Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY ASSESSMENT OF VASCULAR EFFECTS OCCURRING AFTER AFLIBERCEPT INTRAVITREAL INJECTIONS IN TREATMENT-NAIVE PATIENTS WITH WET AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Purpose: To investigate vessel changes occurring after aflibercept injections in treatment-naive exudative age-related macular degeneration patients. Methods: Fifteen eyes of 15 patients affected by wet age-related macular degeneration were enrolled in the study. All the patients had a diagnosis of Type 1 choroidal neovascularization and were treated with 3 monthly aflibercept intravitreal injections (IVI). Subjects were evaluated by means of optical coherence tomography angiography at baseline, the day after the first injection and one month after both the first and the second IVI. At last, all the patients were followed up to 2 months after the third IVI. Results: Foveal superficial vascular plexus flow density was 29.01% (21.13–37.32%) at baseline and was significantly reduced as soon as 1 month after the first IVI (median: 20.78%; interquartile range: 14.75–23.13%; P = 0.017). Parafoveal superficial vascular plexus flow density was 47.09% (44.91–51.72%) at baseline and significantly decreased as soon as 1 month after the second IVI (median: 44.40%; interquartile range: 41.59–49.29%; P = 0.034). Choroidal neovascularization lesion area remained stable throughout the follow-up. Nevertheless, interestingly, choroidal neovascularization flow area was significantly reduced as soon as the next day the first IVI (median: 0.37 mm2 and interquartile range: 0.27–0.72 mm2 at baseline; median: 0.30 mm2 and interquartile range: 0.24–0.64 mm2 at 1 day after the first IVI; P = 0.047). Conclusion: Intravitreal aflibercept injections are associated with a significant change in native retinal and choroidal vasculature. Moreover, the treatment did not cause a reduction in lesion area, but rather reduced the flow in the choroidal neovascularization.
2‐Phenoxy‐nicotinamides are Potent Agonists at the Bile Acid Receptor GPBAR1 (TGR5)

Potency with potential: 2-Phenoxy-nicotinamides were identified as potent agonists at the GPBAR1 receptor, a target in the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Extensive structure-activity relationship studies supported by homology modeling and docking resulted in the identification of optimized GPBAR1 agonists, potent against both human and mouse receptors, endowed with favorable physicochemical properties and good metabolic stability.
Effect of exogenous melatonin on X-ray induced cellular toxicity in lymphatic tissue of Indian tropical male squirrel, Funambulus pennanti

Purpose: The radioprotective ability of melatonin was investigated in the Indian tropical rodent, Funambulus pennanti during its reproductively inactive phase (RIP) when peripheral melatonin is high and the animal is under the influence of environmental stresses. Materials and methods: Fifty male squirrels were divided into two sets of 25 each; with set 1 receiving 0.9% saline and set 2 receiving 25 μg melatonin/100 g body weight/day for four weeks during evening hours. Five saline-treated and five-melatonin treated squirrels were sacrificed at times of 4, 24, 48 and 72 hours following 2.06 Gy X-ray radiation. Remaining squirrels that were not exposed to X-ray were used as control and melatonin treated, respectively. Total leukocyte count (TLC) and lymphocyte count (LC) in peripheral blood and lipid peroxidation (LPO) status, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, total antioxidant status (TAS), apoptotic percentage on the basis of morphological changes and DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity were measured in the spleens of squirrels. Results: Peripheral blood and spleens with higher intrinsic levels of environmental and X-radiation induced free radical generation had inhibited TLC, LC, SOD activity and TAS and increased LPO and apoptosis. Melatonin pre-treatment significantly reduced and altered the changes brought on by X-radiation. Conclusion: Exogenous melatonin with its anti-apoptotic and antioxidant properties additively increased the immunity of the squirrels, by protecting their hematopoietic system and lymphoid organs against X-ray radiation induced cellular toxicity.
Supervivencia en pacientes con tuberculosis infectados por VIH. Estudio de los fallecimientos en los primeros nueve meses

BACKGROUND: Among the individuals with tuberculosis who are infected with HIV a high degree of lethality has been found to exist during the first few weeks following the start of tuberculosis treatment. In this study, the survival of these individuals is studied within the framework of a retrospective cohort study. METHODS: This study included 1135 subjects infected by HIV over age fifteen and residents of Barcelona who were registered by the Barcelona Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program and were diagnoses within the 1988-1993 period. The variables analyzed were age, gender, former imprisonment, municipal district, risk group, percentage of T CD4+ lymphocytes, tuberculin test, AIDS diagnosis (as per CDC-1987), X-ray pattern, bacteriology and part of the body affected by the tuberculosis. The Cox semiparametric method, the Kaplan-Meir curves and the log-rank test were employed. RESULTS: A 77% probability of survival during the first nine months was found to exist, with wide-ranging variations among the different subgroups. The only significant variables in the Cos multivariate model were AIDS, the percentage of T CD4+ lymphocytes and their interaction. The risk of death for an individual not having AIDS and a T CD4+ lymphocyte percentage of 14% or lower was 7.69 times higher than the risk of dying for an individual not having AIDS who had a T CD4+ lymphocyte percentage of above 14%. CONCLUSIONS: The survival of those individuals having tuberculosis who are infected with HIV varies greatly. Those who died in the short term were diagnosed as having AIDS on starting the tuberculosis treatment and who also had a T CD4+ lymphocyte percentage of 14% or lower.
ROLE OF ENDOGENOUS PEROXISOME PROLIFERATOR-ACTIVATED RECEPTOR-α (PPAR-α) LIGANDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GUT ISCHEMIA AND REPERFUSION IN MICE

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of ligand-dependent transcription factors related to retinoid, steroid, and thyroid hormone receptors. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of endogenous PPAR-α ligand on the development of gut ischemia and reperfusion injury. Splanchnic artery occlusion (SAO) shock was induced in mice by clamping both the superior mesenteric artery and the celiac artery for 30 min, followed thereafter by release of the clamp (reperfusion). At 60 min after reperfusion, animals were sacrificed for histological examination and biochemical studies. SAO-shocked WT mice developed a significant increase of ileum tissue, TNF-α, IL-1β, myeloperoxidase activity, and marked histological injury. SAO shock was also associated with a significant mortality (0% survival at 24 h after reperfusion). Reperfused ileum tissue sections from SAO-shocked WT mice showed positive staining for P-selectin, ICAM-1, TNF-α, and IL-1β. Absence of a functional PPAR-α gene in PPAR-αKO mice resulted in a significant augmentation of all the above-described parameters. Thus, endogenous PPAR-α ligands reduce the degree of ileum injury caused by ischemia and reperfusion.
Alimentos transgénicos y alergenicidad

La utilizacion de la tecnologia transgenica en la modificacion de las fuentes alimentarias ha permitido desarrollar alimentos menos caros y mas saludables. Esta tecnologia tiene la potencialidad de reducir el uso de plaguicidas quimicos, incrementar la productividad y proteger el habitat de los humanos y de otras especies. No obstante, los alimentos geneticamente modificados (GM) han dado origen a preocupaciones publicas entre las organizaciones no gubernamentales (NGOs), los consumidores y los medios con relacion a su potencial toxicidad, alergenicidad y alteracion de los nutrientes. Se presenta una revision critica de la literatura reciente sobre las respuestas inmunologicas adversas a las proteinas de los alimentos. Esta revision incluye las caracteristicas fisicas y quimicas de los alergenos, la heterogeneidad en la prevalencia de la alergia a los alimentos y los avances en la comprension de los desordenes alergicos producidos por alimentos. Se realiza una descripcion del espectro clinico de las reacciones alergicas inducidas por alimentos, las cuales son responsables de una variedad de sintomas que afectan la piel, el tracto respiratorio y el tracto gastrointestinal. Los metodos utilizados en las pruebas para evaluar la seguridad de los alimentos derivados de los cultivos GM se presentan y discuten. Se concluye que los riesgos alergenicos potenciales introducidos por los alimentos GM no son mayores que los presentados por los alimentos derivados de cultivos modificados geneticamente por los metodos convencionales.
Just IN TIME: a multidisciplinary small group learning experience

I n a clinical emergency, different professionals are required to work well together to effect the best outcome. This article will outline the key factors involved in the development of a new course at a maternity hospital in Western Australia: the IN TIME (INterdisciplinary Teamwork In the Management of Emergencies) course. Three concepts taken into consideration during the development of this course were: the benefits of multidisciplinary study; the use of small groupwork sessions; and a high level of semi-simulation. With these concepts in mind, the course has been implemented to run with three teams, each containing a mix of doctors and midwives. The teams are pre-grouped so that there is a good skill mix within each group. At the beginning of the day everyone is given a badge denoting their team: they are directed to their ‘team table’, and then spend the entire day working together. As meals are also provided, the teams also eat, drink and socialise together. The course program is made up of round-table reflection and revision sessions, clinical emergency drills and practical skills workshops. For each obstetric emergency the subject is revised, skills are practised and then a life-like drill is carried out in the appropriate clinical area.
Hospital efficiency management: the just-in-time and Kanban technique

The importance of the supply system to a hospital means that the implementation of new stock management systems is a significant need. The main aim of this study is to provide an empirical demonstration of efficient management results obtained by the use of the just-in-time (JIT) and Kanban tools. This research deals with the design and experimentation of innovative automatic supply models, such as the JIT system, as applied to ward materials. The first application of the proposed procedure was implemented in the City Hospital of Padua. The second application was carried out in the Religious Hospital of Turin, where the implementation of the Kanban method has a particular development. With the introduction of small investments (modular cabinets and 'intelligent' trolleys), the quantities and the volumes of stored products, out-of-date medicines, order errors, and unnecessary picking operations largely decreased.
Planning a competence-based curriculum: the case of four secondary schools in England

Despite the belief that schools tend to be resistant to change, it is possible to find secondary schools in the UK which are investing in the design of an innovative curriculum for their Year 7 (11-year-old students). This article focuses on four of these schools and discusses some of the challenges they face in planning and implementing their competence-based curricula (CBC). Such curricula tend to be based on the rationale that they better prepare all students for the constant changes of human knowledge and understanding. They develop transferable skills rather than subject-specific content, which are considered necessary requirements for learners as future productive members of society in the twenty-first century. Advocates of CBC argue that such curricula are more inclusive and emancipatory than traditional curricula, although this view is contested. Employing Bernstein's concepts of framing and classification of the curriculum, this article describes the challenges and constraints encountered by four schools which have endeavoured to develop a competence-based curriculum.
Electrochemical oxidation of tannic acid contaminated wastewater by RuO2/IrO2/TaO2‐coated titanium and graphite anodes

The electrochemical oxidation of tannic acid contaminated wastewater by RuO2/IrO2/TaO2‐coated titanium and graphite anodes has been investigated. The effect of the process variables, such as initial pH, current density, processing time, concentration of the electrolyte and anode materials, on the degradation of tannic acid was studied. During the various stages of electrolysis, parameters such as COD, chloride ion concentration and UV–Vis spectra were examined and discussed. The maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 94% was achieved at pH 5, operated at the current density of 8.10 mA/cm2, electrolyte (NaCl) concentration of 0.1 M and at 60 min of electrolysis using graphite anodes. The experimental results showed that the electrochemical oxidation process could effectively reduce the COD from the tannic acid contaminated wastewater. An acidic pH showed the maximum reduction of COD compared with neutral and alkaline pH. Increase in current density, process time and electrolyte (NaCl) concentration with the increase in COD removal. Graphite anodes showed maximum removal of COD and better tannic acid degradation when compared with RuO2/IrO2/TaO2‐coated titanium anodes.
The Impact of a Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Medication Advertising Campaign on New Prescription Volume

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription medications is one manifestation of the growing significance that pharmaceutical companies attribute to patients. Because most studies of DTCA impact have used hypothetical products and predictions of behavior, however, the value of this marketing strategy is not well understood. Thus, this study's purpose was to assess the relationship between existence of an informational DTCA campaign for a newly-marketed prescription medication and new prescription volume. Prescriber-specific new prescription data and time-series analysis were used to construct a time-series regression model. A model with lagged sales and a first-order moving-average noise process was deemed most appropriate, suggesting that DTCA was effective in generating new prescriptions while the campaign was in effect, with residual but declining effects after discontinuation. Cost-effectiveness calculations indicated that the DTCA campaign generated approximately $22 million in new and refill prescriptions.
Preparation of activated carbon from wet sludge by electrochemical-NaClO activation

Activated carbon (AC) from sludge is one potential solution for sewage sludge disposal, while the drying sludge is cost and time consuming for preparation. AC preparation from the wet sludge with electrochemical-NaClO activation was studied in this work. Three pretreatment processes, i.e. chemical activation, electrolysis and electrochemical-reagent reaction, were introduced to improve the sludge-derived AC properties, and the optimum dosage of reagent was tested from the 0.1:1 to 1:1 (mass rate, reagent:dried sludge). It was shown that the electrochemical-NaClO preparation is the best method under the test conditions, in which AC has the maximum Brunauer, Emmett and Teller area of 436 m2/g at a mass ratio of 0.7. Extracellular polymeric substances in sludge can be disintegrated by electrochemical-NaClO pretreatment, with a disintegration degree of more than 45%. The percentage of carbon decreased from 34.16 to 8.81 after treated by electrochemical-NaClO activation. Fourier transform infrared spectra showed that a strong C–Cl stretching was formed in electrochemical-NaClO prepared AC. The maximum adsorption capacity of AC reaches 109 mg/g on MB adsorption experiment at pH 10 and can be repeated for three times with high removal efficiency after regeneration.
Removal of naphthols and analogues by the combined use of an oxidoreductase polyphenol oxidase and a biopolymer chitosan from aqueous solutions

In this study, the combined use of an amino group-containing polymer chitosan and an oxidoreductase polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was applied to the removal of naphthols and dihydroxynaphthalenes (DHNs) from aqueous solutions. The process parameters, such as the pH value, temperature and enzyme dose, were discussed for PPO-catalysed oxidation of 1-naphthol. The optimum conditions of enzymatic oxidation of 1-naphthol were determined to be pH 8.0 and 40 °C. Under the optimum conditions, PPO-catalysed oxidation of 1-naphthol increased with an increase in the enzyme dose. Quinone derivatives enzymatically generated were chemisorbed on chitosan beads and the initial velocity of PPO-catalysed oxidation increased with an increase in the amount of added chitosan beads. A specific initial velocity of 0.0675 μmol/U·min was obtained in the PPO concentration range below 200 U/cm3 and 1-naphthol was completely removed within 24 h by quinone adsorption on chitosan beads (0.20 cm3/cm3) at a PPO concentration of 100 U/cm3. The removal time was shortened by increasing the enzyme dose or the amount of added chitosan beads. 2-Naphthol was also completely removed at an initial concentration of 0.05 mM or less by prolonging the reaction time, since PPO-catalysed oxidation of 2-naphthol was much slower than that of 1-naphthol. In addition, this procedure was also applied to the removal of DHNs. These results revealed that the procedure constructed in this study was an effective technique to remove naphthols and DHNs from the aqueous medium.
Inferior vena cava resection with hepatectomy: challenging but justified.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of hepatectomy combined with inferior vena cava (IVC) resection and reconstruction for treatment of invasive liver tumours. METHODS From February 1995 to September 2010, 2146 patients underwent liver resections in our hospital's hepatopancreatobiliary unit. Of these, 35 (1.6%) patients underwent hepatectomy with IVC resection. These patients were included in this study. Data were analysed from a prospectively collected database. RESULTS Resections were carried out for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) (n= 21), hepatocellular carcinoma (n= 6), cholangiocarcinoma (n= 3) and other conditions (n= 5). Resections were carried out with total vascular occlusion in 34 patients and without in one patient. In situ hypothermic perfusion was performed in 13 patients; the ante situm technique was used in three patients, and ex vivo resection was used in six patients. There were four early deaths from multiple organ failure. Postoperative complications occurred in 14 patients, three of whom required re-operation. Median overall survival was 29 months and cumulative 5-year survival was 37.7%. Rates of 1-, 2- and 5-year survival were 75.9%, 58.7% and 19.6%, respectively, in CRLM patients. CONCLUSIONS Aggressive surgical management of liver tumours with IVC involvement offers the only hope for cure in selected patients. Resection by specialist teams affords acceptable perioperative morbidity and mortality rates.
N‐Phenylbenzamides as Potent Inhibitors of the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore

Persistent opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP), an inner membrane channel, leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and renders the PTP a therapeutic target for a host of life‐threatening diseases. Herein, we report our effort toward identifying small‐molecule inhibitors of this target through structure–activity relationship optimization studies, which led to the identification of several potent analogues around the N‐phenylbenzamide compound series identified by high‐throughput screening. In particular, compound 4 (3‐(benzyloxy)‐5‐chloro‐N‐(4‐(piperidin‐1‐ylmethyl)phenyl)benzamide) displayed noteworthy inhibitory activity in the mitochondrial swelling assay (EC50=280 nm), poor‐to‐very‐good physicochemical as well as in vitro pharmacokinetic properties, and conferred very high calcium retention capacity to mitochondria. From the data, we believe compound 4 in this series represents a promising lead for the development of PTP inhibitors of pharmacological relevance.
Obesity portends increased morbidity and earlier recurrence following liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Obesity has been associated with poor oncologic outcomes following pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer. However, there is a paucity of evidence on the impact of obesity on postoperative complications, oncologic outcome and survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). METHODS From a database of over 1000 patients who underwent OLT during 1996-2008, 159 patients with a diagnosis of HCC were identified. Demographic data, body mass index (BMI), perioperative parameters, recurrence and survival were obtained. Complications were grouped according to Clavien-Dindo grading (Grades I-V). RESULTS There were increased incidences of life-threatening complications in overweight (58%) and obese (70%) patients compared with the non-obese patient group (41%) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of recurrence of HCC was doubled in the presence of overweight (15%) and obesity (15%) compared with non-obesity (7%) (P < 0.05). Time to recurrence also decreased significantly. Differences in mean ± standard deviation survival in the overweight (45 ± 3 months) and obese (41 ± 4 months) groups compared with the non-obese group (58 ± 6 months) did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that BMI is an important surrogate marker for obesity and portends an increased risk for complications and a poorer oncologic outcome following OLT for HCC.
Physical health of patients with schizophrenia

Abstract Physical ill health is common in schizophrenia. Its aetiology is multifactorial with poor lifestyle choices possibly precipitating general medical conditions in this already vulnerable population. In fact, over two-thirds of patients with schizophrenia die of ‘natural causes’, such as heart disease. Diabetes is an obvious precursor to such cardiovascular illness and it is clear that those with schizophrenia have higher rates of the this endocrine disorder along with other features of the metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions which include obesity (central – around the abdomen), dyslipidaemias, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance (or hyperinsulinaemia) and hypertension. Schizophrenia has been associated with higher rates of not only pre-diabetic states and diabetes, but also central obesity (fat within the abdomen), which contribute to the excess mortality observed in this condition. Though medication may play a role in the pathogenesis of these disorders, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the illness of schizophrenia may in itself be a predisposing factor to such illnesses.