Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The significance of Demodex folliculorum density in rosacea.

BACKGROUND Demodex folliculorum has been reported in rosacea in a number of clinical studies. As the Demodex mite is also present in many healthy individuals, it has been suggested that the mite may have a pathogenic role only when it is present in high densities. Moreover, some authors have proposed that a mite density above 5/cm2 may be a criterion for the diagnosis of inflammatory rosacea. In this study, the possible role of D. folliculorum and the importance of mite density in rosacea were investigated using a skin surface biopsy technique. METHODS Thirty-eight patients with rosacea and 38 age-and-sex-matched healthy subjects entered the study. With the skin surface biopsy technique, we obtained samples from three facial sites. We then determined the mite positivities, the mean mite counts in both study groups, the mean mite densities at each facial site and in the rosacea subgroups, and the mite densities above 5/cm2. RESULTS The mean mite count in the rosacea group (6,684) was significantly higher than that in controls (2,868; p < 0.05). The cheek was the most frequently and heavily infested facial region. Ten rosacea patients and five normal subjects had mite densities over 5/cm2; the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Rosacea is a disease of multifactorial origin, and individual properties may modify the severity of the inflammatory response to Demodex. We suggest that a certain mite density is not an appropriate criterion in the diagnosis of the disease; nevertheless, large numbers of D. folliculorum may have an important role in the pathogenesis of rosacea, together with other triggering factors.
Recent developments in ion-trap mass spectrometry and related technologies

Due to their versatility, quadrupole ion traps have become popular mass spectrometers in the growing field of proteomics. High sensitivity, user friendliness and low cost are the key features that have contributed to the success of the technology. However, mass measurement accuracy, resolution and mass range are still not comparable to the analytical performances obtained on other mass spectrometers. In the past 5 years, researchers have tried to overcome these drawbacks, focusing their attention on two different aspects of ion-trap mass spectrometry, development of novel types of ion traps and manipulation of the gas-phase ion chemistry, in order to obtain alternative techniques for tandem mass spectrometry analysis. In the field of trapping devices, improvements in instrumental design have led to the linear ion trap, digital ion trap and orbitrap. Activation methods based on electrons, chemically produced by an anion or from irradiation with an electron beam, have demonstrated their utility in providing complementary sequence information for improving confidence in protein identification.
I Want to Change My Floor: Dominant Plane Recognition from a Single Image to Augment the Scene

Augmented reality combines real footage taken of a scene with virtual elements. However, most current methods rely on camera localisation and 3D reconstruction or point cloud generation in order to integrate augmented reality to the footage. In contrast, in this work we present a novel method to augment virtual reality to the scene based on the recognition of dominant planes in interior scenes. Our method uses a rule system to select predefined decisions on a set of variables in order to infer dominant planes in the scene. For this, we propose to combine information from texture features, a measure of blurring in the dominant planes, and a segmentation of regions in a scene based on superpixels. The rule system infers the regions corresponding to the dominant planes, whilst light intensity in the scene is inferred from segmented regions. We also propose an approach to remove regions misclassified as dominant planes. Finally, the floor in the scene is recognised as the most dominant plane and then replaced with an augmented texture. We demonstrate our approach in a video sequence where our method is applied in a frame-to-frame basis, thus, for each single image in the video sequence, the floor is automatically recognised as the most dominant plane and then replaced with a virtual texture and furthermore, whose appearance is modified according to our coarse light model inferred from our approach.
Accuracy of prostate weight estimation by digital rectal examination versus transrectal ultrasonography.

PURPOSE The ability to estimate prostate weight is useful. Two commonly used methods for estimating prostate weight are digital rectal examination (DRE) and transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). We evaluated the relative accuracy of these weight estimates by comparing them to prostate weight following radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 1989 and 2001 more than 36,000 community men participated in a large prostate cancer screening study. Of these men 2,238 underwent RRP. In this subset we examined the correlation between documented preoperative DRE and TRUS estimates of prostate weight with actual gland weight. RESULTS DRE estimates of prostate weight by multiple examiners correlated poorly with RRP specimen weight (r = 0.2743). However, TRUS estimates correlated moderately well (r = 0.6493). TRUS provided more accurate estimates of prostate weight for smaller glands, although it generally underestimated gland weight compared to the weight of the surgical specimen. CONCLUSIONS In a large, community based prostate cancer screening study prostate weight estimated by DRE was shown to correlate poorly with actual prostate weight. Compared with DRE, TRUS provides a better estimate of prostate weight. In addition, TRUS measurements were more accurate in smaller prostate glands.
Scarring Occurs at a Critical Depth of Skin Injury: Precise Measurement in a Graduated Dermal Scratch in Human Volunteers

Background: The association between scarring and the depth of dermal injury or burn is clinically recognized but not quantified. The authors tested the hypothesis that there is a critical depth beyond which a fibrous scar develops. Methods: A novel jig produced a wound that was deep dermal at one end and superficial dermal at the other. Pilot studies in cadaveric and ex vivo breast skin confirmed the depth of injury. Healthy volunteers had a standardized dermal wound made on the lateral aspect of the hip. Digital photography recorded the surface appearance of wound healing and scar development. High-frequency ultrasound demonstrated the depth of the healing wound and subsequent scar in vivo. Results: One hundred thirteen human subjects participated in the clinical study. Mean length of follow up was 28.6 ± 13.2 weeks. The deep dermal end of the wound healed with a visible scar and the superficial end had no visible residual mark after week 18. The initial length of injury was 51.3 ± 0.6 mm, which reduced to a scar of 34.9 ± 1.0 mm at 36 weeks (corresponding areas were 196.6 ± 7.5 mm2 and 92.7 ± 9.4 mm2). High-frequency ultrasound analysis showed a gradual reduction in scar thickness at the deep end and no detectable scar at the shallow end. The transition point between scar and no scar marked the threshold depth for scarring. This was calculated as 0.56 ± 0.03 mm, or 33.1 percent of normal hip skin thickness. Conclusions: The dermal scratch provides a well-tolerated, standardized, and reproducible wound model for investigating the healing response to dermal injury of different depths. There is a threshold depth of dermal injury at which scarring develops.
Hepcidin is the major predictor of erythrocyte iron incorporation in anemic African children

Iron supplementation strategies in the developing world remain controversial because of fears of exacerbating prevalent infectious diseases. Understanding the conditions in which iron will be absorbed and incorporated into erythrocytes is therefore important. We studied Gambian children with either postmalarial or nonmalarial anemia, who were given oral iron supplements daily for 30 days. Supplements administered on days 1 and 15 contained the stable iron isotopes 57Fe and 58Fe, respectively, and erythrocyte incorporation was measured in blood samples drawn 14 days later. We investigated how the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin and other inflammatory/iron-related indices, all measured on the day of isotope administration, correlated with erythrocyte iron incorporation. In univariate analyses, hepcidin, ferritin, C-reactive protein, and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) strongly predicted incorporation of 57Fe given on day 1, while hepcidin, ferritin, and sTfR/log ferritin correlated with 58Fe incorporation. In a final multivariate model, the most consistent predictor of erythrocyte isotope incorporation was hepcidin. We conclude that under conditions of competing signals (anemia, iron deficiency, and infection), hepcidin powerfully controls use of dietary iron. We suggest that low-cost point-of-care hepcidin assays would aid iron supplementation programs in the developing world.
Glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitors for acute ischaemic stroke.

BACKGROUND Glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa inhibitors block the final common pathway to platelet aggregation antagonising with receptors that bind fibrinogen molecules forming bridges between adjacent platelets. Thus, GP IIb-IIIa inhibitors could favour endogenous thrombolysis by reducing thrombus growth and prevent thrombus re-formation by competitive inhibition with fibrinogen. Currently used in clinical practice for acute coronary syndromes and percutaneous coronary interventions, they could also be useful for patients with acute ischaemic stroke. OBJECTIVES To assess efficacy and safety of GP IIb-IIIa inhibitors in acute ischaemic stroke. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group trials register (last searched 31 May 2005). In addition, we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library Issue 2, 2005), MEDLINE (1966 to June 2005) and EMBASE (1980 to June 2005). In an effort to identify further published, unpublished and ongoing trials we searched reference lists and contacted trial authors and pharmaceutical companies. SELECTION CRITERIA We aimed to analyse unconfounded randomised controlled trials comparing GP IIb-IIIa inhibitors with placebo in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Only patients who started the treatment within six hours of stroke onset were included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Three review authors independently selected trials for inclusion, assessed trial quality and extracted the data. MAIN RESULTS Two trials involving 474 patients were included. Only data for 414 patients treated within six hours were considered. Patients were treated with intravenous abciximab or placebo. Treatment with abciximab was associated with a non-significant reduction of death and dependency combined (odds ratio (OR) 0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54 to 1.17) and of death alone (OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.36 to 1.25). Treatment with abciximab was associated with a non-significant increase of symptomatic intracranial haemorrhages (OR 4.13; 95% CI 0.86 to 19.67) and of major extracranial haemorrhages (OR 1.51; 95% CI 0.25 to 9.12). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is currently not enough evidence from randomised controlled trials regarding the efficacy or safety of GP IIb-IIIa inhibitors therapy in acute ischaemic stroke. Results from ongoing trials will help to understand the risk to benefit ratio of these agents.
Early treatment with recombinant factor VIIa results in greater efficacy with less product

Abstract: Early treatment of bleeding episodes in haemophilia patients offers advantages over later treatment, including minimizing the damage caused by the haemorrhage and reducing the amount of product needed to control it. Self‐administration at home also offers greater convenience, and time and cost savings for both patient and physician. We compared the amount of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa; NovoSeven®, Novo Nordisk, Bagsværd, Denmark) used in the treatment of peripheral intramuscular haemorrhages in people with haemophilia A and B with inhibitors and in those with acquired haemophilia, in the compassionate use, dose‐finding and US home treatment studies. We also compared the response rates in each of the 3 studies. In the compassionate use setting, in which the mean time from onset of bleeding to initiation of treatment with rFVIIa was 5 d, the mean number of doses given per bleeding episode was 13.6, with 63.1% of episodes without compartment syndrome and 73% with tense muscle/compartment syndrome having an excellent or effective response. In the dose‐finding study, average time from onset of bleeding to treatment with rFVIIa was 9 h. The average number of doses given was 3.55, and 72% in the high‐dose arm were judged to have an excellent or effective response. In the US home treatment study in which bleeding episodes were treated earlier (mean 1.2 h from onset of bleeding), the mean number of doses given was 2.3, and 92% had an effective response to treatment. These findings indicate that early treatment with rFVIIa has a greater success rate, with fewer doses being required. Home treatment results in cost savings, greater convenience, and less morbidity.
A comparison of substance abuse and violence in the prediction of long-term rehabilitation outcomes after traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE To determine the relative contributions of substance abuse history and violent etiology to the prediction of outcomes for individuals who sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) requiring inpatient rehabilitation. DESIGN Longitudinal study of outcomes 1 year postdischarge from rehabilitation. SETTING Specialized TBI acute rehabilitation unit. PARTICIPANTS Three hundred fifty-one individuals consecutively admitted for rehabilitation. INTERVENTIONS Gathered data from patients' medical records (including etiology of injury, initial Glasgow Coma Scale scores, and FIMtrade mark instrument scores at discharge), demographic details, and history of substance abuse; phone and mail survey data from individuals (Satisfaction with Life Scale [SWLS]; Community Integration Questionnaire [CIQ]). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES CIQ and SWLS; relative contributions of injury etiology, demographic and injury-related dependent variables, and substance abuse history to predictive model. RESULTS Almost 80% of persons with injuries from violence-related causes had a history of substance abuse. Substance abuse was found to contribute to the prediction of life satisfacton and productivity, while violent etiology was not a significant contributor to predictive models. CONCLUSION Substance abuse history proved to be a strong predictor of long-term outcomes, while violent etiology of injury was less influential. The results of this study emphasize the need to include substance abuse history in all studies of outcomes after TBI, and to increase prevention efforts to limit the effects of such a history.
Mapping the Binding Site Pocket of the Serotonin 5-Hydroxytryptamine2A Receptor

Like other amine neurotransmitters that activate G-protein-coupled receptors, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) binds to the 5-HT2A receptor through the interaction of its cationic primary amino group with the conserved Asp3.32(155) in transmembrane helix 3. Computational experiments with a 5-HT2A receptor model suggest that the same functional group of 5-hydroxytryptamine also forms a hydrogen bond with the side chain of Ser3.36(159), which is adjacent in space to Asp3.32(155). However, other 5-HT2A receptor ligands like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), in which the amine nitrogen is embedded in a heterocycle, or N,N-dimethyl 5-HT, in which the side chain is a tertiary amine, are found in the computational simulations to interact with the aspartate but not with the serine, due mainly to steric hindrance. The predicted difference in the interaction of various ligands in the same receptor binding pocket was tested with site-directed mutagenesis of Ser3.36(159) → Ala and Ser3.36(159) → Cys. The alanine substitution led to an 18-fold reduction in 5-HT affinity and the cysteine substitution to an intermediate 5-fold decrease. LSD affinity, in contrast, was unaffected by either mutation. N,N-Dimethyl 5-HT affinity was unaffected by the cysteine mutation and had a comparatively small 3-fold decrease in affinity for the alanine mutant. These findings identify a mode of ligand-receptor complexation that involves two receptor side chains interacting with the same functional group of specific serotonergic ligands. This interaction serves to orient the ligands in the binding pocket and may influence the degree of receptor activation.
Effects of language dominance on item and order memory in free recall, serial recall and order reconstruction

Spanish–English bilinguals (N = 144) performed free recall, serial recall and order reconstruction tasks in both English and Spanish. Long-term memory for both item and order information was worse in the less fluent language (L2) than in the more fluent language (L1). Item scores exhibited a stronger disadvantage for the L2 in serial recall than in free recall. Relative order scores were lower in the L2 for all three tasks, but adjusted scores for free and serial recall were equivalent across languages. Performance of English-speaking monolinguals (N = 72) was comparable to bilingual performance in the L1, except that monolinguals had higher adjusted order scores in free recall. Bilingual performance patterns in the L2 were consistent with the established effects of concurrent task performance on these memory tests, suggesting that the cognitive resources required for processing words in the L2 encroach on resources needed to commit item and order information to memory. These findings are also consistent with a model in which item memory is connected to the language system, order information is processed by separate mechanisms and attention can be allocated differentially to these two systems.
Reliability of phenotypic tests for identification of Acinetobacter species

A numerical approach was used for identification of 198 Acinetobacter strains assigned to DNA groups according to the classification of Tjernberg and Ursing (I. Tjernberg and J. Ursing, APMIS 97:595-605, 1989). The matrix used was constructed from data published by Bouvet and Grimont (P.J.M. Bouvet and P.A.D. Grimont, Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 36:228-240, 1986) and Bouvet and Jeanjean (P.J.M. Bouvet and S. Jeanjean, Res. Microbiol. 140:291-299, 1989). The tests chosen were those of the simplified identification scheme for Acinetobacter species devised by Bouvet and Grimont (P.J.M. Bouvet and P.A.D. Grimont, Ann. Inst. Pasteur/Microbiol. 138:569-578, 1987), namely, growth at 37, 41, and 44 degrees C, oxidation of glucose, gelatin hydrolysis, and assimilation of 14 carbon sources. Of the strains tested, 181 represented 12 DNA groups in the matrix; at a probability level of greater than or equal to 0.95, 78% of them were correctly identified, 2.2% were misidentified, and 19.8% were not identified. Seventeen strains represented two DNA groups not included in the matrix; nine of them were incorrectly assigned to a DNA group by these phenotypic tests. Because of problems of separating strains belonging to DNA groups 1, 2, 3, and 13 by using the phenotypic tests proposed by Bouvet and Grimont (Ann. Inst. Pasteur/Microbiol.), we suggest that these groups should be referred to as the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex.
Pathogenesis of classical swine fever: B-lymphocyte deficiency caused by hog cholera virus

Hog cholera, also known as classical or European swine fever, is caused by hog cholera virus, a member of the genus Pestivirus. It is shown here that the end stage of lethal infection in the natural host is associated with a dramatic depletion preferentially of B lymphocytes in the circulatory system as well as in lymphoid tissues. Already at the onset of disease, viral replication in lymphoid tissues demarcates the germinal centers, and the viral genome remains localized to that site as the disease progresses even after morphologic disintegration of the follicular structure. A block in B-lymphocyte maturation by infection and destruction of germinal centers is discussed as a key event in the pathogenesis of acute, lethal hog cholera.
Structure of a c-Kit Product Complex Reveals the Basis for Kinase Transactivation*

The c-Kit proto-oncogene is a receptor protein-tyrosine kinase associated with several highly malignant human cancers. Upon binding its ligand, stem cell factor (SCF), c-Kit forms an active dimer that autophosphorylates itself and activates a signaling cascade that induces cell growth. Disease-causing human mutations that activate SCF-independent constitutive expression of c-Kit are found in acute myelogenous leukemia, human mast cell disease, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. We report on the phosphorylation state and crystal structure of a c-Kit product complex. The c-Kit structure is in a fully active form, with ordered kinase activation and phosphate-binding loops. These results provide key insights into the molecular basis for c-Kit kinase transactivation to assist in the design of new competitive inhibitors targeting activated mutant forms of c-Kit that are resistant to current chemotherapy regimes.
Teriparatide (1‐34 human PTH) regulation of osterix during fracture repair

Based on remarkable success of PTH as an anabolic drug for osteoporosis, case reports of off‐label use of teriparatide (1‐34 PTH) in patients with complicated fractures and non‐unions are emerging. We investigated the mechanisms underlying PTH accelerated fracture repair. Bone marrow cells from 7 days 40 µg/kg of teriparatide treated or saline control mice were cultured and Osx and osteoblast phenotypic gene expression assessed by real‐time RT‐PCR in these cells. Fractured animals injected daily with either saline or 40 µg/kg of teriparatide for up to 21 days were X‐rayed and histological assessment performed, as well as immunohistochemical analyses of the Osx expression in the fracture callus. Osx, Runx2 and osteoblast or chondrocyte phenotypic gene expression was also assessed in fracture calluses. Our data shows that Osx and Runx2 are up‐regulated in marrow‐derived MSCs isolated from mice systemically treated with teriparatide. Furthermore, these MSCs undergo accelerated osteoblast maturation compared to saline injected controls. Systemic teriparatide treatments also accelerated fracture healing in these mice concomitantly with increased Osx expression in the PTH treated fracture calluses compared to controls. Collectively, these data suggest a mechanism for teriparatide mediated fracture healing possibly via Osx induction in MSCs. J. Cell. Biochem. 105: 219–226, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.