Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Induction of oxidative burst response in human neutrophils by adherent Staphylococci

The ability of staphylococci adherent to silicone surfaces to induce superoxide anion (O2−) production by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was investigated and compared with the same activity induced by planktonic bacteria. The responses to Staphylococcus aureus strain E 2371 and Staphylococcus epidermidis strain ATCC 14990 were compared. The staphylococci were allowed to adhere to silicone catheters for 2 h at 37°C. After opsonization of adherent bacteria in 30% human AB‐positive serum, the induction of superoxide anion production by PMNs was measured in a cytochrome C reduction assay. Both bacterial strains, when adhered to the surfaces, were able to induce superoxide anion production by PMNs to about the same extent. Comparing adherent and planktonic bacteria with these two bacterial strains, it was found that planktonic S. epidermidis induced one to three times higher superoxide anion production than the adherent bacteria, whereas planktonic S. aureus induced four to seven times higher superoxide anion production than the adherent bacteria. Interstrain variation between the response to adherent and planktonic staphylococci was found. The lower phagocytic response to adherent staphylococci as compared to the response to planktonic organisms may interfere with the killing process and thereby contribute to poor clearance of these bacteria when adherent to foreign bodies such as catheters.
Efficacy of Crocus sativus L. on reduction of cadmium‐induced toxicity on spermatogenesis in adult rats

Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal element, which probably cause infertility by impairment in spermatogenesis. The present work aimed (i) to study the toxic effect of cadmium on spermatogenesis in rat, as well as (ii) the protective effect of Crocus sativus L. on cadmium‐intoxicated rats. Cadmium chloride was administered intraperitoneally during 16 days at intervals of 48 h between subsequent treatments. Crocus sativus L. was pre‐treated in both of control and cadmium‐injected rats. Animals were sacrificed on day 17 after the first treatment. The left cauda epididymis was removed and immediately immersed into Hank's balanced salt solution for the evaluation of sperm count and viability, and left testis was fixed in 10% formalin for histological evaluation. Following contamination with cadmium, a decrease was observed in the number and viability of cauda epididymis sperm, which were increased by Crocus sativus L. pre‐treatment (P < 0.05). In addition, cadmium decreased both cell proliferation and Johnsen Scores in the seminiferous tubules, which were reversed by Crocus sativus pre‐treatment (P < 0.05). Furthermore, cadmium‐induced decrease in the amount of free serum testosterone as well as an increase in lipid peroxidation activity in the testicular tissue was reversed by Crocus sativus L. (P < 0.05). These findings may support the concept that Crocus sativus L. can improve the cadmium toxicity on spermatogenesis.
Nature of nontransferrin‐bound iron

Nontransferrin‐bound iron is now recognized to exist by many workers. It is present in the serum of patients suffering from a wide range of disease states and may be induced by certain therapeutic treatments. The chemical nature of this iron pool is unknown but almost certainly it is a multicomponent pool including a considerable proportion of protein‐bound iron. Methods are required to separate and quantify these different components. The biological properties of the individual isoforms need to be established; it is possible that some forms are relatively nontoxic, while others are highly toxic. This paper reviews what is known about the nature of nontransferrin‐bound iron and describes the methods currently available to quantify this important serum component.
Haiti: Going to scale with a performance incentive model.

Rewarding NGOs for increasing access to a package of basic services and paying them for achieving population-based performance targets can result in significant increases in essential services such as immunizations and assisted deliveries. Paying NGOs for results strengthens institutional capacity to deliver services from the bottom up. Changes in the design throughout the six years offer lessons for other contexts.
Using orange fleshed sweet potato varieties to combat vitamin A deficiency and enhance market opportunities for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties are rich in provitamin A and can contribute significantly to vitamin A nutrition in humans. Vitamin A deficiency is common many places in sub-Saharan Africa where sweetpotato is grown. However, most sweetpotato varieties currently grown here have either white or yellow flesh and are low in provitamin A. This paper briefly reviews recent experiences from Kenya and Uganda with respect to the identification and promotion of orange-fleshed varieties. Well-adapted orange-fleshed varieties are available and readily accepted by consumers, and can make a significant contribution to improving dietary vitamin A status, especially when provided in conjunction with information on the importance of vitamin A. As an additional incentive for their adoption, use of orange-fleshed sweetpotato as a wheat flour substitute in some snack food recipes, produces attractive and profitable products. Consideration is given to the varietal attributes and complementary information packages that will likely be required for orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes to significantly contribute to alleviating vitamin A deficiency and to increasing opportunities for income generation over wide areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Introduction. Vitamin A deficiency is a serious public health problem in many developing countries, including most of the countries of eastern, central and southern Africa (WHO, 1995). It mainly affects poor, young children (6 months to six years of age) and pregnant women. The clinical form of vitamin A deficiency, xerophthalmia, results when the eye is adversely affected, and is expressed as night blindness or, at its most severe, as total, irreversible blindness. Xerophthalmia affected an estimated 3.1 million children world-wide in 1995 (IVACG, 1995). Sub-clinical vitamin A deficiency affects many more people – an estimated 227.6 million in 1995 (IVACG, 1995) – and results in increased sickness and death rates due to diseases such as diarrhea and measles among those affected. There are two main causes of vitamin A deficiency in humans: failure to consume adequate amounts of vitamin A (or vitamin A precursors); and failure to absorb
Organizational Variables for Developing Collective Creativity in Business: A Case from an Italian Fashion Design Company

The goal of this article is to propose a theoretical framework for collective creativity within an organizational design perspective and to help clarify this concept and how collective creativity can be purposefully managed. In particular, this study identifies relevant organizational variables for enhancing collective creativity and examines the relationship between collective creativity and organizational performance. The research draws upon a survey developed in the context of an in-depth collaborative research study with an Italian fashion design company. As the theory on collective creativity is quite dispersed, the first part of the article attempts to define collective creativity and integrate different theoretical perspectives. Then, method and empirical findings are described. In the last part, the discussion illustrates why it is important for researchers and practitioners to be aware of the concept of collective creativity and its purposeful management.
Prevalence and Etiology of Amblyopia in Southern India: Results from Screening of School Children Aged 5–15 years

Abstract Purpose: To determine the prevalence and etiology of amblyopia in school children. Methods: A total of 4020 school children aged between 5 and 15 years were screened in a population-based, cross-sectional study. Best corrected visual acuity and detailed ophthalmic evaluation were performed in all participants. Amblyopia associated with degraded visual input due to high refractive error was labeled ametropic amblyopia. Anisometropic amblyopia was diagnosed in participants with interocular refractive error difference ≥1 diopter. Strabismic amblyopia included that due to conflicting visual inputs between the eyes due to squint. Stimulus deprivation amblyopia was defined as amblyopia due to obstruction of the visual axis. Results: Prevalence of amblyopia was 1.1% (n = 44). The number of boys with amblyopia (n = 25, 57%) was slightly higher than the number of girls with amblyopia (n = 19, 43%; p = 0.6). A total of 28 (63.7%) children had mild to moderate amblyopia, whereas 16 (36.3%) had severe amblyopia. Underlying amblyogenic causes were ametropia (50%), anisometropia (40.9%), strabismus (6.8%), visual deprivation (4.5%) and combined causes (2.2%). No statistically significant difference was noted in the prevalence of amblyopia between rural (1.2%) and urban (0.9%) children (p = 0.5). Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of amblyopia was 1.1% of the school children. Ametropia and anisometropia were the most common causes of amblyopia. We did not find any significant difference in amblyopia prevalence between rural and urban school children.
Are Foot Disorders Associated With Functional Limitation and Disability Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults?

The objectives of this study are to examine whether specific foot disorders and ankle weakness and foot pain are related to functional limitations or disabilities in elders. Community-dwelling adults 65 and older were enrolled in a population-based, cross-sectional study of foot disorders and health outcomes. Demographics, health status, comorbidities, self-reported foot and knee pain, function and disability, and observed structural foot disorders, body mass index, and ankle muscle strength were assessed on 717 participants. The associations of foot disorders, foot pain, and ankle muscle weakness with function and disability were examined with regression analyses. Foot disorders were not associated with functional outcomes or disability. Ankle weakness was associated with performance-based function (p = .005), self-report function (p < .001), and disability (p = .009). Foot pain was associated with self-report function (p = .01) and disability (p = .007). Foot pain and ankle weakness seem to be related to important health outcomes among older adults.
Evidence-based practice: beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of physical therapists.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Little research has been done regarding the attitudes and behaviors of physical therapists relative to the use of evidence in practice. The purposes of this study were to describe the beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of physical therapist members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) as they relate to evidence-based practice (EBP) and to generate hypotheses about the relationship between these attributes and personal and practice characteristics of the respondents. METHODS A survey of a random sample of physical therapist members of APTA resulted in a 48.8% return rate and a sample of 488 that was fairly representative of the national membership. Participants completed a questionnaire designed to determine beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors regarding EBP, as well as demographic information about themselves and their practice settings. Responses were summarized for each item, and logistic regression analyses were used to examine relationships among variables. RESULTS Respondents agreed that the use of evidence in practice was necessary, that the literature was helpful in their practices, and that quality of patient care was better when evidence was used. Training, familiarity with and confidence in search strategies, use of databases, and critical appraisal tended to be associated with younger therapists with fewer years since they were licensed. Seventeen percent of the respondents stated they read fewer than 2 articles in a typical month, and one quarter of the respondents stated they used literature in their clinical decision making less than twice per month. The majority of the respondents had access to online information, although more had access at home than at work. According to the respondents, the primary barrier to implementing EBP was lack of time. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Physical therapists stated they had a positive attitude about EBP and were interested in learning or improving the skills necessary to implement EBP. They noted that they needed to increase the use of evidence in their daily practice.
Memory Complaint, Memory Performance, and Psychiatric Diagnosis: A Community Study

This study examined the prevalence of memory complaint and poor memory performance on brief screening measures within a community sample of 810 adults. All individuals received an extensive household interview and a clinical psychiatric evaluation. Overall, 22% indicated that they currently had trouble with their memory. This percentage increased with age, rising to 43% for those 65 to 74 years old, 51% for those 75 to 84 years old, and 88% for those 85 years of age and older; the percentage indicating memory problems decreased with educational attainment. The prevalence of poor memory performance was 11%, also increasing with less education and increased age, rising to 26% for those 65 to 74 years old and to 40% for those older then 75. Those who complained of memory trouble were twice as likely to show poor memory performance (29%) compared with those who did not complain (15%). Multivariate analysis found age, emotional distress, and physical illness to be independent predictors of memory complaint; age, functional disability, education, and physical illnesses proved to be independently associated with poor memory performance. A higher prevalence of complaints of memory trouble was found not only for those with affective disorders, as might be expected, but also among those with schizophrenic, cognitive, anxiety, and adjustment disorders. However, only individuals with cognitive disorders showed a higher prevalence of poor memory performance.
Permissive hypotension and desmopressin enhance clot formation.

BACKGROUND Experimental studies of uncontrolled hemorrhage demonstrated that permissive hypotension (PH) reduces blood loss, but its effect on clot formation remains unexplored. Desmopressin (DDAVP) enhances platelet adhesion promoting stronger clots. We hypothesized PH and DDAVP have additive effects and reduce bleeding in uncontrolled hemorrhage. METHODS Rabbits (n = 42) randomized as follows: sham; normal blood pressure (NBP) resuscitation; PH resuscitation-60% baseline mean arterial pressure; NBP plus DDAVP 1 hour before (DDAVP NBP) or 15 minutes after beginning of shock (DDAVP T1 NBP); and PH plus DDAVP 1 hour before (DDAVP PH) or 15 minutes after beginning of shock (DDAVP T1 PH). Fluid resuscitation started 15 minutes after aortic injury and ended at 85 minutes. Intraabdominal blood loss was calculated, aortic clot sent for electron microscopy. Activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet count, thromboelastometry, arterial blood gases, and complete blood count were performed at baseline and 85 minutes. Analysis of variance was used for comparison. RESULTS NBP received more fluid volume and had greater intraabdominal blood loss. DDAVP, when administered preshock, significantly reduced blood loss in NBP and fluid requirement when given postshock. Platelets, arterial blood gas, complete blood count, and activated partial thromboplastin time were similar at 85 minutes. NBP delayed clot formation and worsened thrombodynamic potential on thromboelastometry, whereas PH and DDAVP improved. Electron microscopy showed lack of fibrin on NBP clots, whereas DDAVP and PH clots displayed exuberant fibrin/platelet aggregates. DDAVP NBP presented intermediate clots. CONCLUSION PH reduced bleeding and improved hemostasis compared with normotensive resuscitation. DDAVP given preshock exerted similar effects with normotensive resuscitation.
Glial reactions in Parkinson's disease

Dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra are particularly vulnerable to oxidative and inflammatory attack. Such processes may play a crucial role in the etiology of Parkinson disease (PD). Since glia are the main generators of these processes, the possibility that PD may be caused by glial dysfunction needs to be considered. This review concentrates on glial reactions in PD. Reactive astrocytes and reactive microglia are abundant in the substantia nigra (SN) of PD cases indicating a robust inflammatory state. Glia normally serve neuroprotective roles but, given adverse stimulation, they may contribute to damaging chronic inflammation. Microglia, the phagocytes of brain, may be the main contributors since they can produce large numbers of superoxide anions and other neurotoxins. Their toxicity towards dopaminergic neurons has been demonstrated in tissue culture and various animal models of PD. The MPTP and α‐synuclein models are of particular interest. Years after exposure to MPTP, inflammation has been observed in the SN. This has established that an acute insult to the SN can result in a sustained local inflammation. The α‐synuclein model indicates that an endogenous protein can induce inflammation, and, when overexpressed, can lead to autosomal dominant PD. Less is known about the role of astrocytes than microglia, but they are known to secrete both inflammatory and anti‐inflammatory molecules and may play a role in modulating microglial activity. Oligodendrocytes do not seem to play a role in promoting inflammation although, like neurons, they may be damaged by inflammatory processes. Further research concerning glial reactions in PD may lead to disease‐modifying therapeutic approaches. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
The Personal Food Systems of Pre-Season NCAA Division 1 High-Contact, Low-Contact, and Non-Contact College Athletes

Previous research indicates that dietary habits may differ between athletes of different sports. In this cross-sectional study, we hypothesize meal frequency, food choices, and food preferences will significantly differ between contact types. The participants were athletes (n = 92; men: n = 57, body fat percent (BF%): 14.8 ± 8.4%, body mass index (BMI): 25.5 ± 5.5 kg·m−2; women: n = 36, BF%: 26.7 ± 7.3%, BMI: 22.3 ± 2.7 kg·m−2) from high-contact (HCS), low-contact (LCS), and non-contact (NCS) sports. Meal frequency, food preference, and food choice questionnaires assessed factors influencing dietary habits. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measured lean body mass, fat mass, and body fat. A GLM multivariate analysis was used with significance accepted at p < 0.05. Significant body composition differences were observed between genders (p < 0.001) and among sports (p < 0.001). Dinner (83.7%), lunch (67.4%), and breakfast (55.4%) were the most frequently eaten meals, followed by evening snack (17.8%), afternoon snack (15.2%), and morning snack (8.7%). Greater preferences for starches were observed for HCS (p = 0.04; η2 = 0.07) and for a greater preference for vegetables was found for NCS (p = 0.02; η2 = 0.09). Significant differences also existed in the importance of health (p = 0.04; η2 = 0.07), weight control (p = 0.05; η2 = 0.11), natural content (p = 0.04; η2 = 0.07), and price (p = 0.04; η2 = 0.07). These results support our hypothesis that food choices and food preferences differ between contact types. This may help sports dieticians create more individualized nutrition programs.
The texture of collagen in the microenvironments of Merkel cell carcinoma

Abstract Solid tumors typically contain high levels of fibrillar collagen. The increased stromal collagen deposition usually promotes cancer progression since biochemical and biophysical cues from tumor-associated collagen fibers stimulate neoplastic cells. Few studies have investigated the relationship between Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) and the extracellular matrix (ECM), but there are no works evaluating collagen. This is an observational, analytical, retrospective study including 11 patients with MCC. Primary tumor-stained sections were evaluated by second harmonic generation microscopy and texture analysis. Peritumoral texture features (area fraction, mean gray value, entropy, and contrast) showed much lower values than normal skin (P < .0001) revealing extensively altered structure of peritumoral collagen fibers. These differences were not significant between tumors with unfavorable and favorable known prognostic factors. Profound changes in collagen fibers present in the stroma accompanying primary MCC may contribute to the aggressive behavior of this tumor. Our results indicate that whatever MCC histological subtype, size or anatomical location, MCC promotes the same type of ECM for its development. As an outlook, therapies using ECM macromolecules or fibroblasts (the architects of ECM remodeling) as target could be useful in the treatment of MCC.
Stereological estimation of neuron number and plaque load in the hippocampal region of a transgenic rat model of Alzheimer's disease

The main hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and neuronal death. The McGill‐R‐Thy1‐APP rat is one of the few transgenic rat models of AD that displays progressive amyloid pathology. This study aimed to further characterise this rat model, focusing on the pathological changes in the hippocampal formation and the parahippocampal region. These structures, that are important for episodic memory and spatial navigation, are affected in the early stages of the disease. This study used unbiased stereology to investigate possible neuronal loss in the CA1, subiculum and entorhinal cortex of 18‐month‐old homozygous McGill‐R‐Thy1‐APP rats, and also quantified the plaque load in all the areas of the hippocampal formation and parahippocampal region from 9 to 18 months old. A significant reduction of neurons at 18 months was only seen in the subiculum. The first plaque pathology was seen at 9 months in the subiculum. Although the quantified plaque load was variable between animals, the pattern of spatiotemporal progression was similar for all animals. The spread of plaque pathology mainly affected anatomically connected regions. Overall, the plaque pathology observed in the transgenic rats was similar to the early phases of amyloid beta (Aβ)‐deposition described in human patients. The findings here thus indicate that the McGill‐R‐Thy1‐APP rat could be a good model of the Aβ pathology in AD, but less so with respect to neuron loss.
Clustering approach for the classificarion of SPECT images

We present a method to cluster the information contained in 3-dimensional brain images where each cluster incorporates a contiguous brain region with similar activation. The grey-level distribution of a brain image is approximated by a sum of Gaussian functions and the parameters of the Gaussian mixture are determined by a maximum likelihood criterion via the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. Each cluster, therefore, is represented by a multivariate Gaussian function with a definite centre coordinate and a certain shape. This approach leads to a drastic compression of the information contained in the brain image and serves as a starting point for a variety of possible feature extraction methods for the diagnosis of brain diseases.