgical Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Pediatric patients with diabetes are managed with increasingly complex regimens. To optimally manage these patients during the perioperative period, pediatric anesthesiologists must carefully consider the pathophysiology of the disease, patient-specific methods of treatment, status of glycemic control, and the type of surgery proposed. Important pediatric issues, including body size, pubertal development, and ability to tolerate nil per os status, must be considered. To keep pace with the array of options for treating diabetes in children, the perioperative plan should be developed in consultation with a pediatric endocrinologist. We present an algorithm that was developed at Children’s Hospital Boston for the management of pediatric patients with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus presenting for surgery and general anesthesia. This collaborative effort between the pediatric anesthesia and endocrine services represents one example of a standardized approach to these patients that should facilitate care and improve management. Differences from previously published recommendations are highlighted, as are expected changes caused by the continued evolution of pediatric diabetes care.
Erk5 null mice display multiple extraembryonic vascular and embryonic cardiovascular defects

Erk5 is a mitogen-activated protein kinase, the biological role of which is largely undefined. Therefore, we deleted the erk5 gene in mice to assess its function in vivo. Inactivation of the erk5 gene resulted in defective blood-vessel and cardiac development leading to embryonic lethality around embryonic days 9.5–10.5. Cardiac development was retarded largely, and the heart failed to undergo normal looping. Endothelial cells that line the developing myocardium of erk5−/− embryos displayed a disorganized, rounded morphology. Vasculogenesis occurred, but extraembryonic and embryonic blood vessels were disorganized and failed to mature. Furthermore, the investment of embryonic blood vessels with smooth muscle cells was attenuated. Together, these data define an essential role for Erk5 in cardiovascular development. Moreover, the inability of Erk5-deficient mice to form a complex vasculature suggests that Erk5 may play an important role in controlling angiogenesis.
Mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenases/phosphatases: a family of novel bifunctional enzymes for bacterial adaptation to osmotic stress.

The nutritionally versatile soil bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 copes with salt stress by the accumulation of compatible solutes, a strategy that is widespread in nature. This bacterium synthesizes the sugar alcohol mannitol de novo in response to osmotic stress. In a previous study, we identified MtlD, a mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase, which is essential for mannitol biosynthesis and which catalyses the first step in mannitol biosynthesis, the reduction of fructose-6-phosphate (F-6-P) to the intermediate mannitol-1-phosphate (Mtl-1-P). Until now, the identity of the second enzyme, the phosphatase that catalyses the dephosphorylation of Mtl-1-P to mannitol, was elusive. Here we show that MtlD has a unique sequence among known mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenases with a haloacid dehalogenase (HAD)-like phosphatase domain at the N-terminus. This domain is indeed shown to have a phosphatase activity. Phosphatase activity is strictly Mg(2+) dependent. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed that purified MtlD catalyses not only reduction of F-6-P but also dephosphorylation of Mtl-1-P. MtlD of A. baylyi is the first bifunctional enzyme of mannitol biosynthesis that combines Mtl-1-P dehydrogenase and phosphatase activities in a single polypeptide chain. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the bifunctional enzyme is widespread among Acinetobacter strains but only rarely present in other phylogenetic tribes.
Management strategies for duodenal ulcer in India in the helicobacter pylori era: an economic analysis.

BACKGROUND Duodenal ulcer (DU) is widely prevalent in India. Eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is considered to be the most cost-effective first-line therapy for DU in patients without a historyof use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Western investigators recommend initial empirical anti-H. pylori therapy for such patients. However, in India similar recommendations are lacking due to the absence of appropriate clinical studies. METHODS An economic analysis for the management of DU with particular attention to H. pylori infection was performed using a decision analysis model. Three treatment strategies for DU diagnosed at index endoscopy were evaluated: in strategy I, anti-secretory therapy alone was administered for 8 weeks; in strategy II, a urease test and histological examination for H. pylori was performed at the time of initial endoscopy and subsequent management was based on the result of these tests; and in strategy III, empirical triple therapy for possible H. pylori infection was considered. Costs per patient treated were the outcome variables compared among the three strategies. RESULTS In the baseline analysis, the cost per patient managed with initial anti-secretory therapy alone was Rs 544, cost of performing the urease test and histological examination at the time of initial endoscopy and subsequent treatment was Rs 692, and strategy III of empirical triple therapy for H. pylori yielded a cost per patient of Rs 523. Sensitivity analysis with a wide range of clinical probabilities and cost estimates and a second-order Monte Carlo simulation supported the conclusions of the baseline analysis. CONCLUSION Initial empirical triple therapy followed by anti-secretory therapy is the most cost-minimizing approach for the treatment of endoscopically documented DU in India.
Blood pressure response to chronic intake of coffee and caffeine: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Purpose Coffee is a widely consumed beverage and small health effects of substances in coffee may have large public health consequences. It has been suggested that caffeine in coffee increases the risk of hypertension. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of coffee or caffeine and blood pressure (BP). Data identification BP trials of coffee or caffeine published between January 1966 and January 2003 were identified through literature databases and manual serach. Study selection A total of 16 studies with a randomized, controlled design and at least 7 days of intervention was selected, comprising 25 strata and 1010 subjects. Data extraction Two persons independently obtained data on sample size, type and duration of intervention, changes in BP and heart rate (HR), and subjects’ characteristics for each trial. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. Results A significant rise of 2.04 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.10–2.99] in systolic BP and 0.73 mmHg (95% CI, 0.14–1.31) in diastolic BP was found after pooling of coffee and caffeine trials. When coffee trials (n = 18, median intake: 725 ml/day) and caffeine trials (n = 7, median dose: 410 mg/day) were analysed separately, BP elevations appeared to be larger for caffeine [systolic: 4.16 mmHg (2.13–6.20); diastolic: 2.41 mmHg (0.98–3.84)] than for coffee [systolic: 1.22 mmHg (0.52–1.92) and diastolic: 0.49 mmHg (−0.06–1.04)]. Effects on HR were negligible. Conclusions Regular caffeine intake increases BP. When ingested through coffee, however, the blood pressure effect of caffeine is small.
The prevalence and correlates of specific learning difficulties in a representative sample of children with hemiplegia.

BACKGROUND Children with hemiplegia have cerebral palsy affecting one side of the body due to damage to the opposite side of the brain. An investigation of the association between hemiplegia and specific learning difficulties (SpLD) provides a unique window on body-mind links and left brain/right brain differences. AIMS The present study investigated the prevalence and correlates of SpLDs in children with hemiplegia. SAMPLE A representative sample of 149 London children with hemiplegia aged between 6 and 10 included 59 children whose cognitive abilities and predicted academic ability were within the average range. METHODS SpLDs were defined by ability-achievement discrepancy analysis. Differences between children with and without SpLDs were explored with a between-groups design. RESULTS Children with hemiplegia had significantly more SpLDs than expected, with 36 per cent of these children having at least one SpLD. Children with and without SpLDs were similar in intelligence and demographic background, but the children with SpLDs had significantly more severe neurological impairments and a significantly higher rate of emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBDs) than comparison children. CONCLUSIONS Three typical case studies are described and recommendations made for the early identification and remediation of SpLDs in children with hemiplegia.
P2X7 receptor antagonists: a patent review (2010–2015)

ABSTRACT Introduction: The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is a unique subtype among the family of seven purinergic P2X receptors, which are ATP-gated non-selective cation channels. P2X7R has been reported to have pathological roles in various diseases, including autoimmune diseases such as arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, neurodegenerative diseases, chronic pain, mood disorders and cancers. Therefore, many pharmaceutical companies have endeavored to develop a clinical candidate targeting P2X7R. Areas covered: This review provides a summary of various patents on chemicals and biologics and their clinical use published between 2010 and 2015. The reader will gain information on structural claims, representative structures and biological activities of recently developed P2X7R antagonists. Expert opinion: P2X7R is a fascinating therapeutic target and potential biomarker for inflammation, pain disorders and cancers. Research on the development of P2X7R antagonists has continually increased despite the failure of AstraZeneca and Merck’s compounds in phase II clinical trials. Various scaffolds have been disclosed by several pharmaceutical industries, and some compounds are currently under investigation in clinical trials.
Repeated administration of the selective kappa‐opioid receptor agonist U‐69593 increases stimulated dopamine extracellular levels in the rat nucleus accumbens

Reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse are reduced by the coadministration of kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonists. This effect is related to the inhibition of dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) produced by the acute administration of KOR agonists. The present study was undertaken to investigate the in vivo effect of the repeated administration of KOR agonist on extracellular DA levels in the NAc. Rats were injected once daily with the selective KOR agonist U‐69593 (0.16–0.32 mg/kg) or vehicle for 4 days. Microdialysis studies assessing extracellular concentration of DA in the NAc under basal and K+‐stimulatory conditions were conducted 1 day later. The microdialysis studies revealed that preexposure to U‐69593 had no effect on basal extracellular DA levels but significantly augmented the amount of extracellular DA induced by high K+ compared with vehicle pretreated rats. The D2 receptor agonist quinpirole perfused through the dialysis probe in the NAc, although it produced a significant decrease on basal and K+‐stimulated DA levels in control rats, it did not decrease significantly either basal or K+‐stimulated DA levels in U‐69593 preexposed rats. Preexposure to U‐69593 did not alter the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase or dopamine transporter in the ventral tegmental area. These results show that repeated administration of U‐696593 increases the amount of extracellular DA induced by high K in the NAc, an effect that may be related to decreased D2 autoreceptor function. It is suggested that repeated activation of KOR changes the response status of dopaminergic neurons in the NAc. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cyclooxygenase-2 Is Essential for Colorectal Anastomotic Healing

Objective: To study the effects of COX-2 on colonic surgical wound healing. Background: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a key enzyme in gastrointestinal homeostasis. COX-2 inhibitors have been associated with colonic anastomotic leakage. Methods: Wildtype, COX-2 knockout and COX-2 heterozygous mice were subjected to a model of colonic anastomotic leakage, and were treated with vehicle, diclofenac, or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), the most important COX-2 product in the intestine. We assessed anastomotic leakage, mortality, angiogenesis, and inflammation. Furthermore, we investigated the association between anastomotic leakage and a human polymorphism of the COX-2 gene resulting in low COX-2 levels. Results: Diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug inhibiting COX-2, increased anastomotic leakage compared to vehicle-treated mice (100% vs 25%, respectively). Similarly, 92% of COX-2-deficient mice developed anastomotic leakage (P = 0.003) compared to WT. PGE2 partly rescued this severe phenotype because only 46% of PGE2-administered COX-2 knockout mice developed anastomotic leakage (P = 0.02). This may be related to decreased neovascularization, because decreased CD31 staining, indicating less blood vessels, was observed in COX-2−/− mice (2 vessels/mm2 vs 6 vessels/mm2 in controls (P = 0.03)). This effect could partly be reversed by administration of PGE2 to COX-2−/− mice. No significant differences in inflammation were found. PTGS2-765G>C polymorphism in humans, associated with reduced COX-2 expression, was associated with higher anastomotic leakage rates. Conclusions: COX-2-induced PGE2 production is essential for intestinal wound healing after colonic surgery, possibly via its effects on angiogenesis. These data emphasize that COX-2 inhibitors should be avoided after colonic surgery, and administration of PGE2 might be favorable for a selection of patients.
Microtubules continuously dictate distribution of actin filaments and positioning of cell cleavage in grasshopper spermatocytes

We systematically examined the impact of microtubules on distribution of actin filaments and positioning of cell cleavage using micromanipulation to progressively alter the symmetric distribution of spindle microtubules in grasshopper spermatocytes. The initial microtubule asymmetry was induced by placing a single chromosome at one spindle pole using a microneedle, which facilitates regional assembly of spindle microtubules. We augmented chromosome-induced microtubule asymmetry by further removing the aster from the achromosomal pole, producing unichromosome-bearing monopolar spindles. We created the highest spindle asymmetry by cutting early anaphase cells in two, each containing a full set of segregating chromosomes in a half-spindle. We demonstrate that the location of the spindle midzone, distribution of actin filaments, and position of cell cleavage depend on the amount of microtubule asymmetry generated, shifting up to 48.6±3.8% away from the spindle equator in cut cells. The positional shift is dynamic, changing incessantly as spindle microtubules reorganize during cytokinesis. These results suggest that microtubules continuously dictate the distribution of actin filaments and positioning of cell cleavage in grasshopper spermatocytes.