Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pre-Eclampsia: Clinical Manifestations and Molecular Mechanisms

Preeclampsia affects 3–5% of pregnancies and can have a significant impact on health for both mother and fetus. Risk factors include maternal co-morbidities such as obesity and chronic hypertension, paternal factors, and genetic factors. New hypertension and proteinuria during the second half of pregnancy are key diagnostic criteria, but the clinical features and associated prognostic implications are somewhat heterogeneous and may reflect different mechanisms of disease. Renal dysfunction and proteinuria correspond to the pathologic finding of glomerular endotheliosis, and generally resolve after cure of preeclampsia through fetal and placenta delivery. The molecular mechanisms behind this disease are being discovered and refined. The initial etiologic agents are currently unknown. Pathologic studies show abnormal development of an ischemic placenta with a high-resistance vasculature, which cannot deliver an adequate blood supply to the fetoplacental unit. Endothelial dysfunction plays a central role in the pathogenesis of the maternal syndrome. Dysfunctional endothelial cells produce altered quantities of vasoactive mediators, which lead to a tip in the balance towards vasoconstriction. An imbalance in circulating angiogenic factors is emerging as a prominent mechanism that mediates the endothelial dysfunction and the clinical signs and symptoms of preeclampsia. Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt1), an endogenous anti-angiogenic factor that is a potent vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antagonist, is highly elevated in preeclampsia. VEGF is not only important in angiogenesis, but also in maintaining endothelial health including the formation of endothelial fenestrae (a hallmark of the glomerular vascular endothelium). sFlt1 overexpression in animals induces glomerular endotheliosis with the loss of endothelial fenestrae that resembles the renal histological lesions of preeclampsia. More severe forms of preeclampsia, including the HELLP syndrome, may be explained by a concomitant elevation in both sFlt1 and soluble endoglin, another anti-angiogenic factor. Unraveling of the molecular mechanisms behind preeclampsia may help to expand our armamentarium to treat patients in a more directed fashion, as current management consists of supportive care and expedited delivery. Finally, long-term outcomes of women with preeclampsia include a significantly increased risk for hypertension and cardiovascular disease, including mortality, which may warrant more aggressive screening and treatment in this population.
Optimal Medetomidine Dose When Combined with Ketamine and Tiletamine-zolazepam to Immobilize White-tailed Deer

Chemical immobilization is often needed for safe and effective capture and handling of wildlife. We evaluated medetomi-dine (125, 150, 175, or 200 μg/kg; for synergistic effects and relaxation) mixed with ketamine (1.5 mg/kg; for relatively shorter recovery) and tiletamine-zolazepam (1.0 mg/kg; for rapid induction) in 22 female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at the University of Georgia Whitehall Deer Research Facility in Athens, Georgia, USA, on 14–15 and 21 May 2009. Deer were weighed before treatment, hand-injected intramuscularly (IM) while restrained in a squeeze chute, and released into a pen for monitoring. We measured rectal temperature, respiration rate, heart rate, hemoglobin saturation (using pulse oximetry), and arterial blood gases at 0, 10, and 20 min postimmobilization. We found no differences in induction time with different doses of medetomidine. Deer became laterally recumbent for all treatments combined at a median of 4.2 (2.6–21.3) min and were approachable by a median of 4.8 (3.5–21.8) min. Twelve of the 22 deer had rectal temperatures >40 C at time 0 and were treated with a cold-water enema. Hemoglobin saturation, estimated using pulse oximetry, was 79.5, 82.0, and 82.3% at times 0, 10, and 20, respectively. We injected atipame-zole (0.35 mg/kg, IM) for reversal. Recovery occurred sooner and was more consistent for 125 and 150 μg/kg medetomidine whereby deer stood with minimal sedation to moderate ataxia within 60–90 min after atipamezole administration. We recommend using 150 μg of medetomidine with ketamine (1.5 mg/kg) and tiletamine-zolazepam (1.0 mg/kg) to provide effective and safe chemical immobilization of white-tailed deer.
Role of Streptococcus gordoniiAmylase-Binding Protein A in Adhesion to Hydroxyapatite, Starch Metabolism, and Biofilm Formation

ABSTRACT Interactions between bacteria and salivary components are thought to be important in the establishment and ecology of the oral microflora. α-Amylase, the predominant salivary enzyme in humans, binds to Streptococcus gordonii, a primary colonizer of the tooth. Previous studies have implicated this interaction in adhesion of the bacteria to salivary pellicles, catabolism of dietary starches, and biofilm formation. Amylase binding is mediated at least in part by the amylase-binding protein A (AbpA). To study the function of this protein, an erythromycin resistance determinant [erm(AM)] was inserted within the abpAgene of S. gordonii strains Challis and FAS4 by allelic exchange, resulting in abpA mutant strains Challis-E1 and FAS4-E1. Comparison of the wild-type and mutant strains did not reveal any significant differences in colony morphology, biochemical metabolic profiles, growth in complex or defined media, surface hydrophobicity, or coaggregation properties. Scatchard analysis of adhesion isotherms demonstrated that the wild-type strains adhered better to human parotid-saliva- and amylase-coated hydroxyapatite than did the AbpA mutants. In contrast, the mutant strains bound to whole-saliva-coated hydroxyapatite to a greater extent than did the wild-type strains. While the wild-type strains preincubated with purified salivary amylase grew well in defined medium with potato starch as the sole carbohydrate source, the AbpA mutants did not grow under the same conditions even after preincubation with amylase. In addition, the wild-type strain produced large microcolonies in a flow cell biofilm model, while the abpA mutant strains grew much more poorly and produced relatively small microcolonies. Taken together, these results suggest that AbpA ofS. gordonii functions as an adhesin to amylase-coated hydroxyapatite, in salivary-amylase-mediated catabolism of dietary starches and in human saliva-supported biofilm formation by S. gordonii.
Clinical results and pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime treatment in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Ceftazidime (50 mg/kg/8 h) alone or combined with tobramycin (5 mg/kg/8 h) was given to 14 patients with cystic fibrosis. Ten courses were given with ceftazidime alone and 6 courses with a combined therapy. All patients were chronically colonized with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and were hospitalized because of lower respiratory tract infections. Using an agar-well diffusion technique, the concentration of ceftazidime was determined in serum and sputum. The mean (+/- S.E.M.) peak serum concentration of ceftazidime was 142 +/- 16 mg/l during the second to third day of treatment and 114 +/- 18 mg/l on the fifth to sixth day of treatment. In the combined therapy the corresponding values were 104 +/- 20 mg/l and 74 +/- 8 mg/l, respectively. The range of the mean half life was 1.2 to 1.4 h. The maximum concentration of ceftazidime in sputum was usually obtained 1 h after the infusion, ranging from 0.7 to 9.8 mg/l. All patients improved during treatment. Non-mucoid strains of Ps. aeruginosa were eradicated in nearly half of the courses, mucoid strains less often. No side reactions were noted.
Listeriolysin O: cholesterol inhibits cytolysis but not binding to cellular membranes

Listeriolysin O (LLO) binds to cholesterol‐containing membranes in which it oligomerizes to form pores. Preincubation of the toxin with cholesterol is known to inhibit haemolysis, whereas the oxidized form of cholesterol has no inhibitory effect. Using immunoblot analyses and flow cytometry we demonstrate that preincubation with cholesterol does not influence binding of the listeriolysin–cholesterol complex to red blood cells, eukaryotic cells or artificial membranes. Lytic activity of membrane‐bound LLO inactivated by cholesterol can be restored by enzymatic treatment with cholesterol oxidase. To determine the step at which cholesterol inhibits lytic activity, we looked for pore formation using electron microscopy. Pores formed by purified listeriolysin could be directly visualized using erythrocyte ghosts. This property was lost upon incubation of the toxin with cholesterol. Quantitative analysis strongly suggest that inhibition of lysis by cholesterol is not due to decreased binding of listeriolysin to target membranes, but rather to an interference with a subsequent step leading to polymerization of the toxin.
Comparison of Complication Rates in Veterans Receiving Cataract Surgery Through the Veterans Health Administration and Medicare

Background:To compare the 90-day rates of select secondary procedures after cataract extraction in patients having fee-for-service surgery under Medicare to surgeries provided through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) during the same calendar year. Methods:Medicare, VHA, and VHA Fee Basis Program data for calendar year 2007 were merged to identify a cohort of veterans that had outpatient cataract surgery. Secondary surgeries were tracked using selected Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes as surrogate markers for complications. Primary surgery and corrective surgeries were linked through right and left eye CPT modifier codes. Risks of complications were adjusted for race, age, sex, and ocular and medical comorbidities. Results:A total of 223,873 cataract extractions were performed on veterans during calendar year 2007, 88.4% of which were provided through Medicare. The 90-day overall rate of CPT-coded secondary procedures was greater for patients having cataract surgery through the VHA (37.2 per 1000 surgeries) than Medicare (18.2 per 1000 surgeries). The overall rate was influenced primarily by higher rates of vitrectomy and related procedures, after both routine and complex cataract extractions. The adjusted odds ratio of vitrectomy within 90 days of routine cataract surgery in the VHA with reference to Medicare was 3.77 (95% confidence interval, 3.44–4.14). Conclusions:In 2007, the pattern and rates of secondary surgeries after cataract extraction varied between the Medicare and the VHA programs. If these results are confirmed, further research to identify the sources of higher secondary procedure rates is warranted to enhance patient safety.
A theoretical investigation of the effect of predators on foraging behaviour and energy reserves

Data show that when small birds are exposed to a model of a predator, their body mass may either increase or decrease. Although attempts have been made to explain the data using previous models, these models are based on a constant level of predation and hence are not appropriate for making predictions about the response of a bird to the sight of a predator. We have developed a novel model that includes encounters between a bird and potential predators. We show that, depending on the biology of the predator, optimal body mass may either increase or decrease. The model also makes predictions about the foraging behaviour of the bird after it has seen a predator.
The Transformative Potential of Fragmented Authoritarianism: The Future of Capitalism and Democracy in China

The lecture reflects upon the nature of Chinese authoritarianism and argues that the core process of political and economic change in China is state-building in the longue duree. In particular, this involves the interaction between the central and the local state. The market is a means to shift political power to the center. Hence, marketization and growing centralization play together in China, resulting into the stabilization of authoritarianism. Political change will come along with the rapid urbanization process which triggers the growth of civil society in the local states.
Treatment of Severe Insulin Resistance in Pregnancy With 500 Units per Milliliter of Concentrated Insulin

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate glycemic control and pregnancy outcomes among pregnant women with severe insulin resistance treated with 500 units/mL concentrated insulin. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of gravid women with severe insulin resistance (need for greater than 100 units of insulin per injection or greater than 200 units/d) treated with either 500 units/mL concentrated insulin or conventional insulin therapy. We performed a two-part analysis: 1) between gravid women treated with and without 500 units/mL concentrated insulin; and 2) among gravid women treated with 500 units/mL concentrated insulin, comparing glycemic control before and after its initiation. RESULTS: Seventy-three pregnant women with severe insulin resistance were treated with 500 units/mL concentrated insulin and 78 with conventional insulin regimens. Patients treated with 500 units/mL concentrated insulin were older and more likely to have type 2 diabetes mellitus. Average body mass index was comparable between both groups (38.6 compared with 40.4, P=.11) as were obstetric and perinatal outcomes and glycemic control during the last week of gestation. Within the 500 units/mL concentrated insulin cohort, after initiation of this medication, fasting and postprandial blood glucose concentrations improved. However, the rates of blood glucose values less than 60 mg/dL and less than 50 mg/dL were higher in the 500 units/mL concentrated insulin group after initiation than before, 4.8% compared with 2.0% (P<.01) and 2.0% compared with 0.7% (P<.01), respectively. CONCLUSION: The use of 500 units/mL concentrated insulin in severely obese insulin-resistant pregnant women confers similar glycemic control compared with traditional insulin regimens but may increase the risk of hypoglycemia. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Regulatory T Cells Subvert Mycobacterial Containment in Patients Failing Extensively Drug‐Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment

&NA; Rationale: The advent of extensively drug‐resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) and totally drug‐resistant TB, with limited or no treatment options, has facilitated renewed interest in host‐directed immunotherapy, particularly for therapeutically destitute patients. However, the selection and utility of such approaches depend on understanding the host immune response in XDR‐TB, which hitherto remains unexplored. Objectives: To determine the host immunological profile in patients with XDR‐TB, compared with drug‐sensitive TB (DS‐TB), using peripheral blood and explanted lung tissue. Methods: Blood and explanted lung tissue were obtained from patients with XDR‐TB (n = 31), DS‐TB (n = 20), and presumed latent TB infection (n = 20). T‐cell phenotype (T‐helper cell type 1 [Th1]/Th2/Th17/regulatory T cells [Tregs]) was evaluated in all patient groups, and Treg function assessed in XDR‐TB nonresponders by coculturing PPD‐preprimed effector T cells with H37Rv‐infected monocyte‐derived macrophages, with or without autologous Tregs. Mycobacterial containment was evaluated by counting colony‐forming units. Measurements and Main Results: Patients failing XDR‐TB treatment had an altered immunophenotype characterized by a substantial increase in the frequency (median; interquartile range) of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs (11.5%; 5.9‐15.2%) compared with DS‐TB (3.4%; 1.6‐5.73%; P < 0.001) and presumed latent TB infection (1.8%; 1.2‐2.3%; P < 0.001), which was unrelated to disease duration. Tregs isolated from patients with XDR‐TB suppressed T‐cell proliferation (up to 90%) and subverted containment of H37Rv‐infected monocyte‐derived macrophages (by 30%; P = 0.03) by impairing effector T‐cell function through a mechanism independent of direct cell‐to‐cell contact, IL‐10, TGF (transforming growth factor)‐&bgr;, and CTLA‐4 (cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐associated protein 4). Conclusions: Collectively, these data suggest that Tregs may be contributing to immune dysfunction, and bacterial persistence, in patients with XDR‐TB. The relevant cellular pathways may serve as potential targets for immunotherapeutic intervention.
Design and simulation of printed winding inductors for inductive wireless power charging applications

Winding coils are key elements in the design and the implementation of an effective wireless power charging platform for wireless devices such as mobile phones, smart phones and tablet computers. Planar winding inductors are low-cost, ready to integrate with the electronics and fully compatible with a general printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing process. This paper addresses the design and the simulation of the planar winding inductors in order to overcome some drawbacks of such structures concerning mainly the quality factor and the resistive/thermal losses.
Effectiveness of Sports Massage for Recovery of Skeletal Muscle From Strenuous Exercise

Objective:Sport massage, a manual therapy for muscle and soft tissue pain and weakness, is a popular and widely used modality for recovery after intense exercise. Our objective is to determine the effectiveness of sport massage for improving recovery after strenuous exercise. Data Sources:We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL using all current and historical names for sport massage. Reference sections of included articles were scanned to identify additional relevant articles. Study Selection:Study inclusion criteria required that subjects (1) were humans, (2) performed strenuous exercise, (3) received massage, and (4) were assessed for muscle recovery and performance. Ultimately, 27 studies met inclusion criteria. Data Extraction:Eligible studies were reviewed, and data were extracted by the senior author (TMB). The main outcomes extracted were type and timing of massage and outcome measures studied. Data Synthesis:Data from 17 case series revealed inconsistent results. Most studies evaluating post-exercise function suggest that massage is not effective, whereas studies that also evaluated the symptoms of DOMS did show some benefit. Data from 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) do, however, provide moderate evidence for the efficacy of massage therapy. The search identified no trend between type and timing of massage and any specific outcome measures investigated. Conclusions:Case series provide little support for the use of massage to aid muscle recovery or performance after intense exercise. In contrast, RCTs provide moderate data supporting its use to facilitate recovery from repetitive muscular contractions. Further investigation using standardized protocols measuring similar outcome variables is necessary to more conclusively determine the efficacy of sport massage and the optimal strategy for its implementation to enhance recovery following intense exercise.
BEND-aware routing optimization in wireless mesh networks

Network coding is a new communication paradigm which allows network nodes not only to forward packets but also to combine them together to reduce the number of transmissions. COPE has been the first network coding scheme designed for unicast traffic in wireless networks. COPE-based network coding-aware routing optimization has been proposed to improve network performances. However, it is interesting to study network coding-aware routing optimization using other network coding schemes to analyze the impact of coding conditions. In this paper, we study the problem of network coding-aware routing optimization using BEND, an extension of COPE. We model the coding structures of BEND and integrate them into the routing optimization problem. The simulation results show that BEND-aware routing can improve network throughput by creating more coding structures than COPE.
Screening for tuberculosis prior to isoniazid preventive therapy among HIV-infected gold miners in South Africa.

SETTING Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) clinic for employees of a gold mine, Free State, South Africa. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the process of screening for active tuberculosis (TB) prior to commencing TB preventive therapy in HIV-infected individuals. DESIGN Cross-sectional study comparing performance of various combinations of screening tests for TB against a gold standard diagnosis of TB based on symptoms, chest radiograph (CXR), sputum microscopy and culture. RESULTS Of 899 individuals, 44 (4.9%) had TB. The most sensitive symptom combination (59.1%) was any of night sweats, new or worsening cough or reported weight loss; measured weight loss > 5% or abnormal CXR increased sensitivity to 90.9%. Sputum microscopy did not increase sensitivity further, but including World Health Organization HIV clinical staging or CD4 count did. As the specificity of all these combinations was low, many individuals required further investigation to rule out TB. TB prevalence was high (11.7%) among individuals with a CD4 count < 200/mm3. CONCLUSION CXR greatly increased the sensitivity of screening for TB in this population. Sputum microscopy conferred no additional benefit among asymptomatic patients with a normal CXR. The high prevalence of TB amongst those with a low CD4 count underlines the importance of screening for active TB prior to commencing TB preventive therapy, and before antiretroviral therapy.
Insights into the search for new drugs from traditional knowledge: An ethnobotanical and chemical–ecological perspective

Context: The variety of pathways for the introduction of a species into the medical collection of traditional communities has led many researchers to question the processes of selection and the use of these resources. A better comprehension of these processes will allow us to understand the cultural dynamics that are related to traditional medical practices, as well as to provide us with new ways in which to facilitate the exploration of natural products. Objective: This study aims to test the predictive power of the plant apparency hypothesis as it relates to medicinal plant selection by the rural communities of the Caatinga and the Atlantic Forest in northeast Brazil. Material and methods: Initially, a survey of the medicinal plants used by these communities was conducted using semistructured interviews. Subsequently, data on the life strategies and the habits of each species were collected. More detailed data on the specific plant parts indicated in interviews were also collected. A phytochemical screening for seven classes of chemical compounds was carried out to test the predictions of the plant apparency hypothesis. Results: The medicinal plants from the Caatinga (especially those that are considered to be trees in habit) have a strong ability to accumulate quantitative compounds, and these species are most likely to be plants with significant biological activity related to these compounds; the medicinal plants from the Atlantic Forest, on the other hand, tend to have a high occurrence of qualitative compounds, especially in herbaceous life forms. Discussion and conclusion: It was concluded that the plant apparency hypothesis does not adequately explain the selection of medicinal plants in the two environments studied. Our findings highlight some important implications for bioprospecting that need to be further tested experimentally, and through systematic studies, in different regions.