Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FOXE1 and SYNE1 Genes Hypermethylation Panel as Promising Biomarker in Colitis-associated Colorectal Neoplasia

Background:Colitis-associated colorectal cancer affects individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) more often and earlier than cancer in the general population. Colonoscopy provides the surveillance gold standard. Changes to the surveillance intervals depending on endoscopic activity have been made, given data demonstrating that this is an important predictor of future dysplasia or cancer, but adjuvant, noninvasive clinical tools are still warranted to improve surveillance outcomes and to assist in management and interpretation of dysplasia. Methylation markers may be able to do this. Methods:SYNE1, FOXE1, NDRG4, and PHACTR3 genes were screened using methylation-specific PCR that permit the methylation status of the genes to be determined directly on biopsies. Ninety-three patients with long-standing IBD undergoing a cancer surveillance program, and 30 healthy controls were studied. These included colorectal adenocarcinomas on a background of IBD of various stages (n = 25), IBD-associated dysplastic lesions (n = 29), adenomas arising on a background of ulcerative colitis (n = 8), samples from patients with no evidence of dysplasia or cancer but long-standing IBD (n = 31), and symptomatic patients found to have normal colonoscopy (controls) (n = 30). Results:Gene promotor hypermethylation of SYNE1 and FOXE1 genes varied significantly between the groups and was increasingly likely with increased disease severity. Neither occurred in controls, whereas promotor hypermethylation was detected in biopsies of 60% of patients with colitis-associated colorectal cancer for FOXE1 and 80% for SYNE1. Promotor hypermethylation of either gene was highly significantly different between the groups overall. Conclusions:FOXE1 and SYNE1 hypermethylation markers demonstrated significantly increased expression in neoplastic tissue. Promoter methylation analysis of these genes might be a useful marker of neoplasia in long-standing IBD.
Caseload Management, Work-Related Stress and Case Manager Self-Efficacy Among Victorian Mental Health Case Managers

Objective: In Australia and comparable countries, case management has become the dominant process by which public mental health services provide outpatient clinical services to people with severe mental illness. There is recognition that caseload size impacts on service provision and that management of caseloads is an important dimension of overall service management. There has been little empirical investigation, however, of caseload and its management. The present study was undertaken in the context of an industrial agreement in Victoria, Australia that required services to introduce standardized approaches to caseload management. The aims of the present study were therefore to (i) investigate caseload size and approaches to caseload management in Victoria's mental health services; and (ii) determine whether caseload size and/or approach to caseload management is associated with work-related stress or case manager self-efficacy among community mental health professionals employed in Victoria's mental health services. Method: A total of 188 case managers responded to an online cross-sectional survey with both purpose-developed items investigating methods of case allocation and caseload monitoring, and standard measures of work-related stress and case manager personal efficacy. Results: The mean caseload size was 20 per full-time case manager. Both work-related stress scores and case manager personal efficacy scores were broadly comparable with those reported in previous studies. Higher caseloads were associated with higher levels of work-related stress and lower levels of case manager personal efficacy. Active monitoring of caseload was associated with lower scores for work-related stress and higher scores for case manager personal efficacy, regardless of size of caseload. Although caseloads were most frequently monitored by the case manager, there was evidence that monitoring by a supervisor was more beneficial than self-monitoring. Conclusion: Routine monitoring of caseload, especially by a workplace supervisor, may be effective in reducing work-related stress and enhancing case manager personal efficacy.
Interleukin 23 in Crohn's Disease

Abstract:Crohn's disease (CD) is a lifelong inflammatory condition with underlying environmental and genetic components. CD affects multiple parts of the gastrointestinal tract, and it has a growing incidence in Western societies. IL-23 receptor variants have been identified as susceptibility or resistance factors for CD in genome-wide association studies. Accordingly, IL-23 is required for the development of experimental inflammatory bowel disease in many murine models. IL-23 receptor is expressed by both innate and adaptive immune cells, which include Th17, natural killer T, &ggr;&dgr; T cells, and ROR&ggr;t+ innate lymphoid cells all of which are capable of secreting IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, and interferon-&ggr; upon IL-23 stimulation. During the past decade, pathogenic and protective roles have been described for these cytokines in the inflammatory bowel disease pathogenesis. More recently, innate lymphoid cells have been implicated in disease development. In this review, we have summarized and discussed these findings with an emphasis not only on the contribution of Th17 but also on innate lymphoid cells to disease etiology.
Book Review: Death in Small Doses? Books 1 & 2

It is now more than half a century since the hypothesis caught the scientific and public imagination that the toxicity of free radicals and reactive oxygen species was a major underlying factor in human aging. The correlate of this idea was that treatment with antioxidants would improve health and prevent aging. Despite thousands of research studies (and according to the PubMed.gov internet database more than 85 000 articles on oxidative stress and nearly 350 000 articles on antioxidants), there is still uncertainty about the benefits of antioxidant therapy. One of the prolific skeptics concerning antioxidant treatment is Randolph M. Howes, who summarized some of his thoughts in a recent article in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine. Howes has now produced a catalog of his evidence suggesting that antioxidants are not only of no benefit in maintaining health and preventing disease but actually can be harmful to many important normal cellular functions. This treatise is actually divided into 2 books, with book 1 describing ‘‘antioxidant vitamin studies for the layman’’ and book 2 describing ‘‘antioxidant vitamin studies for the medical scientist. ’’ The text raises a number of good points, but its unconventional style (multiple sentences in boldface type and numerous font size changes) will be off-putting to many readers. Nonetheless, this book is a treasure trove of references and summaries of material that will be important to anyone interested in understanding the unfulfilled promise of restoring health and preventing disease through antioxidant therapy.
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

N euroleptic maligant syndrome (NMS) first described by Delay and Denikaer in 1968 [1] is a rare but potentially fatal life threatening condition seen in association with antipsychotic medication (dopamine receptor antagonists). Levenson suggested the diagnostic criteria which consisted of three major manifestations viz. pyrexia, muscular rigidity, raised creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and six minor manifestations viz. tachycardia, tachypnoea, altered blood pressure, diaphoresis, altered mental state and leukocytosis. The presence of all three major or two major and four minor manifestations indicate a high probability of NMS [2]. This group of symptoms develops abruptly and may lead to serious complications. The overall mortality rate is between 20 to 30 percent [3]. We report one such case whose outcome had been satisfactory.
The Structure of Glycine Dihydrate: Implications for the Crystallization of Glycine from Solution and Its Structure in Outer Space.

Glycine, the simplest amino acid, is also the most polymorphous. Herein, we report the structure determination of a long unknown phase of glycine, which was first reported by Pyne and Suryanarayanan in 2001. To date, this phase has only been prepared at 208 K as nanocrystals within ice. Through computational crystal-structure prediction and powder X-ray diffraction methods, we identified this elusive phase as glycine dihydrate (GDH), representing the first report on the structure of a hydrated glycine structure. The structure of GDH has important implications for the state of glycine in aqueous solution and the mechanisms of glycine crystallization. GDH may also be the form of glycine that comes to Earth from extraterrestrial sources.
Pharmacological Prophylaxis for Venous Thromboembolism Among Hospitalized Patients With Acute Medical Illness: An Electronic Medical Records Study

Patients hospitalized with acute medical illness have an elevated risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). American College of Chest Physicians guidelines list various chronic illnesses, sepsis, advanced age, history of VTE, and immobility as risk factors and recommend prophylactic anticoagulation using fondaparinux, low–molecular weight heparin, or low-dose unfractionated heparin. The objectives of this study were to examine pharmacological prophylaxis against VTE among hospitalized medically ill patients and to assess demographic and clinical correlates related to VTE prophylaxis. A retrospective (1999–2010) electronic medical records study included patients aged 40 years and older hospitalized for at least 3 days, with significant medical illness or with a VTE hospitalization 30–365 days before admission. Each patient's first qualifying hospitalization was analyzed. Exclusions were if VTE treatment was started within 1 day of admission, or if warfarin (and not heparin or enoxaparin) was used. Prophylaxis was defined if the first inpatient dose of subcutaneous heparin or enoxaparin was at prophylaxis levels (lower than treatment levels). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with VTE prophylaxis. Among 12,980 patients, 22.1% received prophylaxis (11.8% with enoxaparin, 10.3% with heparin). VTE prophylaxis was positively associated with year of hospitalization, subcutaneous heparin in the month before admission, aspirin, self-pay status, age, and sepsis. VTE prophylaxis was negatively associated with smoking, alcohol, warfarin in the past 30 days, and primary diagnoses of stroke, infectious disease, or inflammatory bowel disease. Pharmacological VTE prophylaxis has increased significantly over the past 12 years but is still largely underused in patients hospitalized with acute medical illness. Multiple demographic, behavioral, and clinical factors are associated with inpatient VTE prophylaxis.
Sodium balance is not just a renal affair

Purpose of reviewThe equilibration theory of extracellular body fluids is tightly linked to sodium (Na+) metabolism. It is accepted that with changes in salt intake, renal sodium elimination will prevent any change in interstitial Na+ content and concentration. This review summarizes recent anomalous findings regarding salt and water homeostasis that are inconsistent with current assumptions. Recent findingsRecent findings from chemical analysis studies of laboratory animals, as well as noninvasive quantitative Na+ MRI (Na-MRI) studies in patients, have shown that remarkable amounts of Na+ are stored in muscle and in skin without commensurate water retention. Furthermore, an ultra-long Na+ balance study in humans suggests the presence of endogenous clocks that generate weekly and monthly infradian rhythmicity of Na+ storage independent of salt intake. Animal experiments suggest that fluids in the skin interstitium are hypertonic compared with plasma, and that interstitial osmotic stress induces local extrarenal immune cell and lymph–capillary driven mechanisms for electrolyte clearance and maintenance of the internal environment. SummaryRecent quantitative evidence challenges current ideas on salt and water homeostasis, and suggests that Na+ homeostasis cannot be maintained without additional previously unappreciated extrarenal regulatory mechanisms.
Effects of mannanoligosaccharide in broiler chicken diets on growth performance, energy utilisation, nutrient digestibility and intestinal microflora

1. A study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of mannanoligosaccharide (MOS, Bio-MOS, Alltech Inc.) on the growth performance, energy utilisation, nutrient digestibility and intestinal microflora of birds given a sorghum–wheat based diet. Two MOS levels (1 and 2 g/kg) were included in the diet. 2. Inclusion of MOS at both levels in the diet improved the apparent metabolisable energy (AME) values of the diet. However, these effects were not as pronounced as those of zinc bacitracin (ZnB) treatment. Dietary ZnB also significantly improved the net energy value of the diet. No significant differences between the different levels of MOS were noticed in the growth performance, AME and net energy values of the diet. Compared to the negative control, inclusion of 2 g/kg MOS tended to improve feed conversion efficiency (FCE) in the starter phase. 3. Dietary MOS did not affect the apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients compared to the negative control. In contrast, ZnB significantly improved the protein digestibility and tended to increase the starch digestibility. The addition of MOS reduced the concentration of arabinose in the soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) fraction in the excreta of birds; whereas, the concentrations of individual sugars in the insoluble NSP and free sugar fractions were increased by ZnB. 4. A decrease in the populations of lactobacilli and coliforms in the ileal and caecal lumen was observed for MOS and ZnB treatments. Correspondingly, pH and microbial fermentation in the gut was altered. The addition of MOS tended to reduce the coliform load at the gut mucosa. 5. Results from the current study suggest that MOS can improve the apparent energy utilisation of the diet and tend to improve FCE of birds in the first three posthatch weeks, which may be partly related to the modulatory effects of MOS on the gut microflora.
Plasmonic Imaging of the Interfacial Potential Distribution on Bipolar Electrodes.

Bipolar electrochemistry is based on the gradient distribution of free-electron density along an electrically isolated electrode, which causes a positive electrode potential at one end and a negative potential at the other, allowing for wide applications in analytical chemistry and materials science. To take full advantage of its wireless and high-throughput features, various types of optical probes, such as pH indicators and fluorescence and electrochemiluminescence reagents, have often been used to indirectly monitor the interfacial electron transfer through chromogenic or fluorogenic reactions. Herein, we report the first probe-free imaging approach that can directly visualize the distribution of the interfacial potential in bipolar electrodes, providing essential information for the validation and development of the theory and applications of bipolar electrochemistry. This approach is based on the sensitive dependence of surface plasmon resonance imaging on the local electron density in the electrode, which enables the direct mapping of potential with a spatial resolution close to the optical diffraction limit, a temporal resolution of 50 ms, and a sensitivity of 10 mV. In addition, in contrast to previous optical readouts that relied on faradaic reactions, the present work achieved the impedance-based measurements under non-faradaic conditions. It is anticipated that this technique will greatly expand the application of bipolar electrochemistry as a platform for chemical and biosensing.
Tapering in Wrestling: The Yin-Yang of Muscle Glycogen Concentrations and Training Frequency

Tapering in Wrestling: The Yin-Yang of Muscle Glycogen Concentrations and Training Frequency Amateur Wrestling is a very intense sport with the average intensity over the 6-7 minute match being 95-100% of VO2max (3). As with all exercises or sport at this intensity it is almost exclusively dependent on the stores of carbohydrate in the muscle: muscle glycogen (2). This is true quantitatively during one match and is particularly true during multiple match days, such as practice or tournaments (3). With regard to practices over the course of a week, coaches have choices to make regarding the yin-yang of carbohydrate intake and total work during practice. Training every day for 2 hours will require a consumption of 8-10 g carbohydrate/kg body weight (for the 70 kg wrestler, 560 g carbohydrate; 2240 kcals/day of carbohydrate) which is a very large amount; similar to endurance athletes. An alternative approach would be to practice 3 non-consecutive days/week or every other day, in this case only half of the carbohydrate would be needed to consumed every day (70 kg wrestler; 280 g/day or 1120 kcal of carbohydrate/day.) This second approach would appear to be supported by tapering (reduced training volume) research where muscle glycogen is increased (1) and lactate is increased after an improved maximal performance (4,5,6). This approach would also appear prudent for the student-athlete as low muscle glycogen would lead to low blood glucose and quite likely to a reduced performance in the classroom as well as in the gymnasium. Again, it is reducing the training frequency variable that is most important to optimize muscle glycogen concentrations for practices and competitions.
Music and the Brain: Studies in the Neurology of Music

To objectively examine someone's labor of love poses immense difficulties for the reviewer. Perhaps the first question that needs to be asked is why this book was put together in the first place. I have a mental picture of a group of distinguished ladies and gentlemen, impeccably clad in evening attire, repairing to a salon following an unusually edifying performance of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. As a result of a lively discussion, neurologists, psychologists, musicologists, and just interested individuals among the participants must have decided to put on paper, in some kind of organized fashion, what is currently known about the brain's function in terms of composition, performance, and appreciation of music. The authors are, in fact, speaking to a group that is not much larger than themselves. Their own interest, be it historical, scientific, or simply cultural, is reflected in the individual contributions. Probably because of the widely divergent
Broiler embryo bone development is influenced by incubator temperature, oxygen concentration and eggshell conductance at the plateau stage in oxygen consumption

1. Four experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of temperature (TEM) and oxygen (O2) concentrations during the last 4 d of incubation on bone development. Fertile eggs from two strains were obtained that either exhibited Low or High eggshell conductance (G). 1The mention of trade names in this publication does not imply endorsement of the products mentioned nor criticism of similar products not mentioned. 2. Four experimental cabinets provided either four TEM (36, 37, 38 or 39°C) or four O2 concentrations (17, 19, 21 or 23% O2). Data were analysed as a 2 × 2 factorial design. In the fourth experiment, two temperatures (36 and 39°C), two O2 concentrations (17 and 23%) and the same Low and High G strains were evaluated in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. 3. Body weights (BW) and residual yolks were obtained, both legs were dissected. Femur, tibia and shank weights, length and thickness were recorded. Relative asymmetry (RA) of each leg section was calculated. 4. The results indicated that elevated TEM during incubation increased RA between the two legs, mainly in the Low G strain. Chickens at the lowest O2 concentrations had lighter and shorter tibias, lighter shanks, and increased RA of femur length compared to chickens in the 23% O2. In the fourth experiment no interactions were observed between O2 and TEM. High TEM depressed BW of Low G broilers, but no significant effect of treatments was observed on BW of High G broilers. Nevertheless, the high TEM or low O2 independently caused reduced femur and tibia weights and length, shank length and thickness, and both low O2 and high TEM together increased RA in shank weight. 5. These results suggest that late incubation conditions affect long bone development in broilers.
Biopharmaceutic Considerations in Designing and Evaluating Novel Drug Delivery Systems

AbstractThe article considers the various categories of controlled release preparations including oral, intramuscular, cutaneous/percutaneous and targeted. It briefly outlines the requirements for demonstration of safety and efficacy, differentiating these by a drug product marketing status, e.g., DESI, post 62 drugs, the conditional status of transdermal nitrates, etc. It delineates the bioavailability requirements and the types of studies which would be normally required for approval.Both single dose and steady state bioavailability study data as well as in vitro dissolution data are normally required for approval. The conditions for assuring steady state conditions are given, and the type of evaluation employed by the Agency is explained. For instance, generally controlled release dosage forms are best described by the flip flop pharmacokinetic model where a Wagner Nelson analysis is employed to determine the amount of first order/zero order input. The condition for approval of additional strength of a.
Managing gut health through nutrition

1. To study gut health, a multi-pronged approach is necessary. It should be considered from the point of view of immunology, microbiology and nutrient supply. 2. The impact on gut health often comes from microbial imbalance in the gut, which will be exacerbated if antibiotics are withdrawn from feed. 3. Any gut damage caused by pathogens will lead to poor gut health, which will, in turn, affect nutrient utilisation efficiency. Subclinical forms of infection with no obvious signs of lesions are often financially more devastating than acute, short-term infections. Necrotic enteritis in poultry is one such example. 4. Dietary factors that modulate the immune system and gut microflora should be considered when formulating diets and managing feeding practices.