Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Androgens and hair growth

ABSTRACT: Hair's importance in human communication means that abnormalities like excess hair in hirsutism or hair loss in alopecia cause psychological distress. Androgens are the main regulator of human hair follicles, changing small vellus follicles producing tiny, virtually invisible hairs into larger intermediate and terminal follicles making bigger, pigmented hairs. The response to androgens varies with the body site as it is specific to the hair follicle itself. Normally around puberty, androgens stimulate axillary and pubic hair in both sexes, plus the beard, etc. in men, while later they may also inhibit scalp hair growth causing androgenetic alopecia. Androgens act within the follicle to alter the mesenchyme–epithelial cell interactions, changing the length of time the hair is growing, the dermal papilla size and dermal papilla cell, keratinocyte and melanocyte activity. Greater understanding of the mechanisms of androgen action in follicles should improve therapies for poorly controlled hair disorders like hirsutism and alopecia.
Dancing with the Devil? A personal view of psychiatry’s relationships with the pharmaceutical industry

I had just spoken to a meeting of one of our users’ and carers’ organisations. Mingling at coffee time, I lapped up congratulations on how approachable the College had become, when I was brought up short by a long-term patient with a scowl on his face. ‘The trouble with you psychiatrists’,
Sapphire: copying garbage collection without stopping the world

The growing use in concurrent systems of languages that require garbage collection (GC), such as Java, is raising practical interest in concurrent GC. Sapphire is a new algorithm for concurrent copying GC for Java. It stresses minimizing the amount of time any given application thread may need to block to support the collector. In particular, Sapphire is intended to work well in the presence of a large number of application threads, on small‐ to medium‐scale shared memory multiprocessors.
Achieving portable and efficient parallel CORBA objects

With the availability of Computational Grids, new kinds of applications are emerging. They raise the problem of how to program them on such computing systems. In this paper, we advocate a programming model based on a combination of parallel and distributed programming models. Compared to previous approaches, this work aims at bringing single program multiple data (SPMD) programming into CORBA in a portable way. For example, we want to interconnect two parallel codes by CORBA without modifying either CORBA or the parallel communication API. We show that such an approach does not entail any loss of performance compared to previous approaches that required modification to the CORBA standard. Moreover, using an ORB that is able to exploit high‐performance networks, we show that portable parallel CORBA objects can efficiently make use of such networks. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oestrus detection in dairy cattle

Achieving reproductive targets in artificially inseminated cattle herds relies on oestrus (heat) detection, which can be identified directly and indirectly from behavioural changes in cows. Increased herd size and reduced oestrus expression have been linked to suboptimal detection. This article reviews current knowledge of oestrus detection and highlights the opportunities for veterinary surgeons to become further involved in its management through training, monitoring and the identification of appropriate aids for oestrus detection.
Rodent-borne diseases and their risks for public health

Rodents are the most abundant and diversified order of living mammals in the world. Already since the Middle Ages we know that they can contribute to human disease, as black rats were associated with distribution of plague. However, also in modern times rodents form a threat for public health. In this review article a large number of pathogens that are directly or indirectly transmitted by rodents are described. Moreover, a simplified rodent disease model is discussed.
La tiorredoxina-1 no atenúa la disfunción ventricular postisquémica a pesar de disminuir el tamaño del infarto

Introduccion La tiorredoxina-1 es un potente antioxidante endogeno que participa en la proteccion miocardica frente a la injuria por isquemia/reperfusion. Sin embargo, no se ha estudiado si esta proteccion se mantiene en la edad media de la vida y si se produce una disociacion entre el efecto sobre la funcion ventricular y el infarto de miocardio. Objetivo Evaluar el tamano del infarto y la funcion ventricular en ratones transgenicos jovenes y de edad media que sobreexpresan tiorredoxina-1, comparandolos con sus respectivos controles no transgenicos. Material y metodos Se utilizaron corazones aislados de ratones FVB machos de 3 meses (jovenes) y de 12 meses (edad media) que fueron sometidos a una isquemia global de 30 minutos seguida por 120 minutos de reperfusion segun la tecnica de Langendorff. Se conformaron cuatro grupos experimentales: no transgenico jovenes, no transgenico edad media, tiorredoxina-1 jovenes y tiorredoxina-1 edad media. Se evaluo la funcion del ventriculo izquierdo y tambien se midio el tamano del infarto (trifenil tetrazolio). Resultados La funcion ventricular no mostro cambios significativos entre los grupos estudiados. Sin embargo, se observo una disminucion del tamano del infarto en ratones tiorredoxina-1 jovenes (27,6% ± 3,5% vs. 42,9% ± 6,1% en no transgenico jovenes); en cambio, el grupo tiorredoxina-1 de edad media no presento cambios frente al control (49,1% ± 6,4% vs. 52,6% ± 5,2%). Conclusiones Los datos obtenidos sugieren que la tiorredoxina-1 es capaz de reducir el tamano del infarto en los ratones jovenes que la sobreexpresan; sin embargo, no se han evidenciado cambios en la funcion ventricular. Ademas, el efecto protector del antioxidante se abole en los ratones transgenicos en edad media de la vida.
Bioprospecting of functional cellulases from metagenome for second generation biofuel production: a review

Abstract Second generation biofuel production has been appeared as a sustainable and alternative energy option. The ultimate aim is the development of an industrially feasible and economic conversion process of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuel molecules. Since, cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer and also represented as the photosynthetically fixed form of carbon, the efficient hydrolysis of cellulose is the most important step towards the development of a sustainable biofuel production process. The enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose by suites of hydrolytic enzymes underlines the importance of cellulase enzyme system in whole hydrolysis process. However, the selection of the suitable cellulolytic enzymes with enhanced activities remains a challenge for the biorefinery industry to obtain efficient enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass. The present review focuses on deciphering the novel and effective cellulases from different environmental niches by unculturable metagenomic approaches. Furthermore, a comprehensive functional aspect of cellulases is also presented and evaluated by assessing the structural and catalytic properties as well as sequence identities and expression patterns. This review summarizes the recent development in metagenomics based approaches for identifying and exploring novel cellulases which open new avenues for their successful application in biorefineries.
A Model for Community Occupational Therapy Practice, Stage 1

This article describes the first stage of a client-centred model, being developed by the author, for community occupational therapy practice. The key objective of this stage is to have the client identify his/her needs before the occupational therapist makes the first visit. The tools of the first stage, a contact letter and a Lifestyle Questionnaire, have been used in a pilot study by occupational therapists around the country. A summary of the results of this study is given.
IPCS Framework for Analyzing the Relevance of a Noncancer Mode of Action for Humans

Structured frameworks are extremely useful in promoting transparent, harmonized approaches to the risk assessment of chemicals. One area where this has been particularly successful is in the analysis of modes of action (MOAs) for chemical carcinogens in experimental animals and their relevance to humans. The International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) recently published an updated version of its MOA framework in animals to address human relevance (cancer human relevance framework, or HRF). This work has now been extended to noncancer effects, with the eventual objective of harmonizing framework approaches to both cancer and noncancer endpoints. As in the cancer HRF, the first step is to determine whether the weight of evidence based on experimental observations is sufficient to establish a hypothesized MOA. This comprises a series of key events causally related to the toxic effect, identified using an approach based on the Bradford Hill criteria. These events are then compared qualitatively and, next, quantitatively between experimental animals and humans. The output of the analysis is a clear statement of conclusions, together with the confidence, analysis, and implications of the findings. This framework provides a means of ensuring a transparent evaluation of the data, identification of key data gaps and of information that would be of value in the further risk assessment of the compound, such as on dose–response relationships, and recognition of potentially susceptible subgroups, for example, based on life-stage considerations.
Ototoxicity of Toluene and Styrene: State of Current Knowledge

Noise is the most common preventable cause of irreversible sensorineural hearing loss. During recent years, the results of experimental and human investigations have raised the level of concern about the potential ototoxicity of chemical agents and their interaction with noise. European Directive 2003/10/EC on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from noise specifies that the employer shall give particular attention, when carrying out the risk assessment, to, among others, any effects on workers' health and safety resulting from interactions between noise and work-related ototoxic substances. There is, however, currently very little awareness in the occupational health community of the chemical hazards to hearing. The main objective of this review was to analyze the available scientific literature on the ototoxic effects of styrene and toluene, in order to examine dose-response/effect relationships and the relevance of the prevention strategy for people exposed to these solvents. While both solvents appear clearly ototoxic in rats, human data are less straightforward and the existing evidence does not allow characterization of the dose-response/effect relationships; further research is needed. However, once hearing loss is incurred, it is irreversible, and one should be alert to the possible hearing loss induced by toluene and styrene and to the possible additive, potentiating, or synergistic ototoxic effects in case of combined exposure to several chemicals and in case of combined exposure to noise and chemical substances.
Therapeutic effect of mizoribine on pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus

We evaluated the effectiveness of mizoribine, a newly developed immunosuppressive agent, as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of both pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus. Eleven pemphigus patients (eight pemphigus vulgaris and three pemphigus foliaceus) received the combination therapy of prednisolone and mizoribine. Complete remission was observed in three of the eight patients with pemphigus vulgaris and in one of the three patients with pemphigus foliaceus. The four patients with complete remission had a rapid clinical response and achieved remission at a median of 11.8 months. Partial remission was achieved in two of the three patients with pemphigus foliaceus. The median time to achieve partial remission was 16.0 months. Six (55.6%) of the 11 patients with pemphigus had complete or partial remission and were able to taper their prednisolone. The cumulative probability of having a complete remission was 64.3% at 19 months of follow‐up using Kaplan–Meier analysis. The effectiveness of the additional mizoribine therapy could be attributed to its corticosteroid‐sparing properties as well as its immunosuppressive effects. The serum concentration titer of mizoribine was around 1.0 μg/mL 2 hours after administration. Patients who were not improved by the additional mizoribine might require a continuously higher dose of mizoribine to achieve effective therapy.
CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPIC: NEURODEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME IN VLBW INFANTS TREATED WITH POSTNATAL CORTICOSTEROIDS

This process is not unique to medicine. Nursing interventions are often inadequately tested before use. In the rapidly advancing field of neonatal nursing, nurses must use critical thinking, sound logic, and current research to modify their practice. Furthermore, as integral memvidence-based medicine has been defined by Sackett et al as "the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. ''e Evidence-based medicine integrates individual clinical
Outcome measures in immune‐mediated neuropathies: the need to standardize their use and to understand the clinimetric essentials

Abstract Peripheral neurological disorders like neuropathies may cause impairments (such as weakness and sensory deficits), which may lead to problems in daily life and social functioning with a possible decrement in quality of life expectations. Choosing the proper outcome measure to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of an intervention at one of these levels of outcome should therefore be considered as fundamental to the design of randomized trials in peripheral neurological disorders. However, these choices are dependent not only on the proposed research purposes but also, and perhaps more importantly, on the fulfillment of the scientific needs of these measures. With an increasing demand for accuracy, a thorough and comprehensive evaluation of an outcome measure is needed to determine its simplicity, communicability, validity, reliability, and responsiveness before being clinically applicable, techniques that are being captured by the science of clinimetrics. Most neurologists are still unfamiliar with these rigorous methodological essentials or overlook some of them in their trial preparations because these are considered time consuming and mind numbing. This review will highlight, against the background of the international classification framework and clinimetric needs for outcome measures, the selected scales applied in published randomized controlled trials in patients with Guillain‐Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, multifocal motor neuropathy, and gammopathy‐related neuropathies. The need for comparison responsiveness studies between equally valid and reliable measures and to standardize their use is emphasized in these conditions. Finally, specific recommendations are given to move from classic to modern clinimetric approach when constructing, evaluating, and selecting outcome measures using new methods like Rasch analysis, accentuating the need of shifting toward a more modern era.
Understanding the consequences of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy from impairments to activity and participation restrictions and reduced quality of life: the ICE study

A randomized trial (ICE trial) in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) demonstrated significantly more improvement with intravenous immunoglobulin (Gamunex®, Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC) than placebo. To understand the relationship between CIDP impairments, activity and participation restrictions, and quality of life (QoL) in this trial, we investigated the association between scales representing these outcome levels. Gamunex or placebo was given every 3 weeks for up to 24 weeks to 117 patients in an initial treatment period after which treatment failures were crossed over (alternative treatment). We assessed impairments, activity and participation, and SF‐36 component mental (MCS) and physical summaries (PCS). Regression analyses of baseline data were performed (all subjects) and change from baseline to endpoint (Gamunex‐treated group only) to determine correlations between outcomes. Grip strength, medical research council (MRC) sum score, and inflammatory neuropathy cause and treatment (INCAT) sensory sum score were the strongest explanatory variables of disability (at baseline: r2 = 0.46; change from baseline: r2 = 0.66). Only up to half of the variance in QoL scores (PCS at baseline: r2 = 0.30; change from baseline: r2 = 0.41; MCS: at baseline: r2 = 0.10; change from baseline: r2 = 0.24) was explained by impairment and activity and participation measures. Future studies are required to elucidate the impact of CIDP on disability and QoL changes, because the obtained correlations provide only partial explanation.
European Federation of Neurological Societies/Peripheral Nerve Society Guideline * on management of paraproteinemic demyelinating neuropathies. Report of a Joint Task Force of the European Federation of Neurological Societies and the Peripheral Nerve Society – first revision

The aim of this guideline is to update the 2006 EFNS/PNS guideline on management of patients with a demyelinating neuropathy and a paraprotein (paraproteinemic demyelinating neuropathy [PDN]) by review of evidence and expert consensus. In the absence of adequate evidence, the panel agreed on good practice points: (1) patients with PDN should be investigated for a malignant plasma cell dyscrasia; (2) a monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance is more likely to be causing the neuropathy if it is immunoglobulin (Ig)M, anti‐neural antibodies are present, and the clinical phenotype is chronic distal sensory neuropathy; (3) patients with IgM PDN usually have predominantly distal sensory impairment, prolonged distal motor latencies, and often anti‐myelin‐associated glycoprotein antibodies; (4) IgM PDN may respond to immunomodulatory therapies. Their potential benefit should be balanced against possible side effects and the usually slow disease progression; (5) IgG and IgA PDN may be indistinguishable from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy; and (6) Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, Monoclonal gammopathy, and Skin changes syndrome is a multi‐system malignant PDN.
Occupational Stress

Occupational stress can affect physiological and psychological homeostasis. In addition, the occupational challenges associated with firefighting and law enforcement have been linked to increased mortality ratios for ischemic heart disease when compared with other population cohorts. Laboratory studies have shown that the exacerbation of stress hormones (eg, catecholamines) following dual challenge (physical and psychological stress) may affect immune system responses, which may partially explain the link between cardiovascular disease and inflammation. Physical fitness has been shown to attenuate both cardiovascular and inflammatory cytokine responses following physical and/or psychological stress; however, criteria for safe and effective occupation-specific fitness levels have not been established. In addition, firefighters and police officers have high overweight and obesity rates, which also contribute significantly to the development of cardiovascular disease. Future investigation on the possible interaction (additive or synergistic) of obesity and psychological stress on the development of cardiovascular diseases in these professions is warranted, and a criterion for fitness level should be established for safe and effective participation in occupation-related activities.
Parents’ Perceptions of Preschool Activities: Exploring Outdoor Play

ABSTRACT Research Findings: Outdoor play is important for children’s health and development, yet many preschool-age children in child care settings do not receive the recommended 60 min/day of outdoor play. Child care providers have previously described parent-related barriers to increasing outdoor playtime, including parents not providing appropriate clothing for their children and parents’ preference for academics over active play. This study explored parent perceptions and knowledge of outdoor playtime in child care environments. On average, parents reported wanting their child to spend significantly more time playing outside during a full day of child care than the recommended minimum. However, more than half of parents reported that they did not know how much time their child actually spent playing outside, and 43% reported that they did not know their child care center’s outdoor play policies. Practice or Policy: Child care providers may overperceive parent-related barriers to outdoor play. Parents generally support outdoor play for their preschooler during center-based child care but are not well informed about outdoor playtime and policies. Encouraging communication between parents and early childhood educators about these topics could lead to more universal support and strategies for promoting outdoor and active play opportunities for children, which are important for children’s health and development.
Lessons from Jack Griffin and the “pathogenesis of peripheral nerve disease”

This contribution reviews aspects of the 10 years I spent with Dr. Jack Griffin in the Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University. It highlights how Jack influenced my research career and changed my focus from a myelin centric basic science researcher to one that had an appreciation of the interdependence of axon and myelin forming cells as it related to the pathogenesis of human demyelinating diseases.
Recent developments and future directions in Guillain‐Barré syndrome

Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) encompasses a spectrum of acquired neuropathic conditions characterized by inflammatory demyelinating or axonal peripheral neuropathy with acute onset. Clinical and experimental studies in the past years have led to substantial progress in epidemiology, pathogenesis of GBS variants, and identification of prognostic factors relevant to treatment. In this review we provide an overview and critical assessment of the most recent developments and future directions in GBS research.
B12 SPECIFICITY OF MARINE CENTRIC DIATOMS 1, 2

Twenty‐one species (23 isolates) of marine diatoms were examined for their capacity to utilize analogs of cyanocobalamin for growth at the ecologically significant concentration of 4 ng 1‐1. Yields due to the analogs were compared to those produced by B12. Responses of the various clones to the analogs were not all‐or‐none, but varied continuously; thus, assigning the clones to the conventional B12 specificity types is a convenient but arbitrary classification. The use of 10 and 1% levels of response is suggested for such classification.
Demographics of the ageing rural population

There are perhaps a considerable few among us who dream of retiring to the countryside, to spend our autumn years in a rural idyll. According to Dr Jane Atterton et al, more and more people are doing just that. Based on their research and with international comparisons, this article examines the realities of England's ageing rural population and explodes a few myths about this demographic group's contribution to rural life.