Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical experience with posaconazole prophylaxis – a retrospective analysis in a haematological unit

Invasive fungal infections (IFI) are major causes of death in high‐risk haematological patients receiving induction therapy for acute leukaemia or intensified immunosuppression due to acute or chronic graft‐vs.‐host disease (GvHD) following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Recently, two randomised studies showed the efficacy of a posaconazole prophylaxis (PP) in these patients to prevent IFI. This prompted the strong recommendation for the use of PP in national and international guidelines. As we started PP in our leukaemia and transplantation unit in summer 2007, we retrospectively analysed the impact of PP on the incidence of possible, probable or proven IFI in this group of patients. Incidence of IFI according to the revised EORTC criteria, published in 2008, was reviewed retrospectively in a group of high‐risk patients treated in our unit 1 year before the start of PP compared with the same group in the following year with PP. First analysis was performed on an intention‐to‐treat basis comparing patients during 1 year of PP with the same group of patients in the year before the start of PP. In a second, deeper analysis, patients were grouped for fluconazole or posaconazole irrespective of the time period the prophylaxis was given. In a first intent‐to‐treat analysis, 56 patients were analysed in the period without PP (noPP) compared with 34 patients in the period with PP. Overall IFI rates (possible, probable and proven IFI) were reduced from 47% (noPP group) to 35% (PP group). In a second analysis, only patients receiving either fluconazole or PP were analysed, resulting in 29 patients in the noPP group and 36 patients in the PP group. There was a reduction in overall IFI in the PP group especially in the acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) induction patients, but this does not reach statistical significance because of low patient numbers. However, initiation of antifungal therapy was significantly less frequent in AML induction patients in the PP group compared with the noPP group. Unfortunately, this does not result in reduced mortality rates, as mortality in the PP group is higher (15% vs. 7%) than in noPP patients because of double the number of patients with severe GvHD in the PP group. Both breakthrough infections were documented in this subgroup of patients. Our data, collected in every day clinical practice, add further evidence to the advantage of a PP strategy in this group of high‐risk patients. However, more data are urgently needed to assess the impact of PP on the incidence and pattern of fungal infections and the strategies to be used in patients with persisting fever and pulmonary infiltrates receiving PP, especially in the setting of SCT and GvHD.
Consequences of omnivory and alternative food resources on the strength of trophic cascades

Title of Dissertation: CONSEQUENCES OF OMNIVORY AND ALTERNATIVE FOOD RESOURCES ON THE STRENGTH OF TROPHIC CASCADES Steven D. Frank, Doctor of Philosophy, 2007 Directed By: Associate Professor Paula M. Shrewsbury Department of Entomology & Professor Robert F. Denno Department of Entomology Omnivorous predators that feed on prey and plant resources are recognized as an important component of food webs but their impact on herbivore populations and trophic dynamics is unpredictable. Feeding on food items from multiple trophic levels increases the reticulate nature of food webs and the labile role of omnivores in promoting trophic cascades. Using carabid beetles in a corn agroecosystem, this research explored the interactive effects of predator guild (omnivore or carnivore) and the trophic origin of alternative food resources (seeds or fly pupae) on the control of herbivores (black cutworms) and plant survival. I demonstrated that the trophic guild and feeding performance of carabids can be predicted from their mandibular morphology. Carnivorous carabids, using mandibles with sharp points and a long shearing edge, kill and consume caterpillars more efficiently than omnivores that have mandibles with wide molar areas adapted for consuming prey and seeds. Omnivore preference for seeds and pupae further reduced their consumption of cutworms, which resulted in increased plant damage, ultimately dampening trophic cascades. In open field plots the abundance of omnivorous carabids and ants increased in response to seed but not pupae whereas neither subsidy affected the abundance of carnivorous predators. Pupae subsidies reduced predation of cutworms by carnivores and omnivores, consequently reducing seedling survival. However, in seed subsidized plots omnivorous predators switched from seeds to higher quality cutworm prey. Thus, predation of cutworms increased with cascading positive effects for seedlings. This research demonstrated that omnivorous carabids interacted more strongly with alternative food resources, particularly seeds, than carnivores. In addition, this difference can be linked to morphological differences that reduced omnivore efficiency as predators suggesting omnivores may be less effective agents of biological control. However, increased tenure time and aggregation to plant resources by omnivores helped restore trophic cascades, and should enhance biological control. Understanding the predacious behavior of omnivores in resource diverse environments is essential to predicting their role in trophic dynamics. I provide evidence that the trophic origin of alternative food drives the strength of this interaction and the extent to which omnivores promote trophic cascades. CONSEQUENCES OF OMNIVORY AND ALTERNATIVE FOOD RESOURCES ON THE STRENGTH OF TROPHIC CASCADES
Is it time to modify the reverse cholesterol transport model?

ABCA1 was recently identified as the mutant molecule in Tangier disease, a condition associated with very low HDL, cholesteryl ester accumulation in tissue macrophages, and an apparent increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. ABCA1 is an ATP-binding cassette transporter that facilitates the addition of phospholipids and cholesterol to free apoA-I, initiating the formation of HDL (1). ABCA1 is upregulated in cholesterol-loaded cells, as a result of activation of LXR/RXR at the proximal promoter of the ABCA1 gene (2, 3). It has been proposed that increased expression of ABCA1 in macrophages or other tissues could activate the excretion of cholesterol via HDL and retard the development of atherosclerosis (3, 4). While we await the results of atherosclerosis studies, two reports in the JCI on ABCA1 knockout (KO) mice are notable, since they address different aspects of this hypothesis and reach some unexpected conclusions that call into question the accepted view of reverse cholesterol transport.
Gliogenic and neurogenic progenitors of the subventricular zone: Who are they, where did they come from, and where are they going?

The subventricular zone (SVZ) of the perinatal forebrain gives rise to both neurons and glia. The mechanisms governing the phenotypic specification of progenitors within this heterogeneous germinal zone are unclear. However, the characterization of subpopulations of SVZ cells has given us a better understanding of the basic architecture of the SVZ and presents us with the opportunity to ask more detailed questions regarding phenotype specification and cell fate. Recent work demonstrating the embryonic origins of SVZ cells is summarized, and a model describing the formation of the perinatal SVZ, noting contributions of cells from pallial as well as subpallial germinal zones, is presented. We further address differences among classes of SVZ cells based on molecular profile, phenotype, and migration behavior and present a model summarizing the organization of perinatal SVZ cells along coronal, sagittal, and horizontal axes. A detailed description of the SVZ in the adult, outlining classes of cells based on morphology, molecular profile, and proliferative behavior, was recently reported by Doetsch et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93:14895–14900, 1997). Potential relationships among cells within the perinatal and adult SVZ will be discussed. GLIA 43:52–61, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A history in paint and stone from Rose Cottage Cave, South Africa

In South Africa, as in so many regions, the world of dirt archaeology in shelter floors and of rock art on shelter walls, have also been rather separate as domains of study. In research at Rose Cottage Cave, bridges are being made to link both strands of evidence of the forager social strategies from which both derive.
Parental refusal to have children immunised: extent and reasons

One aim of an immunisation programme is to obtain the maximum uptake possible.1 Parents can opt out of having their children immunised, so the programme must also aim to enable parents to make an informed choice. No one has specifically looked at the group of children who receive no immunisations and why their parents make this choice. This study was set up to get this information. Consent for immunisation of all children born in the Bath District Health Authority is assumed automatically. All newborn babies are entered on to the immunisation call up system run from the Community Child Health computing department. Invitations are sent according to the national schedule. If the invitation is not taken up, then “negative consent” is entered in the child's records. A complete list of children with negative consent was obtained between 1 January 1987 and 1 January 1993. These families were sent a questionnaire with a letter of explanation and a stamped addressed envelope. Those parents who did not reply were sent a second questionnaire. The health visitor was also asked to try to make contact. During the six years 106 children were found to have had no immunisations. During the same period there …
Madres descubriendo el amor incondicional en el proceso adaptativo de hospitalización de su bebé prematuro

Introduccion: El nacimiento prematuro tiene un impacto social y emocional para la familia, por lo tanto, enfermeria tiene el reto de indagar y profundizar sobre las diversas experiencias; para proponer intervenciones que favorezcan el desempeno del rol materno. Objetivo: Describir los resultados de un metaestudio sobre la adquisicion del rol materno de la madre con un recien nacido prematuro hospitalizado. Materiales y Metodos: El metaestudio, involucra 3 fases analiticas: analisis metadatos, meta-metodo, meta-teoria, consideradas a la luz del contexto historico, sociocultural y disciplinar. La busqueda se realizo en: CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, Dissertation Abstracts. Resultados: Se incluyeron 26 investigaciones de 13 paises publicadas en ingles, portugues y espanol (durante los anos 2001-2013). Las expresiones categoricas que emergen de estas investigaciones, son: perdida de autocontrol; experimentando dolor; buscando significado a los eventos; adaptandose a la situacion; adquiriendo el rol materno y descubriendo el amor incondicional. Discusion: El metaestudio permitio el analisis critico de la informacion, orientando la investigacion dentro de un contexto de patrones sistematicos, con la construccion de una alternativa de cambio del enfoque tradicional de perdida y sufrimiento al del redescubrimiento desde la vision positiva y transformativa. Conclusiones: Reconocer la carga emocional de las madres de recien nacido prematuro obliga al equipo de salud a intervenir e idear estrategias de apoyo, para hacer menos doloroso el proceso de hospitalizacion de sus hijos. Por ello el cuidado humanizado en la unidad neonatal, debe centrar sus acciones en un cuidado individual, singular, en la integralidad y respeto por la vida. Palabras clave: Maternidad, Recien Nacido Prematuro, Enfermeria Neonatal. (Fuente: DeCs BIREME). Como citar este articulo: Villamizar B, Vargas C, Rueda E. Madres descubriendo el amor incondicional en el proceso adaptativo de hospitalizacion de su bebe prematuro. Rev Cuid. 2014; 5(2):782-91. http://dx.doi. org/10.15649/cuidarte.v5i2. 93
Increasing the Use of Group Interventions in a Pediatric Rehabilitation Program: Perceptions of Administrators, Therapists, and Parents

ABSTRACT Objectives. To explore perceptions related to increased utilization of group interventions as a part of the service reorganization within a pediatric rehabilitation program. Methods. Individual interviews with program administrators (n = 13) and focus groups with therapists (n = 19) and parents of children with disabilities (n = 5) were conducted. Data were analyzed using a coding grid inspired by the organized action systems theory. Results. Administrators and therapists identified several issues including the need to improve the referral process for groups and the coordination across services. Groups considerably modified practice and required substantial efforts from therapists. Administrators felt groups contributed to increased service accessibility. Although therapists had some doubts about service quality in groups, especially in regard to the reduced attention to individual needs, they reported positive benefits on children's social participation. Generally, parents were satisfied with group interventions. Conclusion. Groups appear to be a promising method of service delivery, but organizational-related issues should be considered.
Ticking time bombs: connections between circadian clocks and cancer

Connections between mammalian circadian and cell division cycles have been postulated since the early 20th century, and epidemiological and genetic studies have linked disruption of circadian clock function to increased risk of several types of cancer. In the past decade, it has become clear that circadian clock components influence cell growth and transformation in a cell-autonomous manner. Furthermore, several molecular mechanistic connections have been described in which clock proteins participate in sensing DNA damage, modulating DNA repair, and influencing the ubiquitination and degradation of key players in oncogenesis (c-MYC) and tumor suppression (p53).
A fast immune priming that confers a complete infection resistance on silkworm (Bombyx mori)

I have previously reported an immune priming in silkworm triggered by peptidoglycans, which is long-lasting but slow-acting. Here I report a faster immune priming, which can be triggered by an injection of gelatin or collagen, that confers a complete infection resistance to Gram-negative bacteria on silkworms. Gelatin-injected silkworms showed 100% viability in a lethal dose of a Gram-negative bacterial infection within two hours after the gelatin injection. Injection of collagen showed a similar effect. Whereas, an injection of non-gelatin protein (bovine serum albumin) solution did not induce such reaction. These results suggest that the silkworm possesses a fast and gelatin-inducible pathway that confers infection resistance to Gram-negative bacteria, which may act as a front-line defense. This finding highlights the potency of gelatin as a tool for investigating the primed immune responses in insect species.
Response variability of single cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Comparison with retinal input and effect of brain stem stimulation.

1. We studied the degree and source of response variability in different classes of cell in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). The response of single cells to a series of contrasts of a stationary flashing light spot was measured. The variability analyses were based on the mean and SD of the response to a number of repeated stimulus presentations. The relative variability was expressed by the coefficient of variation (Cv; SD/mean). 2. At a given contrast, the Cv for lagged cells was larger than for nonlagged cells. No difference was found between the Cv of X and Y cells. The magnitude of the Cv was about the same as previously found for cells in striate cortex. Accordingly, little variability is added at the cortical level. The Cv decreased with increasing contrast showing that the reliability of response and the signal-to-noise ratio was improved with increasing contrast. 3. For some cells, the retinal input was determined by recording S potentials in addition to action potentials. The Cv of the retinal input was smaller than the Cv of the dLGN cells at a given contrast. Thus in the paralyzed and anesthetized preparation, variability was added at the geniculate relay. 4. The additional variability was related to modulatory input from the brain stem. This was shown by comparing Cv versus contrast curves for the dLGN cells obtained during electrical stimulation of the peribrachial region of the brain stem (PBR) with corresponding curves obtained without PBR stimulation. During PBR stimulation, which presumably mimics the effects of arousal on the dLGN cell, the Cv at a given contrast was reduced toward the value for the retinal input to the cell. Furthermore PBR stimulation increased the signal-to-noise-ratio of the cell to the level of the retinal input. 5. When Cv was plotted against response rather than against contrast, approximately the same function was found for the various dLGN cell classes. This indicated that the variability basically depended on firing rate rather than on stimulus contrast. No difference of Cv was seen between lagged and nonlagged cells at a given level of response. The difference found at a given level of contrast reflected differences in firing rate of the two cell classes. During PBR stimulation, there was no clear difference between the Cvs of the dLGN cell and its retinal input at a given level of response. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
HIGH FIDELITY OF MITOCHONDRIAL GENOME TRANSMISSION UNDER THE DOUBLY UNIPARENTAL MODE OF INHERITANCE IN FRESHWATER MUSSELS (BIVALVIA: UNIONOIDEA)

Abstract Doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been demonstrated in both mytilid and unionid bivalves. Under DUI, females pass on their mtDNA to both sons and daughters, whereas males pass on their mtDNA to only sons. In mytilids, the loss of an original male (or M) mitotype, with its subsequent replacement by that lineage's female (or F) mitotype, has been called a role-reversal or, more specifically, a masculinization event. Multiple masculinization events have been inferred during the evolutionary history of mytilids but not unionids. The perceived lack of role-reversal events in unionids may represent a significant difference in the evolutionary dynamics of DUI between the two bivalve taxa or simply a lack of sufficient taxon sampling in unionids. To evaluate these alternative hypotheses, six additional unionoidean bivalve genera were sampled for DUI including one genus from the sister taxon of the Unionidae, the Hyriidae. Phylogenetic analyses of 619 base pairs of cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) from eight genera (nine species) of unionoidean bivalves, plus the sister taxon to the Unionoida, Neotrigonia, revealed that the M and F unionoidean mitotypes were contained in gender-specific, topologically congruent clades. This supports the hypothesis that either role-reversal events do not occur in unionoideans or, if they do occur, their products are ephemeral in an evolutionary sense. Furthermore, the fact that the mantle-tissue-derived Neotrigonia mitotype is the sister mitotype to the unionoidean F mitotype clade suggests that DUI has been operating with high fidelity in unionoids for at least 200 million years. A relatively low incidence of interspecific hybridization in unionoideans and a possibly obligate role for the M mitotype in unionoidean gender determination are offered as potential explanations for the disparate evolutionary dynamics of DUI observed between mytilid and unionoidean bivalves.
GPIIb–IIIa antagonists reduce thromboinflammatory processes in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Summary. Objective: To investigate the effects of abciximab, eptifibatide and no GPIIb–IIIa antagonist (control) on soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and the formation of leukocyte‐platelet aggregates (LPA) in 98 ACS patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Background: sCD40L and LPA are increased in patients with ACS. Methods: sCD40L was measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and LPA by whole blood flow cytometry. Results: There were no baseline differences between the three groups in sCD40L and LPA. At the end of PCI, sCD40L was unchanged in the controls, decreased by 30% (P < 0.001) in the abciximab group and by 11% (P < 0.02) in the eptifibatide group. Eighteen to 24 h after PCI, sCD40L was unchanged in the controls, reduced 30% (P < 0.001) in the abciximab‐treated group and 9% (P < 0.01) in the eptifibatide‐treated group. At the end of PCI, circulating monocyte‐platelet aggregates (MPA) were reduced by 12% (P = NS) in the abciximab‐treated group, 13% in the eptifibatide‐treated group (P = NS), but slightly increased in the controls (P = NS). Eighteen to 24 h after PCI, MPA were reduced by 41% (P < 0.001) compared to baseline in the abciximab‐treated group, by 23% (P = NS) in the eptifibatide‐treated group, and 15% (P = NS) in the controls. In contrast to control patients presenting while on clopidogrel, control patients presenting not on clopidogrel demonstrated a reduction in sCD40L and LPA 18–24 h post‐PCI (P = NS). At low receptor occupancy, GPIIb–IIIa antagonists did not augment the release of sCD40L or the number of circulating LPA. Conclusions: GPIIb–IIIa antagonists reduce circulating sCD40L and LPA formation in patients with ACS undergoing PCI. At low receptor occupancy, GPIIb–IIIa antagonists do not activate platelets.
1-Tbyte/s 1-Gbit DRAM Architecture Using 3-D Interconnect for High-Throughput Computing

Aiming to resolve memory bottlenecks in multi-core system, novel 1-Tbyte/s 1-Gbit DRAM architecture based on a multi-core configuration and 3-D interconnects was developed. The DRAM stacked on a multi-core CPU has 512-bit I/Os with through-silicon-via (TSV) distributed in 16 memory cores. Five-stage pipelined architecture in the compact DRAM core was developed to reduce the operation cycle of the data-bus to 2 ns. A low-noise early-bar-write scheme for an 8-ns cycle array operation and 16-Gbit/s I/O circuits on TSV were also developed. The proposed DRAM architecture greatly improves power efficiency. TSV scheme reduces the parasitic capacitance of the interconnects between the DRAM and CPU, and multi-core architecture reduces the length of the data bus on the DRAM. A 1-Gbit DRAM was designed based on the 45-nm stand-alone DRAM process. Chip size is 51.6 mm2 assuming 4F2 memory cells, and the density is about 5 times higher than that of embedded DRAM. Circuit simulations confirmed the 2-ns operation of the data bus, 8-ns operation of the memory array, and 16-Gbit/s operation of I/O circuits. Power consumption is 19.5 W, providing power efficiency of 51.3 Gbyte/s/W, which is an order of magnitude higher than that of conventional DRAMs.