Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dose-response relationship and reproducibility of the fall in exhaled nitric oxide after inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate therapy in asthma patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVES The fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a marker of asthmatic airway inflammation. We determined the dose response and the reproducibility of the FENO fall following inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (iBDP) therapy in nonsteroid-treated asthmatic patients. STUDY DESIGN Study A: For four 1-week periods (period 1 to period 4), the following regimens were administered in sequential order to 15 nonsteroid-treated asthmatic patients: period 1, placebo; period 2, 100 microg/d of iBDP; period 3, 400 microg/D of iBDP; and period 4, 800 microg/d of iBDP. Spirometry, FENO, and provocative concentration of methacholine resulting in a 20% fall in FEV(1) (PC(20)) were measured at each of five visits (visit 1 to visit 5). Study B: During four periods, 12 nonsteroid-treated asthmatic patients received placebo treatment for 7 days (period 1), 200 microg/d of iBDP for 14 days (period 2), washout on placebo treatment until the FENO was within 15% of baseline (period 3), and 200 microg/d of iBDP for 14 days (period 4). RESULTS Study A: Mean FEV(1) rose progressively from 3.10 L (visit 1) to 3.41 L (visit 5; p = 0.001). All iBDP doses caused a significant FEV(1) rise compared to placebo treatment, but with no significant separation of doses using FEV(1). FENO geometric mean (95% confidence limits) fell progressively from 103.5 parts per billion (ppb) (78.5 to 136.7) to 37.4 ppb (29.1 to 48.0) from visit 1 to visit 5 (p = 0.001). All doses of iBDP resulted in a significant change in FENO from placebo treatment, but with significant separation of only the 100-microg and 800-microg doses by FENO. Geometric mean (95% confidence limits) PC(20) rose progressively from 0.01 mg/mL (0.00 to 0.19) to 0.48 mg/mL (0.01 to 8.1) from visit 1 to visit 5 (p = 0.002). All doses of iBDP resulted in a significant change in PC(20) from baseline or placebo treatment, but with no significant separation of active iBDP doses using PC(20). Study B: FENO fell from 111.56 ppb (80.3 to 155.1) to 66.3 ppb (49.2 to 89.5; p < 0.001) from period 1 to period 2, and from 110.2 ppb (79.3 to 153.1) to 61.7 ppb (42.9 to 88.8; p < 0.001) from period 3 to period 4. There were no significant differences between FENO in period 1 and period 3 (p = 0.83) or between period 2 and period 4 (p = 0.220). CONCLUSIONS FENO was superior to FEV(1) and PC(20) in separating doses of iBDP. The fall in FENO after two identical administrations of iBDP separated by placebo washout was highly reproducible.
Effect of visco-elastic damping and capillary bed model on the peripheral pressure wave

The visco-elastic models of Westerhof (1970), Wesseling (1973), Holenstein (1980) and Langewouters (1984) were incorporated in a linear distributed model of the arterial systemic circulation, extended with a pseudo nonlinear pressure-compliance function. Pressure and flow were computed at different locations along the arterial path. No significant damping was found for the proximal vessels, while more peripherally, the viscoelastic effect is considerable, reducing the pressure pulse at the femoral artery by about 20%. Except for those based on old species' data, all models revealed similar values. However, when changing the capillary bed model from a 3-element windkessel to a simple resistance, we found pressure pulse variations of the same order of magnitude (15-20% distal), even after compensating for the loss in compliance.
An exploration of the causes of tuberculosis stigma in an urban district in Ghana.

SETTING Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan District, Ghana. OBJECTIVES To explore tuberculosis (TB) stigma and to elucidate how it operates in community settings and within the health care system to affect case finding and treatment adherence. DESIGN Individual interviews and focus groups with TB patients, health care workers and community members. RESULT Ten causes of TB stigma emerged from the data: fear of infection, physical frailty, association with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome, perceived causes and spread of TB, outdated societal beliefs and practices about TB, public health practice and discourse, health staff's own fear of TB, self-stigmatisation by TB patients, judgement, blaming and shaming TB patients, and past experiences with TB. Fear of infection was identified as the main cause of TB stigma, with an element of fear recognised in all the other nine causes, named the 'moderating elements'. The moderating elements enhance the fear of infection, and fear of infection enhances the moderating elements. CONCLUSION The fear attached to TB underlies the beliefs, attitudes, actions and behaviours of the whole community when interacting with patients. These findings will be used to advocate for complete integration of TB services into the general health care system and involvement of community members in TB services in the district.
Phosphatidylcholine levels in Bradyrhizobium japonicum membranes are critical for an efficient symbiosis with the soybean host plant

Phosphatidycholine (PC), the major membrane phospholipid in eukaryotes, is found in only some bacteria including members of the family Rhizobiaceae. For this reason, it has long been speculated that rhizobial PC might be required for a successful interaction of rhizobia with their legume host plants in order to allow the formation of nitrogen‐fixing root nodules. A major pathway for PC formation in prokaryotes involves a threefold methylation of the precursor phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Here, we report on the isolation of a Bradyrhizobium japonicum gene (pmtA) encoding the phospholipid N‐methyltransferase PmtA. Upon expression of the bradyrhizobial pmtA gene in Escherichia coli, predominantly monomethylphosphatidylethanolamine was formed from PE. PmtA‐deficient B. japonicum mutants still produced low levels of PC by a second methylation pathway. The amount of PC formed in such mutants (6% of total phospholipids) was greatly decreased compared with the wild type (52% of total phospholipids). Root nodules of soybean plants infected with B. japonicum pmtA mutants showed a nitrogen fixation activity of only 18% of the wild‐type level. The interior colour of the nodules was beige instead of red, suggesting decreased amounts of leghaemoglobin. Moreover, ultrastructure analysis of these nodules demonstrated a greatly reduced number of bacteroids within infected plant cells. These data suggest that the biosynthesis of wild‐type amounts of PC are required to allow for an efficient symbiotic interaction of B. japonicum with its soybean host plant.
LOW VIRULENCE OF OOCYSTS OF CZECH TOXOPLASMA GONDII ISOLATES ON THE BASIS OF BIOLOGICAL AND GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS

The virulence of the oocysts of 7 Czech Toxoplasma gondii isolates was tested. The oocysts were obtained by experimental infection of cats with the tissue cysts of T. gondii isolates from dogs, cats, and rabbits. The cats shed the oocysts in feces, with prepatent periods of 3–5 days postinfection (PI); the patent period was 7–18 days. The number of oocysts shed varied between 0.94 million and 47 million, with 0.66 million–39 million oocysts found in the daily samples of excrement. The cats ceased oocyst production at 11–22 days PI. Sporulated oocysts were used to prepare infective doses of 1 to 105 oocysts for oral infection of 10 mice. Deoxyribonucleic acid isolated from 4 T. gondii isolates was used in polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for amplification of the ROP1 gene and restriction of the product of amplification by restriction endonuclease DdeI. On the basis of their biological characteristics, all 7 isolates belonged to the group of “avirulent” strains. In the PCR-RFLP tests, 2 isolates, K9 and K19, showed an “avirulent” strain pattern.
Mental Toughness and Individual Differences in Learning, Educational and Work Performance, Psychological Well-being, and Personality: A Systematic Review

Mental toughness (MT) is an umbrella term that entails positive psychological resources, which are crucial across a wide range of achievement contexts and in the domain of mental health. We systematically review empirical studies that explored the associations between the concept of MT and individual differences in learning, educational and work performance, psychological well-being, personality, and other psychological attributes. Studies that explored the genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences in MT are also reviewed. The findings suggest that MT is associated with various positive psychological traits, more efficient coping strategies and positive outcomes in education and mental health. Approximately 50% of the variation in MT can be accounted for by genetic factors. Furthermore, the associations between MT and psychological traits can be explained mainly by either common genetic or non-shared environmental factors. Taken together, our findings suggest a ‘mental toughness advantage’ with possible implications for developing interventions to facilitate achievement in a variety of settings.
Evaluation of four outpatient educational programmes for patients with longstanding fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE Four programmes based on educational and cognitive principles but with a variation in total length and number of staff/patient contact hours were compared in order to gain further insight into the importance of the format of the programme for the final outcome. DESIGN A prospective non-randomized intervention study with 191 persons with fibromyalgia. Data were collected before, after and at 1-year follow-up. Participants served as their own controls. Results within and between the programmes were calculated. METHODS Clinical investigations before and after intervention. Questionnaires were answered before, after and at 1-year follow-up. RESULTS Most instruments showed no significant improvements after the programme. However, some improvements were found in important variables such as attitudes, self-efficacy, vitality and "days feeling well". Results were unchanged at the 1-year follow-up and 16 persons had started working. Seven had ceased working. Participants reported frequent use of coping strategies in everyday life. No major differences could be found between the programmes. CONCLUSIONS More comprehensive programmes did not produce better results at group level. Also short and less costly interventions based on educational and cognitive principles were valuable for persons with longstanding fibromyalgia. More attention must be given to evaluating the clinical effect of programmes.
Ecuador's big progress in technological innovation capabilities: a closer look

This thesis presents a closer look to the evolution of Ecuador’s technological innovation capabilities (TIC) in comparison with Latin America and Spain from 2002 to 2014. The analysis is based on the literature of national capacity of innovation and technology indicators. Furthermore, this study takes as starting point a prior paper developed by Garcia-Ochoa-Mayor (2009), which uses multi-variable cluster statistical analysis and data published by the Global Competitiveness Reports 2002-2003 and 20092010 (WEF), to identify the existence of four groups of countries with different levels of TIC and their evolution from 2002 to 2009. In this study, the analysis for 2013-2014 is developed in order to be able to appreciate the evolution of Ecuador from 2002 to 2014. Also, due to some changes in the WEF publications, the analysis for 2009-2010 was remade here and only the results of 2002-2003 of the prior paper were used. The findings of this study show a continuous and remarkable progress of Ecuador’s TIC; nevertheless, a closer look reveals that the progress among the different dimensions of the TIC is unbalanced, which could lead to a poor dynamic between the innovation effort of Ecuador and the desired economic growth. Finally some recommendations will be given about how to start looking for actions that avoid a possible lack of results.
Risk of haemorrhagic stroke in patients with oral anticoagulation compared with the general population

Abstract. Själander A, Engström G, Berntorp E, Svensson P (Malmö University Hospital, University of Lund, Sweden). Risk of haemorrhagic stroke in patients with oral anticoagulation compared with the general population. J Intern Med 2003; 254: 434–438.
Acyltransferases and transacylases involved in fatty acid remodeling of phospholipids and metabolism of bioactive lipids in mammalian cells.

Over 100 different phospholipid molecular species are known to be present in mammalian cells and tissues. Fatty acid remodeling systems for phospholipids including acyl-CoA: lysophospholipid acyltransferases, CoA-dependent and CoA-independent transacylation systems and lysophospholipase/transacylase are involved in the biosynthesis of these molecular species. Acyl-CoA:1-acyl-2-lysophospholipid acyltransferase prefers polyunsaturated fatty acyl-CoAs as acyl donors while acyl-CoA:2-acyl-1-lysophospholipid acyltransferase prefers saturated fatty acyl-CoAs. Therefore, the acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferase system is involved in the synthesis of the phospholipid molecular species containing sn-1 saturated and sn-2 unsaturated fatty acids. The CoA-dependent transacylation system catalyzes the transfer of fatty acids esterified in phospholipids to lysophospholipids in the presence of CoA without the generation of free fatty acids. The CoA-dependent transacylation reaction in rat liver exhibits strict fatty acid specificity, i.e., three types of fatty acids (20:4, 18:2, and 18:0) are transferred. On the other hand, the CoA-independent transacylase catalyzes the transfer of C20 and C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids from diacyl phospholipids to various lysophospholipids, in particular, ether-containing lysophospholipids, in the absence of any cofactors. The CoA-independent transacylase is assumed to be involved in the accumulation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in ether-containing phospholipids and in the removal of deleterious ether-containing lysophospholipids. These acyltransferases and transacylases are involved in not only the remodeling of fatty acids but also the synthesis and degradation of some bioactive lipids and their precursors. In this review, the properties of these fatty acid remodeling systems and their possible roles in the biosynthesis of bioactive lipids are described.
Effect of clopidogrel added to aspirin in patients with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND Vitamin K antagonists reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation but are considered unsuitable in many patients, who usually receive aspirin instead. We investigated the hypothesis that the addition of clopidogrel to aspirin would reduce the risk of vascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation. METHODS A total of 7554 patients with atrial fibrillation who had an increased risk of stroke and for whom vitamin K-antagonist therapy was unsuitable were randomly assigned to receive clopidogrel (75 mg) or placebo, once daily, in addition to aspirin. The primary outcome was the composite of stroke, myocardial infarction, non-central nervous system systemic embolism, or death from vascular causes. RESULTS At a median of 3.6 years of follow-up, major vascular events had occurred in 832 patients receiving clopidogrel (6.8% per year) and in 924 patients receiving placebo (7.6% per year) (relative risk with clopidogrel, 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81 to 0.98; P=0.01). The difference was primarily due to a reduction in the rate of stroke with clopidogrel. Stroke occurred in 296 patients receiving clopidogrel (2.4% per year) and 408 patients receiving placebo (3.3% per year) (relative risk, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.62 to 0.83; P<0.001). Myocardial infarction occurred in 90 patients receiving clopidogrel (0.7% per year) and in 115 receiving placebo (0.9% per year) (relative risk, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.59 to 1.03; P=0.08). Major bleeding occurred in 251 patients receiving clopidogrel (2.0% per year) and in 162 patients receiving placebo (1.3% per year) (relative risk, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.29 to 1.92; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS In patients with atrial fibrillation for whom vitamin K-antagonist therapy was unsuitable, the addition of clopidogrel to aspirin reduced the risk of major vascular events, especially stroke, and increased the risk of major hemorrhage. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00249873.)
Analysis, Design, and Control of a Transcutaneous Power Regulator for Artificial Hearts

Based on a generic transcutaneous transformer model, a remote power supply using a resonant topology for use in artificial hearts is analyzed and designed for easy controllability and high efficiency. The primary and secondary windings of the transcutaneous transformer are positioned outside and inside the human body, respectively. In such a transformer, the alignment and gap may change with external positioning. As a result, the coupling coefficient of the transcutaneous transformer is also varying, and so are the two large leakage inductances and the mutual inductance. Resonant-tank circuits with varying resonant-frequency are formed from the transformer inductors and external capacitors. For a given range of coupling coefficients, an operating frequency corresponding to a particular coupling coefficient can be found, for which the voltage transfer function is insensitive to load. Prior works have used frequency modulation to regulate the output voltage under varying load and transformer coupling. The use of frequency modulation may require a wide control frequency range which may extend well above the load insensitive frequency. In this paper, study of the input-to-output voltage transfer function is carried out, and a control method is proposed to lock the switching frequency at just above the load insensitive frequency for optimized efficiency at heavy loads. Specifically, operation at above resonant of the resonant circuits is maintained under varying coupling-coefficient. Using a digital-phase-lock-loop (PLL), zero-voltage switching is achieved in a full-bridge converter which is also programmed to provide output voltage regulation via pulsewidth modulation (PWM). A prototype transcutaneous power regulator is built and found to to perform excellently with high efficiency and tight regulation under variations of the alignment or gap of the transcutaneous transformer, load and input voltage.
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and aspartate-to-alanine aminotransferase ratios predict hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis after transarterial embolization

Abstract The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) reflects the systematic inflammatory status, and the aspartate aminotransferase-to-alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR) is a biomarker of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. These values can be conveniently obtained from routine blood tests; however, their combined clinical utility has not been extensively studied in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of NLR-AAR in patients with unresectable HCC undergoing TACE. Data for 760 patients with newly diagnosed HCC were retrospectively evaluated. The NLR-AAR was calculated as follows: patients in whom both the NLR and AAR were elevated according to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were assigned a score of 2; patients showing an elevation in one or neither of these indicators were assigned a score of 1 or 0, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the clinicopathological variables associated with overall survival. An ROC curve was also generated and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the discriminatory ability of each index at 1, 3, and 5 years of follow-up, as well as overall. The NLR-AAR consistently had a greater AUC value at 1 year (0.669), 3 years (0.667), and 5 years (0.671) post-TACE compared with either NLR or AAR alone. The median survival times of patients with a NLR-AAR of 0, 1, and 2 were 31.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 24.0–38.0), 15.0 (95% CI 11.2–18.8), and 5.0 (95% CI 4.0–5.9) months, respectively (P < .001). Multivariate analysis showed that the NLR-AAR, elevated total bilirubin level, and vascular invasion were independently associated with overall survival. NLR and AAR, when combined to produce an inflammation-based index and fibrosis score, is an independent marker of poor prognosis in patients with HCC receiving TACE.
Comparison of a 3‐day with a 1‐day regimen of an extended‐release formulation of ciprofloxacin as antimicrobial prophylaxis for patients undergoing transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate

To compare the clinical and bacteriological efficacy and the clinical safety of a 1‐day with a 3‐day regimen of an extended‐release formulation of ciprofloxacin (ciprofloxacin XR) given as antimicrobial prophylaxis to men undergoing transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate (TRNBP).
Guanine nucleotides and Ca2(+)-dependent lysosomal secretion in electropermeabilised human platelets.

1. Metabolically stable analogues of GTP, e.g. guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]) and guanosine 5'-[beta,gamma-imido]triphosphate (pp[NH]pG), enhance the extent of Ca2(+)-dependent secretion of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and beta-galactosidase from electropermeabilised human platelets in the presence of less than 5 microM Ca2+. A similar effect is observed on addition either of 1,2-dioctanoin or of GTP in in the presence or absence of thrombin. 2. In the presence of higher Ca2+ concentrations the extent of enhancement of lysosomal secretion declines and little, or no, enhancement is observed at a [Ca2+] of 30-40 microM. Addition of leupeptin or antipain prevents this decrease in lysosomal secretion and enhances the extent of Ca2(+)-dependent lysosomal secretion obtained in the presence or absence of guanine nucleotides, thrombin or 1,2-dioctanoin. 3. The concentration of GTP[S] or pp[NH]pG required to obtain half-maximal enhancement of lysosomal secretion is dependent on [Ca2+] for secretion of 5-hydroxytryptamine, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and beta-galactosidase. At two fixed [Ca2+] the median effective concentration (EC50) values for GTP[S] and pp[NH]pG which characterise enhancement of 5-hydroxytryptamine secretion are significantly different from those characterising enhancement of the secretion of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and beta-galactosidase. 4. In the presence of a saturating concentration of GTP[S] marked 5-hydroxytryptamine and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase secretion is observed at nanomolar [Ca2+] and these responses show little dependence on [Ca2+] over the attainable range. Secretion of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase is also induced at nanomolar Ca2+ concentrations by addition of activators of protein kinase C. 5. Guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate inhibits enhancement of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase secretion induced by GTP[S] but has no effect on secretion of this enzyme induced by Ca2+ when added alone. 6. Our data provide some support for a model in which addition of metabolically stable guanine nucleotides enhances Ca2(+)-dependent platelet lysosomal secretion by activating a guanine-nucleotide-binding protein (GE) located close to the exocytotic site. However, not all the data are consistent with this postulate.