Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Significance of topical propolis in the treatment of facial acne vulgaris

Background Acne is a common skin disorder affecting the pilosebaceous unit, arising commonly during adolescence and causing psychological stress. The pathogenesis of acne is attributed to multiple factors. Clinically, it is characterized by the presence of comedones, inflammatory papules, pustules, and sometimes nodules and cysts. Propolis has been attracting the attention of researchers because of its antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and bacteriological significance of topical propolis extracts in the treatment of facial acne vulgaris. Patients and methods This study included 40 patients with facial acne vulgaris. The patients were classified into two groups: group I included 20 patients who were treated with a topical solution of ethanolic extract of propolis, and group II included 20 patients who were treated with a topical solution of ethanol only and served as the control group. Patients were evaluated clinically to assess the efficacy of therapy after treatment. Bacteriological examination was carried out before and after treatment to assess the antimicrobial effect of propolis. Results There was a highly significant clinical efficacy of topical solution of ethanolic extract of propolis in the treatment of acne vulgaris. There was a highly significant bacteriological efficacy of topical solution of ethanolic extract of propolis on gram-positive aerobic (Staphylococcus epidermidis) and gram-positive anaerobic bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes). Conclusion Topical propolis is a promising, effective, well-tolerated, safe, and alternative medication for acne vulgaris. It has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Further studies are needed for its application in different skin diseases.
Nosocomial bloodstream infections due to metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

ence strain. The 1.5 kb 16S rDNA fragment was identical in E. faecalis V583 and UW6940 (data not shown). The sequenced fragment covered all relevant sites of interaction between tigecycline and the 16S rDNA of the 30S ribosomal subunit in the model bacterium Thermus thermophilus. The strain was grown for 2 weeks ( 400–500 generations) on BHI agar plates and in BHI liquid broth without any selective pressure in order to test the stability of tigecycline resistance. Progenies were sampled after the first and second weeks of passage. MICs of tigecycline for all progenies remained stable at 1 mg/L (data not shown). The resistance trait was not transferable in vitro irrespective of the test method or recipient used. Molecular typing using MLST revealed ST6. ST6 belongs to MLST clonal complex 2 combining mainly isolates from hospital outbreaks. Our preliminary results show stable tigecycline resistance in an epidemic, hospital-adapted E. faecalis strain type from an intensive care unit patient after prolonged tigecycline therapy. The basis of tigecycline resistance is not due to mutations in the 16S rDNA, tetX-encoded or efflux-mediated. The exact mechanism of resistance could not be elucidated.
Influence de l'âge sur les résultats de la stimulation bilatérale des noyaux sous-thalamiques dans la maladie de Parkinson

La stimulation cerebrale profonde (SCP) des noyaux sous-thalamiques (NST) represente le traitement de choix de la maladie de Parkinson (MP) a un stade avance chez des patients selectionnes. L'âge au moment de la chirurgie est un facteur pronostique debattu. Objectifs : Decrire l'influence de l'âge sur les resultats de la SCP des NST dans la maladie de Parkinson. Patients et methodes : Nous avons realise une etude retrospective monocentrique concernant les patients operes d'une SCP des NST au CHU de Rouen. Nous avons defini deux groupes de patients en fonction de l'âge au moment de la chirurgie ( < 65) et (≥ 65). Les evaluations motrices (scores UPDRS III et IV) et neuropsychologiques etaient realisees en pre- et post-operatoires a 6 mois. Les posologies medicamenteuses (exprimees en equivalent L-Dopa) et les complications per- et post-operatoires etaient recueillies. Resultats : Cent patients parkinsoniens ont ete operes de janvier 2004 a juillet 2012. Neuf patients ont ete exclus en raison d'une langue maternelle differente du francais, de l'absence d'evaluation preoperatoire ou d'une perte de vue. Trois patients n'ont pas ete implantes suite a des hemorragies intracerebrales per-operatoires. Cinquante-sept patients etaient âges de moins de 65 ans. Il n'y avait pas de difference significative entre les ameliorations du handicap moteur dans nos deux groupes, le score UPDRS III etant ameliore en on-stim/off-dopa de 66% dans le groupe < 65 et de 60% dans le groupe ≥ 65, et respectivement de 84% et 78% en on-stim/on-dopa. La reduction des complications motrices (score UPDRS IV), 76% dans le groupe < 65 et 54% dans le groupe ≥ 65, n'etait pas significativement differente. L'evaluation cognitive comparative montrait la preservation dans les deux groupes des scores obtenus aux echelles globales. Dans le groupe ≥ 65, le test de Wisconsin etait plus altere (nombre de criteres (p= 0.02), d'erreurs (p=0.006) et de perseverations (p=0.002)), le temps d'interference au test de Stroop etait plus allonge (p=0.02) et la somme des rappels libres au test de Grober et Buschke etait plus diminuee (p=0.01). Il n'y avait pas de difference significative en termes de complications post-operatoires. Conclusion : L'efficacite de la SCP des NST etait comparable dans les deux groupes de patients sans majoration des complications per- et post-operatoires. En revanche, le declin cognitif semblait plus marque dans le groupe des patients âges, corroborant des donnees de la litterature.
Amazon soil charcoal: Pyrogenic carbon stock depends of ignition source distance and forest type in Roraima, Brazil

Pyrogenic carbon (PyC) derived from charcoal particles (paleo + modern) deposited in the soil column has been little studied in the Amazon, and our understanding of the factors that control the spatial and vertical distribution of these materials in the region's forest soils is still unclear. The objective of this study was to test the effect of forest type and distance from the ignition source on the PyC stocks contained in macroscopic particles of soil charcoal (≥2 mm; 1 m depth) dispersed in ecotone forests of the northern Brazilian Amazon. Thirty permanent plots were set up near a site that had been occupied by pre‐Columbian and by modern populations until the late 1970s. The sampled plots represent seasonal and ombrophilous forests that occur under different hydro‐edaphic restrictions. Our results indicate that the largest PyC stock was spatially dependent on distance to the ignition source (<3 km), occurring mainly in flood‐free ombrophilous forests (3.46 ± 5.22 Mg PyC/ha). The vertical distribution of PyC in the deeper layers of the soil (> 50 cm) in seasonal forests was limited by hydro‐edaphic impediments that restricted the occurrence of charcoal. These results suggest that PyC stocks derived from macroscopic charcoal particles in the soil of this Brazilian Amazon ecotone region are controlled by the distance from the ignition source of the fire, and that forest types with higher hydro‐edaphic restrictions can inhibit formation and accumulation of charcoal. Making use of these distinctions reduces uncertainty and improves our ability to understand the variability of PyC stocks in forests with a history of fire in the Amazon.
United for success against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: role and responsibilities of the nuclear medicine department

Yttrium-90 90Y) ibritumomab tiuxetan is an immunotherapeutic agent that has recently been approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory low-grade, follicular, or CD20+ transformed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan has delivered highly encouraging responses in clinical studies and represents a major advance in the management of patients with difficult forms of NHL. This agent is notable for its emission of b radiation only, which minimizes or eliminates the need for radiation safety precautions normally associated with radiopharmaceuticals and permits treatment to be carried out in an outpatient setting. Moreover, dosimetry is not required prior to therapy for approved usage in the European Union, and preparation of the radiolabeled monoclonal antibody is straightforward and easily learned. Traditionally, nuclear medicine physicians have been solely responsible for the management of patients undergoing radiotherapy, but logistic, patient selection, and haematological safety considerations call for a multidisciplinary team approach to optimize outcomes with 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan. The team should include the haemato-oncologist or haematologist, immunopathologist, clinical nurse specialist, nuclear medicine physician, radiopharmacist, radiation protection specialist, and other nurses, junior and administrative staff, as appropriate. The team approach draws on a wide range of specialist skills and early data from a major UK institution show that treatment benefits are maximised when treatment is administered on a collaborative basis. Thus, 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan represents a significant therapeutic advance, and provides new opportunities for optimizing therapeutic outcomes through the multidisciplinary approach to patient care.
UK epidemic Escherichia coli strains A-E, with CTX-M-15 beta-lactamase, all belong to the international O25:H4-ST131 clone.

OBJECTIVES Uropathogenic and invasive Escherichia coli O25:H4-ST131 isolates producing CTX-M-15 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) enzymes have recently been shown to be disseminated across the globe. In the UK, many CTX-M-15 ESBL-producing E. coli strains have been previously defined as belonging to the epidemic strains A-E, as determined by PFGE. The present study was carried out to define the relationship between these two groups of pathogenic E. coli. METHODS Multilocus sequence typing and PFGE were used for molecular characterization of a collection of 61 ESBL-producing E. coli isolates from across the UK. RESULTS Strains A to E all belonged to the ST131 clone, further underscoring the epidemiological importance of this lineage. CONCLUSIONS The future spread of the ST131 clone, and its UK variants, should be monitored closely and the pathogenic mechanisms explaining their success should be investigated.
In vitro interactions of micafungin with amphotericin B, itraconazole or fluconazole against the pathogenic phase of Penicillium marneffei.

OBJECTIVES Penicillium marneffei infection is an important disease among human immunodeficiency virus patients in south-east Asia, including southern China. However, therapeutic strategies are limited. Combination regimens with synergistic drugs could provide additional options for treating penicilliosis. We evaluated the in vitro efficacy of combining micafungin with amphotericin B, itraconazole or fluconazole against the pathogenic yeast form of P. marneffei. METHODS Twenty isolates of P. marneffei were assayed. Drug interactions were assessed with the chequerboard technique using the CLSI (formerly the NCCLS) microdilution method (M27-A2) with minor modifications. The fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) was used to classify drug interactions. Results were interpreted as follows: synergy, FICI < or =0.5; no interaction, FICI >0.5 and < or =4.0; or antagonism, FICI >4.0. RESULTS The in vitro interactions of micafungin combined with itraconazole showed the highest percentage of synergic interaction (65%); for the micafungin/amphotericin B combination, 50% of the isolates had synergic interaction. Micafungin significantly enhanced the antifungal activity of amphotericin B and itraconazole against P. marneffei. Micafungin, however, did not enhance the activity of fluconazole and no synergism was observed with this combination. Antagonism was not detected for any of the antifungal combinations assayed. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that micafungin enhances the efficacy of itraconazole or amphotericin B in vitro and indicate that an echinocandin, such as micafungin, might have a potential role in combination therapy among patients infected with P. marneffei.
A Persian version of Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to translate the original English version of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) into a Persian version and to assess the preliminary psychometric properties of the translated index among a sample of Persian elders. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twelve items included in GOHAI were first translated into Persian using a back-translation technique and then were compared with the original version. Four hundred and seventeen elderly subjects who were admitted to a day care centre answered GOHAI and an attached socio-demographic questionnaire. Internal consistency of the Persian version was measured by Cronbach's alpha. Test-retest reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and weighted kappa. Factor structure of GOHAI was evaluated by principal component factor analysis. RESULTS Mean of GOHAI score was 45.71 (SD: 5.14; range: 27-51). The mean of GOHAI score was higher for the elders who rated their oral and general health as 'good'. The Cronbach's alpha for GOHAI score was 0.748, indicating a high degree of internal consistency and homogeneity between the GOHAI items. The test-retest correlation for the total GOHAI score using ICC was 0.763 (95% CI = 0.713-0.809). Factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution that bolstered the theoretical construction of the index. Significant differences in the GOHAI scores were found for income and current number of teeth. CONCLUSION The Persian version of the GOHAI can be used reliably to identify oral health-related concerns of older Persian speakers, but further research is needed to confirm its cultural consonance in this population.
Comparison of three phenotypic techniques for detection of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus spp. reveals a species-dependent performance.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the usefulness of the cefoxitin screen in Vitek 2 Gram-positive panels for recognizing methicillin-resistant strains of staphylococci. METHODS Seven hundred and ninety-nine non-duplicate isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative strains were included in the study. Methicillin resistance was measured using PCR for the mecA gene, the CLSI cefoxitin disc diffusion method, the Vitek 2 cefoxitin screen and the Vitek 2 oxacillin susceptibility test. RESULTS Compared with the molecular detection of methicillin resistance the overall sensitivities and specificities of the phenotypic tests for cefoxitin disc diffusion were 94.9% and 97.0%, for Vitek 2 cefoxitin screen were 94.6% and 93.5% and for Vitek 2 oxacillin susceptibility test were 93.8% and 77.9%. The cephamycin tests (cefoxitin disc diffusion and Vitek 2 screen) were not able to identify mecA-positive strains of Staphylococcus simulans. In addition, the performance of the Vitek 2 system was poor against Staphylococcus cohnii subspecies, Staphylococcus hominis hominis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the performance of the Vitek 2 system for differentiating mecA-positive staphylococci was comparable to PCR and the CLSI disc diffusion method; however, performance was species-dependent. Thus, before accepting the results produced by Vitek 2, species identification may be required.
Influenza - dealing with a continually emerging disease

There are two major types of influenza virus, types A and B, which are responsible for disease in man. Both types of virus display a progressive antigenic change known as antigenic drift while influenza A occasionally undergoes a more dramatic change known as antigenic shift. Antigenic shifts are typically associated with pandemic spread and severe disease and it is now believed that they occur when a new virus strain evolves by genetic reassortment between avian and human influenza viruses. In recent years influenza surveillance has provided for a good antigenic match between vaccines and the circulating epidemic viruses and the development of safe vaccines with good protective efficacy have been possible. However, in a pandemic situation the spread of the new virus is much more rapid and may well outstrip the capacity to produce vaccines. ( author abstract)
Undifferentiated Round-Cell Sarcoma of the Ilium (Ewing Tumor) Containing Hemopoietic Elements

The undifferentiated round-cell sarcomata of bone grouped together by Ewing (1) in 1922 as “diffuse endothelioma” are considered an oncological entity by most authors. Considerable doubt exists, however, as to the origin of the Ewing sarcoma. Ewing and his supporters believe that it is derived from an endothelial cell of the bone marrow, possibly the perivascular lymphatic endothelium, and now apply the name “endothelial myeloma” with that significance. Kolodny (2), Oberling (3), and others think that these tumors may arise from the reticulum cells or the reticulo-endothelium. Certain facts suggest a relation to the myelomata: multiple tumors frequently appear early in the disease, there is usually regression under radiotherapy, and the structure may “verge on myeloma” (Ewing, 1). Connor (4) and Kolodny (2) mention that in a small percentage of cases some myeloid and plasma cells are to be found in the tumor tissue, though neither author describes the method of identification of these cells, nor their relation to the neoplastic cells. In the case to be reported, there was a large primary tumor of the ilium, with skeletal metastases almost completely replacing the bone marrow, and little visceral involvement. These are unusual features for a Ewing sarcoma, but other evidence leads to that diagnosis. Upon the application of special staining methods, there was found scattered among the tumor cells an admixture of differentiated cells, apparently members of the hemopoietic series; and a proportion of the “undifferentiated” tumor cells seemed to resemble the myeloid stem-cell, the hemocytoblast. The possible significance of these findings will be discussed later in this paper.
Susceptibility of carbapenemase-producing strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli to the direct antibacterial activity of NAB739 and to the synergistic activity of NAB7061 with rifampicin and clarithromycin.

OBJECTIVES To determine the susceptibility of carbapenemase-producing strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli to the direct antibacterial activity of NAB739 and to the synergistic activity of NAB7061 with rifampicin and clarithromycin. NAB739 and NAB7061 are novel polymyxin derivatives that lack the cationic charges in the linear peptide portion of polymyxin B and have pharmacokinetic properties different from those of polymyxin B. METHODS MIC determinations were performed by the agar dilution method using CLSI guidelines. Polymyxin B was used as a comparison. Synergism studies measured fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICIs) by using increasing concentrations of the compounds in Mueller-Hinton agar and Etests. RESULTS The MICs of NAB739 for all nine polymyxin-susceptible, carbapenemase-producing strains were identical or very close to those determined for E. coli ATCC 25922, for K. pneumoniae ATCC 13883, as well as for 18 clinical carbapenem-susceptible isolates. At a concentration of 4 mg/L, NAB7061 decreased the MIC of rifampicin and clarithromycin for all carbapenemase strains by factors ranging from 6 to 500. The polymyxin-resistant strain K. pneumoniae CL5762B was sensitized by a factor of 24 to rifampicin (FICI, 0.167) and by a factor of 12 to clarithromycin (FICI, 0.208). CONCLUSIONS Polymyxin-susceptible, carbapenemase-producing strains are as susceptible to NAB739 as are the carbapenem-susceptible clinical isolates. In addition, NAB7061 has notable synergism with rifampicin and clarithromycin against all the carbapenemase-producing strains tested, including the polymyxin-resistant K. pneumoniae strain.
Hidden in plain sight : personal health records and the invisibility cloak of disadvantage

This thesis with publications sets out to present evidence which will answer the following research question: RQ1: What is the relationship between socioeconomic disadvantage and personal electronic health records? This research question has been prompted by a concern that personal electronic health record systems as they are currently being realised in Australia are unlikely to meet the needs of those at a socioeconomic disadvantage. These individuals are often ‘disempowered, disengaged and disconnected’, and have been largely invisible in the process of health records development. If this concern is valid, any enhancement in the provision of healthcare which results from the use of personal health records is likely to bypass less capable citizens and patients. The research investigations contributing to the evidence in this thesis are presented as a number of peer reviewed publications; four have already been published and a further two are under review. The thesis highlights how ordinary citizens have been inhibited in their adoption and use of personal health records by the use of highly specialised language, and in Australia by the way in which health records policies and procedures have been developed and implemented. Evidence is presented that validates a concern that even greater challenges exist for disadvantaged users. These users tend to display lower levels of text literacy, technical literacy and health literacy, all of which have been identified as barriers to the adoption and continued use of personal electronic health records. The thesis presents detailed evidence identifying those areas in Tasmania whose populations have higher levels of socioeconomic disadvantage, higher use of public hospital services, and proxy measures suggestive of lower literacy. From a health informatics perspective, this thesis argues that those involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of personal electronic health record