1,930 research outputs found
Widespread septic embolization in injection drug use mitro-aortic infective endocarditis as a remote cause of death
No full textInjection drug use-related infective endocarditis (IDU-IE) assumes peculiar epidemiological, pathogenetic, and prognostic characteristics that allow to consider it a distinct nosological entity, as well as a current problem of considerable social weight. Incidence is reasonably underestimated because diagnosis is often accidental in postmortem examination when drug-related death is suspected. In many cases, postmortem toxicological examinations are negative for acute drug abuse, and findings of infective endocarditis became relevant in the explanation of the mechanism of death. Extracardiac involvement of infective endocarditis is rarely reported as fatal. Fragmentation and embolization of bacterial vegetations can be associated with parenchymal infarcts, systemic spread of the infectious process by formation of an abscess. A case of septic shock as a consequence of the constant bacteremia determined by the continuous proliferation and release of bacteria into the circulation is presented in an injection drug user with left-sided endocarditis and widespread septic embolization. Authors reviewed forensic and medical literature and promote epidemiological value of medical and forensic autopsy. Extracardiac involvement of infective endocarditis may represent a remote and alternative cause of death in injection drug users, and an early diagnosis can be relevant for prognosis. Postmortem examination still represents a valuable opportunity of learning for clinicians and improving diagnostic accuracy with injection drug users. A call for changing of attitudes and practice toward autopsy is finally demanded
Fentanyl transdermal patch: The silent new killer?
No full textBackground: Transdermal fentanyl patches represent an excellent alternative for the treatment of chronic and cancer-related pain, but can lead to death due to their incorrect use or increasing abuse. Purpose: Present an overview of literature regarding fentanyl patch related fatalities. Methods: Literature research into PubMed database for all types of publications. Search terms were “fentanyl”,“patch” and “death”. Additional publications by manual examination of references of the PubMed results were included. Results and conclusions: To date 29 publications about transdermal fentanyl patch related deaths are available onPubMed and their time span is of 26 years. A total of 674 deaths related to fentanyl were found, 658 associated with transdermal fentanyl patch. Use of patches was more frequently in males (68 %) than in females (32 %) and in the 31–40 and 41–50 decades. The most frequent route of administration was the transdermal route, followed by oral and intravenous route. Cause of death was in 63.5 % of cases drug abuse, followed by accidental death (16.2 %), death unrelated to fentanyl (13.3 %) and suicide (2.8 %). The use of concomitant drugs was reported in 19 of the 29 publications and antidepressant followed by benzodiazepines and ethanol were the most frequent discovered drugs. In conclusion, fentanyl transdermal patch misuse and abuse is a major problem and still need to be completely addressed
Pitfalls in the Genetic Identification of Human Remains
No full textDNA technology is an irreplaceable tool for the identification of human remains, but the reliability of the ante mortem reference data remains a serious concern. We present here two cases where misleading conclusions could be achieved by using only the genetic profile of the missing person’s father such as reference sample. Nevertheless, when appropriate reference DNA samples (e.g., the maternal samples) became available, certain identifications were achieved as shown by the probability of maternity (> 99.999%). Thus, all these data together show that extra-pair paternity was found by the way, in both cases. Precautions to avoid misleading conclusions are addressed
ChatGPT-Based Learning And Reading Assistant (C-LARA): Second Report
No full textChatGPT-based Learning And Reading Assistant (C-LARA – pronounced “Clara”) is an AIbasedplatform which allows users to create multimodal texts designed to improve reading skillsin second languages. GPT-4/ChatGPT-4 is central to the project: as well as being the corelanguage processing component, it has in collaboration with a human partner developed thegreater part of the codebase.Following on from the initial progress report, released in July 2023, we focus on new workcarried out during the period August 2023 – March 2024. The platform is far more usable. CLARAis now packaged with a wizard-style interface (“Simple C-LARA”) that allows the nonexpertuser to create a complete illustrated multimodal text by entering a prompt and approvingdefault choices a few times, and the software is deployed on a fast dedicated server maintained bythe University of South Australia. Other substantial new pieces of functionality are support for“phonetic texts”, where words are automatically divided up into units associated with phoneticvalues; “reading histories”, which support the combination of several texts into a single virtualdocument; and the social network, rudimentary in the first version, which now includes supportfor friending, an update feed, and email alerts.To investigate the AI’s abilities as a language processor, we present an experiment where wecreated six texts for each of five languages, using the same prompts for each language, andevaluated the accuracy of the language processing. We also give the results when some of theexperiments were repeated five months later with a newer version of GPT-4, in the case ofEnglish revealing a dramatic reduction in error rates. A small questionnaire-based study probesusers’ subjective views of C-LARA projects they have created: in general, people are pleasedwith the results, to the extent that they are often sharing them.With regard to GPT-4/ChatGPT-4’s software engineer role, we present a breakdown of thevarious modules and functionalities, indicating the AI’s contribution. It is capable of writing thesimpler modules on its own or with minimal human assistance, and only had serious problemswith a small number of top-level functionalities, in particular “Simple C-LARA”, which directlyor indirectly involved most of the codebase.We describe initial use cases, including trialling of C-LARA in a school classroom, integratingit into the experimental CALL platform Basm, and creating multimodal texts in the Oceaniclanguages Drehu and Iaai. A short section summarises our policy on ethical issues concerningthe crediting of the AI as an author. The appendices present examples illustrating use of theSimple C-LARA and Advanced C-LARA versions of the platform, list functionalities and codefiles, and reproduce conversations with the AI about various aspects of the project
Letter from The Dominguez Estate Company to Mr. B. Lara, November 24, 1943
No full textInforming Mr. Lara of the change in acreage on his lease with an attached statement
Does Lara Croft Ware Fake Polygons
No full textAn analysis of the role of gender in the 1996 video game, Tomb Raider , using multiple theoretical approaches to discuss issues of gender roles and gender identity. The author argues that prior to Tomb Raider, popular games revolved around a male protagonist, but with the introduction of Lara Croft, the gaming world has changed. The article explores the implications of the female protagonist in Tomb Raider, characterizing Lara Croft as a techno-puppet to the male-gaze, a drag queen, a dominatrix, and a powerful feminist role model. Artistic and creative game patches provide an “opportunity for feminists to influence the formation of new computer game gender configurations”
Bortezomib effect of E2F and cyclin family members in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines
No full textAIM
To evaluate the effects of the proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib (BZB) on E2Fs and related genes in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.
METHODS
The mRNA levels of the E2F family members (pro-proliferative: E2F1-3 and anti-proliferative: E2F4-8) and of their related genes cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) were evaluated in two HCC cell lines following a single BZB administration. mRNA levels of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes were also measured in both cell lines after BZB treatment. The BZB concentration (40 nM) used was chosen to stay well below the maximal amount/cm2 recommended for in vivo application, and two days incubation was chosen as this time point has been found optimal to detect BZB effects in our previous studies. The HCC cell lines, HepG2 and JHH6, were chosen as they display different phenotypes, hepatocyte-like for HepG2 and undifferentiated for JHH6, thus representing an in vitro model of low and high aggressive forms of HCC, respectively. The mRNA levels of the target genes were measured by two-color microarray-based gene expression analysis, performed according to Agilent Technologies protocol and using an Agilent Scan B. For the E2F family members, mRNA levels were quantified by RT-PCR. Using small interfering RNA’s, the effects of E2F8 depletion on cell number was also evaluated.
RESULTS
After BZB treatment, microarray analysis of the undifferentiated JHH6 revealed a significant decrease in the expression of the pro-proliferative E2F member E2F2. Quantitative RT-PCR data were in keeping with the microarray analysis, and showed a significant increase and decrease in E2F8 and E2F2 mRNA levels, respectively. In contrast, BZB treatment of the hepatocyte-like HCC cell line HepG2 had a significant impact on mRNA levels of 5 of the 8 E2F members. In particular, mRNA levels of the pro-proliferative E2F members E2F1, E2F2, and of the anti-proliferative member E2F8, decreased over 80%. Notably, a reduction in E2F8 expression in HepG2 and JHH6 cells following siRNA treatment had no impact on cell proliferation. As observed with JHH6, BZB treatment of HepG2 cells induced a significant increase in mRNA levels of an anti-proliferative E2F member, E2F6 in this case.
As was observed with E2F’s, more dramatic changes in mRNA levels of the E2F related genes cyclins and Cdks and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes were observed after BTZ treatment of HepG2 compared to JHH6 .
CONCLUSION
The differential expression of E2Fs and related genes induced by BZB in diverse HCC cell phenotypes contribute to bortezomib’s mechanism of action in hepatocellular carcinoma
. 1062 Año 22 (2023) enero. El Tlacuache
No full textLa importancia del tema de la Epifanía en México, se manifiesta no solo en las festividades, sino en los programas pictóricos conventuales e incluso en la dedicatoria de los mismos, tal es el caso de los conventos agustinos del Meztitlán, en Hidalgo, y el de Huatlatlahuca, en Puebla. Retablos y una producción prolífica de cuadros representan la escena desde la segunda mitad del siglo XVI, siguiendo los modelos fijados en Europa a través de los grabados, con adaptaciones que se integran el contexto del Nuevo Mundo.- Epifanía la adoración de los Reyes Magos por Noel Serrano Aguirre y Mitzi de Lara Duarte.Mónica Morales, Pintura de los Reyes, Morelos. "Memoria Restauración", 2019.De Benavente, T. de (Motolinía), Historia de los Indios de la Nueva España, Sánchez García. D. (ed.),Barcelona, Herederos de Juan Gil, 1914, Trat. I, cap. 13.
El Auto de los Reyes Magos, también conocido como Representación de los Reyes Magos, es una primitiva pieza dramática toledana que conmemora la visita de unos magos en la Epifanía; esta fue escrita probablemente en el siglo XII según se deduce de la letra. Obtenido de https://emad.defensa.gob.es/
Museo Nacional del Virreinato. Anónimo. S.XVII Óleo sobre tela. Mediateca INAH.
Página 21. Epifanía de la Virgen /Catedral de Morelia
Pitacua , S. XVIII – renovado en el S. XIX
Is Lara the Answer to Implicit Divestiture?: A Critical Analysis of the Congressional Delegation Exception
No full textThis work concerns the Supreme Court’s 2004 Indian law decision United States v. Lara, in which the Court held that Congress could enlarge tribal sovereign authority through federal legislation. Proponents of tribal sovereignty generally consider the decision a victory; however, Lara also contains a large amount of dicta in which the Court hints that external limits may circumscribe Congress’ ability to restore tribal sovereignty. The author attempts to explain this discontinuity, and warns that Lara may not represent an unqualified victory for Indian Country. Specifically, the author argues that Lara’s comments could indicate the Court considers tribes divested of the authority to act in certain sovereign capacities by virtue of their “discovery” by European colonialists
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