Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combination Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Multidrug-Resistant Stenotrophomonas maltophilia from Cystic Fibrosis Patients

ABSTRACT Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is increasingly being isolated from the respiratory tract of individuals with cystic fibrosis, and, because of its multidrug-resistant nature, the selection of suitable treatment regimens can be problematical. Etest methodology was used to facilitate MIC and antimicrobial combination testing on 80 isolates of S. maltophilia cultured from the respiratory tract of Scottish individuals with cystic fibrosis between 2001 and 2010. The overall rate of susceptibility for the 1,410 MIC tests was 23.1%, and resistance was 68.9%. The most active antimicrobials were minocycline, co-trimoxazole, and doxycycline, with 92.4%, 87.3%, and 58.8% of isolates being susceptible, respectively. Of the 517 combinations, 13.2% were synergistic, with the most synergistic being ticarcillin/clavulanate plus aztreonam (91.7% synergistic), ticarcillin/clavulanate plus colistin (40%), and ticarcillin/clavulanate plus levofloxacin (19.4%). Colistin plus tobramycin was the only antagonistic combination (0.2%). By the median susceptible breakpoint index, the most active combinations were minocycline plus co-trimoxazole (median index, 20), minocycline plus piperacillin-tazobactam (median, 20), and co-trimoxazole plus ceftazidime (median, 16.5). The increasing problem of multidrug resistance in organisms recovered from the respiratory tracts of individuals with cystic fibrosis is not going to go away. Current susceptibility testing methods do not address the slow-growing organisms associated with chronic infection, and interpretive standards are based on achievable blood levels of antimicrobials. Addressing these issues specifically for organisms recovered from the respiratory tracts of individuals with cystic fibrosis should lead to better therapeutic outcomes and improved wellbeing of individuals with cystic fibrosis.
Dynamometer Measurements of Grip Strength in Frail Elderly Inpatients

Cite this article: Soto R B. Dynamometer Measurements of Grip Strength in Frail Elderly Inpatients. J J Intern Medicine. 2016, 2(1): 018. Sarcopenia and frailty are two clinical entities that generate loss of independence. Sarcopenia is characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength and is a risk factor for fraility and physical disabilities [1]. To diagnose fragility must is necessary 3 of the following 5 criteria: unintentional weight loss, decreased walking speed, low physical activity, fatigue and decreased grip strength [2].
Noninvasive quantification of pancreatic fat in humans.

OBJECTIVE To validate magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) as a tool for non-invasive quantification of pancreatic triglyceride (TG) content and to measure the pancreatic TG content in a diverse human population with a wide range of body mass index (BMI) and glucose control. METHODS To validate the MRS method, we measured TG content in the pancreatic tissue of 12 lean and 12 fatty ZDF rats (ages 5-14 weeks) both by MRS and the gold standard biochemical assay. We used MRS to measure pancreatic TG content in vivo in 79 human volunteers. Additionally, to assess the reproducibility of the method, in 33 volunteers we obtained duplicate MRS measurements 1-2 weeks apart. RESULTS MRS quantifies pancreatic TG content with high reproducibility and concordance to the biochemical measurement (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient = 0.91). In humans, median pancreatic TG content was as follows: (1) normal weight and normoglycemic group 0.46 f/w%, (2) overweight or obese but normoglycemic group 3.16 f/w%, (3) impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance group (BMI matched with group 2) 5.64 f/w%, and (4) untreated type 2 diabetes group (BMI matched with group 2) 5.54 f/w% (Jonckheere-Terpstra trend test across groups p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Human pancreatic steatosis, as measured by MRS, increases with BMI and with impaired glycemia. MRS is a quantitative and reproducible non-invasive clinical research tool which will enable systematic studies of the relationship between ectopic fat accumulation in the pancreas and development of type 2 diabetes.
Effects of X-irradiation on DNA precursor metabolism and deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools in Chinese hamster cells.

The effect of x-irradiation on DNA precursor metabolism and deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate acid-soluble pools was examined. Pulse-labeling experiments indicated that the rates of incorporation into DNA of thymidine and the ribonucleosides and deoxyribonucleosides of adenine and guanine were similarly reduced in a biphasic manner with increasing doses of x-irradiation. The incorporation rate of cytidine into DNA was reduced after irradiation, while the concurrent incorporation rate of deoxycytidine was greatly stimulated. Incorporation of32 P-phosphate pulse label into nondialyzable DNA after irradiation mimicked that of thymidine; nucleotide analysis of enzymatically degraded DNA pulse-labeled with32 P-phosphate confirmed the results obtained with individual ribonucleosides and deoxyribonucleosides. The purine moieties from deoxyadenosine and deoxyguanosine were efficiently incorporated into RNA. Radiation had no detectable effect on either incorporation into RNA or on the relative distribution of radio.
Chromosome study of Anteaters (Myrmecophagideae, Xenarthra): a preliminary report

Anteaters belong to the Order Xenarthra / Family Myrmecophagidae and are the only members without teeth. There are three genera with four living species in the family Myrmecophagidae: Myrmecophaga tridactyla (giant anteater), Tamandua tetradactyla (southern lesser anteater), Tamandua mexicana (northern lesser anteater), and Cyclopes didactylus (silky anteater). The karyotypes of M. tridactyla (2n = 60), T. tetradactyla (2n = 54) and C. didactylus (2n = 64) have already been described. In the present paper, three female and two male specimens of giant anteater and one lesser anteater male were analyzed. The results indicate the existence of a new karyotype in the genus Tamandua, with 2n = 56 chromosomes, which can represent a new lesser anteater species. The karyotype of M. tridactyla was also described, supporting previous reports.
Effects of Body Weight Gain Reduction Resulting From Chemopreventive Agent Treatment on Mammary Gland Morphology

Moderate reductions (<15%) in body weight gain, similar to those observed after administration of some chemopreventive agents in chemically induced mammary cancer models, will result in decreased mammary cancers (up to 55%). The objective of this study was to determine whether changes in mammary gland differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and estradiol and progesterone levels are affected by moderate reductions in body weight induced after chemopreventive agent treatment and dietary restriction. The body weights of female Sprague-Dawley rats were reduced by dietary restrictions to match those of rats receiving 4-hydroxyphenylretinamide (4-HPR) at a dose known to inhibit methylnitrosourea (MNU)-induced mammary cancers. 4-HPR supplementation or dietary restrictions began 1 wk before MNU administration at 50 days of age. Mammary gland differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and serum levels of estradiol and progesterone were measured at 50, 57, and 71 days of age. Casein expression, proliferating cellular nuclear antigen expression, and apoptosis were not significantly different from controls in the dietary-restricted group. Proliferating cellular nuclear antigen expression was significantly lower in 4-HPR-treated animals than in controls at 57 days of age. The diameter of the mammary gland ducts was smaller at 71 days of age in the treatment groups. A decrease in estradiol levels for each group was observed at 50 days of age, but not at later time points. Progesterone levels were reduced in the 4-HPR group, but not in the dietary-restricted group, during each time period. It would appear that the observed decrease in mammary cancers observed with moderate reductions in body weight gain might be due to multiple related factors different from those related to 4-HPR treatment.
Vascular restenosis – striving for therapy

Restenosis is the limiting entity following coronary angioplasty. It is associated with significant morbidity, mortality and cost, and thus represents a major clinical and economical problem. Despite technical improvements, restenosis after conventional balloon angioplasty occurs in 30 – 60% of cases. Coronary stenting was able to reduce the incidence by ∼ 30%; nevertheless, some 250,000 patients experience in-stent restenotic lesions/year worldwide. In-stent restenosis has been recognised as very difficult to manage, with a repeat restenosis rate of 50%, regardless of the angioplasty device used. So far, only vascular brachytherapy has convincingly reduced the incidence of repeat in-stent restenosis (by 50%) and thus, has emerged as the gold standard of therapy. The introduction of drug-eluting stents has shown a great deal of promise for the treatment of both de novo and restenotic lesions, with reported restenosis rates of < 10%, and benefit for virtually all patient subsets at a higher risk of restenosis. This review outlines the pathophysiology, epidemiology and predictors of the restenosis process, and places emphasis on the various treatment options for its prevention and therapy.
Randomized, double-blind trial of anti-interferon-gamma antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis.

INTRODUCTION An increasing body of evidence indicates that interferon (IFN )-gamma is an immunoregulator and may play a key role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy and tolerability of anti-IFN-gamma in patients with active RA. METHODS In a randomized, double-blind trial, 30 patients with active RA were randomly assigned to receive intramuscular injections of anti-IFN-gamma, anti-TNF-alpha, or placebo for 5 consecutive days. RESULTS Both anti-cytokines were significantly superior to placebo. Patients stopping treatment due to lack of efficacy included I receiving anti-TNF-alpha, 2 receiving anti-IFN-gamma, and 9 receiving placebo. According to the physician's assessment, improvement was achieved by the 7th day in 9 patients receiving anti-TNF-alpha, 7 receiving anti-IFN-gamma, and 2 receiving placebo. By day 28 the corresponding figures were 8, 8, and 0, respectively. CONCLUSION Antibodies to IFN-gamma could be a promising approach to treating RA, especially its treatment-resistant forms.
Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) inhibits murine WEHI‐3 leukemia in BALB/c mice in vivo

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) is used clinically to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and has activity in vitro for induction of apoptosis in several solid tumor cell lines. To investigate the potential therapeutic application of As2O3 for leukemia, we analyzed the effects of As2O3 on the WEHI‐3 cells‐induced orthotopic leukemia animal model in vivo in this study. We established the WEHI‐3 cells leukemia mice through the injection of murine WEHI‐3 cells into BALB/c mice, and they were then treated with As2O3 (0.9 and 4.5 mg kg−1; p.o.) and/or combined with all‐trans‐retinoic acid (ATRA), (30 mg kg−1; i.p.). The results indicated that (1) As2O3 alone or As2O3 combined with ATRA promoted the total survival rate of leukemia mice and these effects are dose‐dependent; (2) As2O3 did not affect the body weight but decreased the spleen weight; however, it did not affect liver weight; (3) As2O3 alone or As2O3 combined with ATRA increased the levels of CD3 and CD19, indicating that the differentiation of T and B cells were promoted; and (4) As2O3 alone or As2O3 combined with ATRA did not change the levels of Mac‐3 and CD11b markers, indicating that the differentiation of the precursor of macrophage were not inhibited. Based on these observations, As2O3 alone or As2O3 combined with ATRA have efficacious antileukemia activity in WEHI‐3 cells leukemia in vivo. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2012.
Need for addressing oral health disparities in rural Appalachia

1Center for Animal and Human Health in Appalachia, College of Veterinary Medicine, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, and School of Mathematics and Sciences, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN, USA 2Department of Health and Exercise Science, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA 3Behavioral & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jackson State University, MS, USA 4College of Health Sciences, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN, USA
The importance of long-term records in public health surveillance: the US weekly sanitary reports, 1888-1912, revisited.

BACKGROUND This paper outlines the ways in which a little-used archive of early public health records may throw light on longer-term trends in international epidemic behaviour and serve as a major source of epidemiological information for historians of urbanization and public health. The Weekly Abstract of Sanitary Reports was the official disease surveillance report of the US Public Health Service and its predecessors, and began to publish urban mortality statistics on a regular basis in 1888. Here, the authors describe the first 25 years of continuous reporting (1888-1912), when the Reports contained not only disease data for US cities, but also records sent back by US consuls based in some 250 cities in many parts of the world. METHODS The content of the weekly editions of the Reports was systematically sampled and analysed using graphical techniques and the simple statistical method of running means. RESULTS Relatively complete weekly series of mortality from all causes, and six infectious diseases (diphtheria, enteric or typhoid fever, measles, scarlet fever, tuberculosis and whooping cough) were identified for a total of 100 cities world-wide. CONCLUSION Reporting coverage for these cities is sufficiently complete that multivariate analysis should be possible to obtain a comparative picture of mortality for many parts of the world. Despite limitations of the data, sources of the type described in this paper form an important comparative database for studying international patterns of mortality.
Distributed optimal control of multiple systems

This article considers distributed optimal control of multiple linear systems. Distributed approximately optimal controllers are proposed for each system with the aid of communications between systems. The proposed controllers make the states of the closed-loop systems exponentially converge to the states of the closed-loop systems with the centralised optimal controllers if the communication digraph is strongly connected. If the communication digraph is switching and there are communication delays, the proposed controllers also make the states of the closed-loop systems exponentially converge to the states of the closed-loop systems with the centralised optimal controllers. Simulation results show effectiveness of the proposed controllers.
Screening of Antagonistic Activity of Probiotic Bacteria Against Some Food-Borne Pathogens

The objectives of this study were to assess the microbiological quality of Egyptian yoghurt and to investigate the antagonistic activity of some probiotic bacteria against some food borne pathogens in vitro and in yoghurt. The results indicated a poor microbiological quality of yoghurt, since the microbiological parameters recorded higher values than the admissible levels. Results from the agar spot test and well diffusion assay showed the capability of probiotic bacteria to inhibit the growth of S. aureus, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes in vitro. Yoghurt produced from milk artificially contaminated with S. aureus (8.48 log cfu mL -1 ) and E. coli O157:H7 (8.3 log cfu mL -1 ) was used for studying the ability of L. acidophilus La-5 and B. longum ATCC15707 to inhibit the growth of such pathogens. During the refrigerated storage the counts of both pathogens decreased significantly in the probiotic yoghurt than in control one. Survival of both L. acidophilus La-5 and B. longum ATCC15707 in yoghurt was satisfactory as both bacteria remained viable at levels > 10 7 cfu g -1 after 15 d of storage at 4 oC, which indicate that the yoghurt would be a suitable vehicle for probiotics.
Beta-Alanine Utilization of Ebony and Non-ebony Drosophila melanogaster

Carbon-14-labeled β-alanine was injected into newly formed Drosophila melanogaster female pupae. Homozygous ebony deposited less C14in pupal sheaths, deposited more C14in adult body extracts and wings, and decarboxylated and oxidized β-alanine to excrete C14O2 faster than did non-ebony homozygotes. Heterozygotes were intermediate in all these activities.
Oxidative challenges sensitize the capsaicin receptor by covalent cysteine modification

The capsaicin receptor TRPV1, one of the major transduction channels in the pain pathway, integrates information from extracellular milieu to control excitability of primary nociceptive neurons. Sensitization of TRPV1 heightens pain sensation to moderately noxious or even innocuous stimuli. We report here that oxidative stress markedly sensitizes TRPV1 in multiple species' orthologs. The sensitization can be recapitulated in excised inside-out membrane patches, reversed by strong reducing agents, and blocked by pretreatment with maleimide that alkylates cysteines. We identify multiple cysteines required for full modulation of TRPV1 by oxidative challenges. Robust oxidative modulation recovers the agonist sensitivity of receptors desensitized by prolonged exposure to capsaicin. Moreover, oxidative modulation operates synergistically with kinase or proton modulations. Thus, oxidative modulation is a robust mechanism tuning TRPV1 activity via covalent modification of evolutionarily conserved cysteines and may play a role in pain sensing processes during inflammation, infection, or tissue injury.
[Properties of CRF02_AG HIV-1 isolates circulating in Novosibirsk region].

AIM Study of circulating 02_AG recombinant form HIV-1 isolates that have been rapidly spreading in Novosibirsk region during 3 recent years. MATERIALS AND METHODS WHO protocol for primary HIV isolation was used, automatic sequencer was used for genetic characterization of isolates. Virus specific RNA were isolated and env HIV-1 region DNA fragments were processed. Phylogenetic analysis was also performed. RESULTS CRF_02AG HIV-1 isolated from peripheral blood of HIV-1 positive patients belonged to CCR5 tropic viruses and had various reproduction characteristics. Most of the HIV isolated were rapidly replicating virus variants characterized by an ability to accumulate high levels of virus protein p24 in cultural fluid. Infectivity and reproductive properties of HIV isolates were confirmed in experimental infection by using clarified cultural liquid of mononuclear cells from healthy donors. Phylogenetic analysis of CRF02_AG HIV-1 variants isolated in Novosibirsk region in 2007 - 2010 showed the formation of a separate outbreak in the area caused by emergence of CRF02_AG HIV-1 in human population. CONCLUSION A collection of genetically and biologically characterized CRF02_AG HIV-1 isolates that has not been spreading previously in Russia.
4-Aminopyridine for symptomatic treatment of multiple sclerosis: a systematic review

This systematic review summarizes the existing evidence on the effect of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) as a symptomatic treatment of decreased walking capacity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) when administered as an immediate release compound and a slow release compound. It summarizes existing evidence on the basic mechanisms of 4-AP from experimental studies and evidence on the clinical use of the compound. A systematic literature search was conducted of the following databases: PubMed and EMBASE. Thirty-five studies were included in the review divided into 16 experimental studies, two clinical studies with paraclinical endpoints and 17 clinical studies with clinical endpoints. Animal studies show that 4-AP can improve impulse conduction through demyelinated lesions. In patients with MS this translates into improved walking speed and muscle strength of the lower extremities in a subset of patients at a level that is often of clinical relevance. Phase III trials demonstrate approximately 25% increase in walking speed in roughly 40% and improved muscle strength in the lower extremities. Furthermore, 4-AP might have an effect on other domains such as cognition, upper extremity function and bowel and bladder, but this warrants further investigation. Side effects are mainly mild to moderate, consisting primarily of paraesthesia, dizziness, nausea/vomiting, falls/balance disorders, insomnia, urinary tract infections and asthenia. Side effects are worse when administered intravenously and when administered as an immediate release compound. Serious adverse events are rarely seen in the marketed clinical dosages. In conclusion, 4-AP is easy and safe to use. Slow release 4-AP shows more robust clinical effects and a more beneficial side-effect profile than immediate release 4-AP.
Primary jugular foramen meningioma.

The jugular foramen is an unusual location ofmeningiomas and can represent primary or extension of intracranial meningioma. Primary jugular foramen meningioma (PJFM) presumably arises from arachnoid villi associated with the jugular bulb and is more frequent in women (2:1). The most common initial symptoms are mass in the neck, hearing loss, and hoarseness. Primary jugular foramen meningioma is usually characterized by extensive infiltration of the surrounding cranial base in all directions, with pattern of spread in centrifugal involvement of the middle ear cavity, internal auditory canal, hypoglossal canal, clivus, carotid space, and posterior fossa (Fig. 2). This locally invasive tendency differentiates PJFM from meningioma that involves the jugular foramen secondarily. The intracranial spread has appearance along the dura Ben plaque[ and is less commonly globose (1).
Clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium exhibit strain‐specific collagen binding mediated by Acm, a new member of the MSCRAMM family

A collagen‐binding adhesin of Enterococcus faecium, Acm, was identified. Acm shows 62% similarity to the Staphylococcus aureus collagen adhesin Cna over the entire protein and is more similar to Cna (60% and 75% similarity with Cna A and B domains respectively) than to the Enterococcus faecalis collagen‐binding adhesin, Ace, which shares homology with Acm only in the A domain. Despite the detection of acm in 32 out of 32 E. faecium isolates, only 11 of these (all clinical isolates, including four vancomycin‐resistant endocarditis isolates and seven other isolates) exhibited binding to collagen type I (CI). Although acm from three CI‐binding vancomycin‐resistant E. faecium clinical isolates showed 100% identity, analysis of acm genes and their promoter regions from six non‐CI‐binding strains identified deletions or mutations that introduced stop codons and/or IS elements within the gene or the promoter region in five out of six strains, suggesting that the presence of an intact functional acm gene is necessary for binding of E. faecium strains to CI. Recombinant Acm A domain showed specific and concentration‐dependent binding to collagen, and this protein competed with E. faecium binding to immobilized CI. Consistent with the adherence phenotype and sequence data, probing with Acm‐specific IgGs purified from anti‐recombinant Acm A polyclonal rabbit serum confirmed the surface expression of Acm in three out of three collagen‐binding clinical isolates of E. faecium tested, but in none of the strains with a non‐functional pseudo acm gene. Introduction of a functional acm gene into two non‐CI‐binding natural acm mutant strains conferred a CI‐binding phenotype, further confirming that native Acm is sufficient for the binding of E. faecium to CI. These results demonstrate that acm, which encodes a potential virulence factor, is functional only in certain infection‐derived clinical isolates of E. faecium, and suggest that Acm is the primary adhesin responsible for the ability of E. faecium to bind collagen.