Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intraoperative evaluation of tissue perfusion in high-risk patients by invasive and noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring.

OBJECTIVE Although invasive monitoring has not been effective in late stages after organ failure has occurred, early postoperative monitoring revealed differences in survivor and nonsurvivor patterns and provided goals for improving outcome. We searched for the earliest divergence of survivor and nonsurvivor circulatory changes as an approach to earlier preventive therapy. The aim was to describe the intraoperative time course of circulatory dysfunction in survivors and nonsurvivors among high-risk elective surgery patients using both the thermodilution pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) and multicomponent noninvasive monitoring. DESIGN Prospective intraoperative description of circulatory dysfunction. SETTING University-run county hospital. PATIENTS Two hundred nine consecutively monitored high-risk elective surgery patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS We evaluated the data of high-risk elective surgery patients using both PAC and multicomponent noninvasive monitoring. The latter consisted of the following: a) an improved bioimpedance method for estimating cardiac output; b) the standard pulse oximetry to screen for pulmonary problems; c) transcutaneous oxygen and carbon dioxide tension sensors to evaluate tissue perfusion; and d) routine noninvasive blood pressure and heart rate. The current noninvasive impedance cardiac output estimations closely approximated those of the thermodilution method; r2 = . 74, p < . 001; the precision and bias was -0.124 +/- 0.75 L/min/m2. Outcome measures included intraoperative description of circulatory patterns of high-risk surgical patients who survived compared with nonsurvivors. Hypotension, low cardiac index, arterial hemoglobin desaturation, low transcutaneous oxygen, high transcutaneous carbon dioxide tensions, low oxygen delivery, and low oxygen consumption developed intraoperatively gradually over time; the abnormalities were more pronounced in the nonsurvivors than in the survivors. CONCLUSIONS The survivors had slightly higher mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, and mixed venous oxygen saturation, as well as significantly higher oxygen delivery, oxygen consumption, transcutaneous oxygen tension, and transcutaneous oxygen tension/FIO2 ratios, than did the nonsurvivors. The data suggest that blood flow, oxygen delivery, and tissue oxygenation of the nonsurvivors became inadequate toward the end of the operation. Noninvasive monitoring provides similar information to that of the PAC; both approaches revealed low-flow and poor tissue perfusion that were worse in the nonsurvivors. The continuous on-line real-time displays of hemodynamic trends facilitate early recognition of acute circulatory dysfunction.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia cell line viability and modulation of jm-27 by doxazosin and Ibuprofen.

PURPOSE Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is among the most common diseases affecting quality of life in older men. Despise intense research efforts to our knowledge the genetic mechanisms underlying the BPH disease process and therapeutic markers needed to determine patient responsiveness to a particular form of pharmacological therapy are still not identified. This has slowed the development of new therapeutic agents for the treatment of BPH. MATERIALS AND METHODS We investigated the cellular effects of certain drugs on BPH. Besides doxazosin, which is the prevailing drug to treat BPH, the effect of ibuprofen was examined as a new therapeutic approach due to strong evidence of a correlation between BPH and inflammation. RESULTS This study showed that doxazosin as well as ibuprofen significantly decreases cell viability and induced apoptosis in 267 B1 cells as well as in BPH-1 cells. In addition, we observed that the administration of doxazosin and ibuprofen to BPH-1 cells decreased the expression of JM-27, a protein particularly expressed in prostate that is highly up-regulated in symptomatic BPH. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that ibuprofen may be a new therapeutic target for the treatment of BPH. Further research must be done to investigate the potential use of ibuprofen in patients with BPH and examine if JM-27 expression in patients with BPH may stratify individuals who may be most responsive to pharmacological treatment.
Oxygen, iron, carbon, and superoxide control of the fumarase fumA and fumC genes of Escherichia coli: role of the arcA, fnr, and soxR gene products

The tricarboxylic acid cycle enzyme fumarase catalyzes the interconversion of fumarate to L-malate. Escherichia coli contains three biochemically distinct fumarases. While the fumA and fumB genes encode heat-labile, iron-containing fumarases, the fumC gene product is a heat-stable fumarase which does not require iron for activity. To study how the fumA and fumC genes are regulated, we constructed lacZ operon fusions to the fumA and/or fumC upstream regions. Expression of the fumA and fumC genes was lowest during anaerobic cell growth, in support of the proposed roles of FumA and FumC as aerobic fumarases. Transcription of the fumC gene was shown to be complex: it was dependent on both the fumA and fumC promoters. Anaerobic expression from the fumA promoter was derepressed in both an arcA and a fnr mutant, while expression from the fumC promoter was derepressed in only the arcA strain. The fumA promoter was also shown to be catabolite controlled, whereas the fumC promoter was relatively unaffected by the type of carbon used for cell growth. Cellular iron limitation stimulated fumC but not fumA expression. Superoxide radicals also caused increased fumC gene expression; fumA expression was unaffected. Both the superoxide control and the iron control of fumC expression required the SoxR regulatory protein. These studies suggest different physiological roles for the FumA and FumC fumarases. The iron-containing FumA fumarase is the more abundant enzyme under most conditions of aerobic cell growth except when iron is limiting; FumC, which lacks iron, appears to be a backup enzyme that is synthesized optimally only when iron is low or when superoxide radicals accumulate.
Comparison of three measures of quality of life outcome in the evaluation of continuous positive airways pressure therapy for sleep apnoea

Treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) has become a standard treatment since its introduction in 1981. Following such treatment the apnoeas disappear, sleep quality improves as apparently do daytime symptoms of sleepiness. Sleepiness is an unusual symptom and its impact on conventional indices of quality of life has rarely been measured. To allow comparison of NCPAP therapy with treatments for other conditions, measurements of quality of life before and after treatment using standard techniques are required. It is not clear which of the standard measures is most suited to measuring the health gain from nasal NCPAP, and indeed whether the disability of excessive sleepiness is included in all such measures. This study looks at three well recognized quality of life measures in OSA, before and after NCPAP therapy; the Short Form 36 (SF‐36), Functional Limitations Profile (FLP), and the EuroQol (EQ‐5D). The results were compared with data from normal populations. One hundred and eight patients with OSA undergoing a therapeutic assessment of NCPAP completed the three quality of life questionnaires before and 5 weeks after commencing treatment. Over 90 subjects completed all sections of the three measures on both occasions. The SF‐36 revealed substantial adverse effects on subjective health of OSA and that NCPAP treatment produced dramatic positive effects. For example, the effect sizes (difference in score, divided by SD of baseline score) in the Energy/Vitality dimension was 0.98 and for the overall Mental and Physical Component Scores, 0.76 and 0.57, respectively: an effect size over 0.5 is considered moderate and over 0.8 as large. The FLP data showed similar pre treatment decrements in quality of life and substantial improvements following NCPAP. The changes with treatment in the majority of the dimensions from both the SF‐36 and FLP were statistically significant (P<0.01). In contrast the EQ‐5D did not show significant improvements with therapy, presumably because of its failure to measure the aspects of quality of life related to severe sleep fragmentation and daytime sleepiness. In conclusion, this study has clearly shown considerable decrements in quality of life in patients with OSA, similar to other chronic disabling conditions. Furthermore, NCPAP therapy returns patients to a quality of life similar to the normal population.
Identification of methionine sulfoxide diastereomers in immunoglobulin gamma antibodies using methionine sulfoxide reductase enzymes

Light-induced formation of singlet oxygen selectively oxidizes methionines in the heavy chain of IgG2 antibodies. Peptide mapping has indicated the following sensitivities to oxidation: M252 > M428 > M397. Irrespective of the light source, formulating proteins with the free amino acid methionine limits oxidative damage. Conventional peptide mapping cannot distinguish between the S- and R-diastereomers of methionine sulfoxide (Met(O)) formed in the photo-oxidized protein because of their identical polarities and masses. We have developed a method for identification and quantification of these diastereomers by taking advantage of the complementary stereospecificities of the methionine sulfoxide reductase (Msr) enzymes MsrA and MsrB, which promote the selective reduction of S- and R-diastereomers of Met(O), respectively. In addition, an MsrBA fusion protein that contains both Msr enzyme activities permitted the quantitative reduction of all Met(O) diastereomers. Using these Msr enzymes in combination with peptide mapping, we were able to detect and differentiate diastereomers of methionine sulfoxide within the highly conserved heavy chain of an IgG2 that had been photo-oxidized, as well as those in an IgG1 oxidized with peroxide. The rapid identification of the stereospecificity of methionine oxidation by Msr enzymes not only definitively differentiates Met(O) diastereomers, which previously has been indistinguishable using traditional techniques, but also provides an important tool that may contribute to understanding of the mechanisms of protein oxidation and development of new formulation strategies to stabilize protein therapeutics.
Angiotensin II plays a role in acute murine experimental autoimmune cystitis

To investigate whether angiotensin II (AII) receptor antagonism decreases the inflammation and oedema in acute murine experimental autoimmune cystitis (EAC), as interstitial cystitis (IC) might have an autoimmune component and AII has been implicated in autoimmune‐mediated vascular congestion, oedema and scarring.
Expression and Spectroscopic Characterization of the Hydrogenosomal [2Fe-2S] Ferredoxin from the Protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis*

The heterologous expression and spectroscopic characterization of the [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin from the sexually transmitted human parasite Trichomonas vaginalis is described. Using oligonucleotide primers based on the deduced DNA sequence, the gene encoding the ferredoxin was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into a T7 RNA polymerase expression vector. Expression of the gene in Escherichia coli host HMS174(DE3) resulted in the high level production of the protein with the correctly assembled iron-sulfur cluster. The absorption, circular dichroism, resonance Raman, and EPR spectra of the recombinant protein revealed many differences from those of other [2Fe-2S] ferredoxins. The redox potential of the protein (−347 mV versus normal hydrogen electrode) was also determined. Whereas the amino acid sequence of T. vaginalis ferredoxin showed greatest homology to the [2Fe-2S] ferredoxins found in bacteria and vertebrate mitochondria which function in cytochrome P450 oxidation pathways, the spectroscopic properties showed substantial dissimilarity. Differences in the biophysical properties and function of T. vaginalis ferredoxin are proposed to result from the characteristic amino acid sequence of the parasite protein near the cysteine residues that ligate the valence-localized Fe(III) site of the reduced cluster.
Effects of acetic acid on the viability of Ascaris lumbricoides eggs

Objectives: To investigate the effects of acetic acid on durable Ascaris lumbricoides (A. lumbricoides) eggs to determine the effective concentration of vinegar and the implementation period to render the consumption of raw vegetables more reliable. Methods: This experimental study was performed in May 2015 in the Parasitology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey. The A. lumbricoides eggs were divided into 2 groups. Eggs in the study group were treated with 1, 3, 5, and 10% acetic acid concentrations, and eggs in the control group were treated with Eosin. The eggs’ viability was observed at the following points in time during the experiment: 0, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. Results: The 1% acetic acid was determined insufficient on the viability of Ascaris eggs. At the 30th minute, 3% acetic acid demonstrated 95% effectiveness, and at 5% concentration, all eggs lost their viability. Treatment of acetic acid at the ratio of 4.8% in 30 minutes, or a ratio of 4.3% in 60 minutes is required for full success of tretment. Conclusion: Since Ascaris eggs have 3 layers and are very resistant, the acetic acid concentration, which can be effective on these eggs are thought to be effective also on many other parasitic agents. In order to attain an active protection, after washing the vegetables, direct treatment with a vinegar containing 5% acetic acid for 30 minutes is essential.
Safety of research bronchoscopy, biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage in asthma

Bronchoscopy with endobronchial biopsy (EBB) and/or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) has become an important research tool in asthma. A recent report has suggested audit and reporting of the safety of these procedures. A total of 159 asthmatic patients (84 males, 75 females), aged 18–52 (median 27) yrs, forced expiratory volume in one second 53–120 (median 88) % predicted, underwent 273bronchoscopies in six clinical research studies. On 228 occasions, EBB and BAL were performed and, on 45 occasions, EBB was performed alone. On 48 occasions, bronchoscopy was performed 24 h post-allergen challenge. Adverse events occurred on 34 out of 273 occasions, none of which were following allergen challenge. Post-EBB and BAL, four patients developed pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath and fever. A further two patients experienced pleuritic chest pain alone post-EBB/BAL. Bronchospasm or worsening of asthma symptoms occurred on 14 occasions, 13 post-EBB/BAL and on one occasion post-EBB alone. Fever/flu-like symptoms were reported on nine occasions following EBB and BAL. One subject had haemoptysis post-EBB/BAL, but required no intervention. In conclusion, bronchoscopy, endobronchial biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage can be performed safely in asthmatic patients. Most of the complications were seen where bronchoalveolar lavage and endobronchial biopsy were both performed, suggesting that bronchoalveolar lavage accounts for most of the adverse events.
Huperzine A, a novel promising acetylcholinesterase inhibitor

THE effects of huperzine A on memory impairments induced by scopolamine were evaluted using a radial maze task and inhibition of cholinesterase in vitro compared with the effects of E2020 and tacrine. Scopolamine (0.2 mg kg−1) significantly impaired spatial memory in rats. Huperzine A (0.1–0.4 mg kg−1, p.o.), E2020 (0.5–1.0 mg kg−1, p.o.) and tacrine (1.0–2.0 mg kg−1, p.o) could reverse these scopolamine-induced memory deficits. The ratios of huperzine A, E2020 and tacrine for butyrylcholinesterase:acetylcholinesterase determined by a colourimetric method were 884.57, 489.05, and 0.80, respectively. The results demonstrated that huperzine A was the most selective acetylcholinterase inhibitor, and improved the working memory deficit induced by scopolamine significantly better than did E2020 or tacrine, suggesting it may be a promising agent for clinical therapy of cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer's Disease.
Connexin 50 gene on human chromosome 1q21 is associated with schizophrenia in matched case–control and family-based studies

Background: The gap junction subunit connexin permits direct intercellular exchange of ions and molecules including glutamate, and plays an important role in the central nervous system. The connexin 40 (Cx40) and connexin 50 (Cx50) genes are located on chromosome 1q21.1, a region strongly linked with schizophrenia. These lines of evidence suggest that Cx40 and Cx50 may play a role in schizophrenia. Methods: Using an allele-specific PCR assay, four polymorphisms each were genotyped for Cx40 and Cx50 in 190 Caucasian patients with schizophrenia and 190 controls matched for sex, age and ethnicity. Following up, Cx50 rs989192 and rs4950495 were investigated in 99 Canadian and 163 Portuguese trios and nuclear families with schizophrenia probands. Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and linkage disequilibrium (LD) block identification was carried out with HaploView, and association analysis for alleles and haplotypes with a permutation test of 10 000 simulations was carried out using the UNPHASED software program. Results: Distributions of genotype frequencies of all markers were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in Caucasian patients, controls and families. One rs989192-rs4950495 LD block was found in patients but not in controls. We found a significant association between the Cx50 rs989192-rs4950495 haplotype and schizophreniay (χ2 = 29.55, p<0.01). The A-C haplotype had a higher frequency in patients (χ2 = 7.153, p<0.01). Family studies also showed that the A-C haplotype was transmitted more often to patients with schizophrenia (χ2 = 8.43, p<0.01). No association of Cx40 with schizophrenia was found for allele, genotype or haplotype analyses. Conclusions: Our matched case–control and family study indicate that Cx50, but not Cx40, may play a role in the genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia.
Myoplasmic free [Ca2+] during a malignant hyperthermia episode in swine

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a genetic syndrome usually initiated by exposure to volatile anesthetic agents or depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents. We have used Ca2+‐selective microelectrodes to measure in vivo the intracellular ionized calcium ([Ca2+]i) in skeletal muscle fibers of MH‐susceptible swines before and during hyperthermic episodes and also after dantrolene administration. The animals were anesthetized with thiopental and fentanyl and maintained with a mixture of nitrous oxide (66%) and oxygen (34%). The malignant hyperthermic episode was triggered by exposure to halothane. Determinations of [Ca2+]i during the episode show an increase from 0.44 ± 0.01 μM ± SEM, n = 20 to 8.44 ± 0.68 μM (mean ± SEM, n = 10). Administration of dantrolene (2 mg/kg) during the hyperthermic episode reduces [Ca2+]i to 0.17 + 0.01 μM (mean ± SEM, n = 10) and reverses the clinical symptoms. These results show that the MH episode is associated with an increase in the myoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration and that the therapeutic effect of dantrolene is related to a decrease in [Ca2+]i.
Challenges for females with high functioning autism in the workplace: a systematic review

Abstract Purpose: Individuals with High Functioning Autism (HFA) experience high levels of underemployment and unemployment, resulting in negative economic, social, and health outcomes. Given what is known about labor market participation difficulties experienced by women generally, and the paucity of research concerning women with HFA, this systematic review synthesized what is known about the labor market experiences of women with HFA. Method: A systematic review of the literature concerning adult females with HFA in relation to the workplace yielded 1947 results; 11 met inclusion criteria being based on original data, but not necessarily focusing solely on women. Results: The total number participants with HFA across all studies was 731 (M = 66.45, SD = 95.44, Mdn = 18.00) aged between 18 and 70 years (M = 34.38, SD = 7.71); females represented 38% (n = 279) of those sampled. The principal challenges reported for individuals with HFA at work were communication, social interaction, and stress, together with negative mental and physical health. Conclusion: These results should be interpreted with caution. Of the studies found, 73% were qualitative and based on small samples. Only one paper differentiated female data in analyses. These factors combined suggest large-scale mixed method research focused on females with HFA is required to gain an accurate insight into the challenges faced in the workplace, to in turn inform intervention and support. However, implications for rehabilitation based on what is known are discussed. Implication for Rehabilitation Unemployment and underemployment of persons with High Functioning Autism (HFA) poses social, health and economic issues for both individuals and the wider community. Those with HFA have the intellectual capacity to make a substantial contribution to the workplace. Based on what is known, some of the challenges for females with HFA might be similar to those experienced by men with HFA, however it is possible that there are gender-based differences (in both type and severity of challenges) that require attention.
The effects of collagenase ointment on the prevention of hypertrophic scarring in a rabbit ear scarring model: a pilot study.

UNLABELLED ﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿ Collagen synthesis and degradation are important in scar maturation. Collagenase has been used for debridement of wounds and treatment of Dupuytren's disease but its effects on scar prevention are unknown. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine the effect of collagenase ointment on hypertrophic scar prevention by using a rabbit ear-scarring model. METHODS Four 7-mm, full-thickness dermal punches were made on the inner surface of each ear of 8 young adult New Zealand white rabbits. The wounds from one ear were treated with collagenase in petrolatum or petrolatum alone, while the wounds from the other ear of the same rabbits were not treated, serving as control. Tissues were collected at 28 days after surgery and histological analysis was performed. Total area of new scar and scar elevation index were determined. A paired two-tailed Student's t test was performed to compare treated scars with their own controls and a non-paired Student's t test was performed to compare collagenase-treated with petrolatum-treated scars. RESULTS Collagenase-treated wounds developed scars with less hypertrophy than untreated scars. The total area of new scar was smaller in collagenase-treated wounds than in untreated wounds (531 ± 32 vs. 617 ± 51; P = 0.03). The scar elevation index was lower in collagenase-treated wounds than in untreated wounds (2.08 ± 0.15 vs. 2.45 ± 0.20; P = 0.015). The adjusted scar elevation index was lower in collagenase-treated wounds than in petrolatum-treated wounds, and the difference showed a trend toward statistical significance (0.88 ± 0.04 vs. 1.03 ± 0.07; P = 0.10). CONCLUSION Treatment with collagenase ointment reduces hypertrophic scar formation in a rabbit ear model. ﻿﻿﻿.
Broadband circularly polarized cavity-backed antenna

The design and experimental investigation of a circularly polarized antenna with circular slot for broadband characteristics is proposed. The horizontal and vertical probes of the L-shaped probe, which is a key element to generate circular polarization, are separated in the structure, contrary to the concept of having joined probes. Another novelty of placing stubs in the slot, which are attached to the ground plane, is proposed to improve the axial ratio (AR) characteristics of the antenna by around 10%. Unidirectional patterns can be obtained by having a cavity of height Ig/4 behind the antenna and is effective when no stubs are placed in the slot.