Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Propofol at a Subanesthetic Dose May Have Abuse Potential in Healthy Volunteers

We conducted a study in which the rewarding effects of propofol were assessed in humans, using a discrete-trials choice procedure. Normal healthy volunteers (n = 12) were exposed in a blind fashion to acute bolus injections of 0.6 mg/kg of propofol twice and to a similar volume of Intralipid® twice. Then, for the next three sessions, subjects chose which drug (identified by a color code) they wished to receive. We defined propofol choosers if individuals chose propofol two or three times, and nonchoosers if they chose propofol once or not at all. By using a χ2 goodness-of-fit test of a random choice model, the choice distribution differed significantly from a random choice distribution (P < 0.005). Six subjects were choosers: four subjects chose propofol on all three choice occasions and two subjects chose the drug on 2/3 occasions (referred to hereafter as propofol choosers). Six subjects were nonchoosers: five subjects chose Intralipid® on all three choice occasions, and one subject chose Intralipid® twice (referred to hereafter as propofol nonchoosers). During sampling sessions, propofol choosers reported pleasant acute effects and no unpleasant residual effects, whereas propofol non-choosers reported either unpleasant acute subjective effects and/or residual effects from propofol. We conclude that 1) propofol may be rewarding (reinforcing) in some individuals without a history of drug abuse, and 2) further abuse liability testing is needed with this drug.
Plasma pepsinogens, nutrients, and diet in areas of Italy at varying gastric cancer risk.

In a survey of 930 adults aged 35-74 years randomly sampled from the general population of four areas of Italy at different risks for gastric cancer (GC), plasma levels of pepsinogens (PGI and PGII) and fat-soluble vitamins were assayed. Pepsinogen levels were used to identify individuals with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG). Severe CAG (PGI < or = 20 pg/liter) affected 5.8% of the population, but the prevalence rose with increasing age and declining social class. Severe CAG was 5 times more common in areas with high compared to low rates of GC. Risk also rose with increasing consumption of salted/dried fish but was inversely related to dietary intake of beta-carotene and to plasma retinol and cholesterol levels. The prevalence of moderate CAG (PGI > 20 pg/liter, but PGI/PGII < or = 2.9) was 6.3%. Moderate CAG was also related to age and social class and increased 1.8-fold in areas where GC rates were high, but was not strongly associated with diet or plasma nutrients. The authors discuss these findings in relation to those from a previous case-control study of GC in the same areas.
Technical Note: Testing an improved index for analysing storm discharge–concentration hysteresis

Abstract. Analysis of hydrochemical behaviour during storm events can provide new insights into the process controls on nutrient transport in catchments. The examination of storm behaviours using hysteresis analysis has increased in recent years, partly due to the increased availability of high temporal resolution data sets for discharge and water quality parameters. A number of these analyses involve the use of an index to describe the characteristics of a hysteresis loop in order to compare storm behaviours both within and between catchments. This technical note reviews the methods for calculation of the hysteresis index (HI) and explores a new more effective methodology. Each method is systematically tested and the impact of the chosen calculation on the results is examined. Recommendations are made regarding the most effective method of calculating a HI which can be used for comparing data between storms and between different water quality parameters and catchments.
Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: A Cause of Silent Thromboembolism?: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment of Cerebral Thromboembolism in Patients Undergoing Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

Background— Radiofrequency left atrial catheter ablation has become a routine procedure for treatment of atrial fibrillation. The aim of this study was to assess with preprocedural and postprocedural cerebral magnetic resonance imaging the thromboembolic risk, either silent or clinically manifest, in the context of atrial fibrillation ablation. The secondary end point was the identification of clinical or procedural parameters that correlate with cerebral embolism. Methods and Results— A total of 232 consecutive patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation who were candidates for radiofrequency left atrial catheter ablation were included in the study. Pulmonary vein isolation or pulmonary vein isolation plus linear lesions plus atrial defragmentation with the use of irrigated-tip ablation catheters was performed. All of the patients underwent preprocedural and postablation cerebral magnetic resonance imaging. A periprocedural symptomatic cerebrovascular accident occurred in 1 patient (0.4%). Postprocedural cerebral magnetic resonance imaging was positive for new embolic lesions in 33 patients (14%). No clinical parameters such as age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, previous history of stroke, type of atrial fibrillation, and preablation antithrombotic treatment showed significant correlation with ischemic cerebral embolism. Procedural parameters such as activated clotting time value and, in particular, electric or pharmacological cardioversion to sinus rhythm correlated with an increased incidence of cerebral embolism. Cardioversion was also associated with an increased risk of 2.75 (95% confidence interval, 1.29 to 5.89; P=0.009). Conclusions— Radiofrequency left atrial catheter ablation carries a low risk of symptomatic cerebral ischemia but is associated with a substantial risk of silent cerebral ischemia detected on magnetic resonance imaging. Independent risk factors for cerebral thromboembolism are the level of activated clotting time and, in particular, the electric or pharmacological cardioversion to sinus rhythm during the procedure.
Human DNMT1 transition state structure

Significance DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) is the major enzyme responsible for maintenance of DNA CpG methylation marks in human cells. The enzyme is a validated target for cancer, but current treatments are mutagenic. Knowledge of the transition state (TS) structure of DNMT1 will inform the chemical reaction mechanism and provide information for TS analog design. Here, we report the subangstrom geometric and electrostatic character of the TS for the DNMT1 methylation of hemimethylated DNA. The experimental and computational TS analysis indicates methyl transfer is the rate-limiting chemical step for the reaction. Methyl group transfer can be characterized as a loose nucleophilic substitution TS. TS analysis of DNMT1 demonstrates an approach to understand a complex epigenetic enzyme. Human DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) maintains the epigenetic state of DNA by replicating CpG methylation signatures from parent to daughter strands, producing heritable methylation patterns through cell divisions. The proposed catalytic mechanism of DNMT1 involves nucleophilic attack of Cys1226 to cytosine (Cyt) C6, methyl transfer from S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) to Cyt C5, and proton abstraction from C5 to form methylated CpG in DNA. Here, we report the subangstrom geometric and electrostatic structure of the major transition state (TS) of the reaction catalyzed by human DNMT1. Experimental kinetic isotope effects were used to guide quantum mechanical calculations to solve the TS structure. Methyl transfer occurs after Cys1226 attack to Cyt C6, and the methyl transfer step is chemically rate-limiting for DNMT1. Electrostatic potential maps were compared for the TS and ground states, providing the electronic basis for interactions between the protein and reactants at the TS. Understanding the TS of DNMT1 demonstrates the possibility of using similar analysis to gain subangstrom geometric insight into the complex reactions of epigenetic modifications.
The Effects of Multiple-Strand Suture Techniques on the Tensile Properties of Repair of the Flexor Digitorum Profundus Tendon to Bone*

We examined the effects of multiple-strand suture techniques on the tensile properties of flexor digitorum profundus tendon-to-bone repairs in a human cadaver finger model. Forty-four fingers were obtained from the cadavera of fifteen donors who had been an average of seventy-four years old (range, fifty-four to eighty-nine years old) at the time of death. Four or eight-strand proximal grasping sutures were secured to the distal phalanx of each finger with use of either a suture anchor or a dorsally placed button. There were four subgroups of eleven fingers each. We found that repairs performed with use of a dorsally placed button had greater yield force, ultimate force, and rigidity than those performed with use of an anchor and that repairs performed with eight strands had greater ultimate force than those performed with four strands. These differences were significant (p < 0.05). We could detect no differences among the four types of repairs with regard to the amount of relative tendon-bone elongation at twenty newtons of force. The repairs performed with eight strands and a dorsally placed button had an average yield force (and 95 per cent confidence interval) of 50.0 ± 14.1 newtons, an average ultimate force of 68.5 ± 14.6 newtons, an average rigidity of 744 ± 327 newton/(millimeter/millimeter), and an average tendon-bone elongation of 3.4 ± 0.7 millimeters at twenty newtons of force. Multiple-comparison testing showed that the eight-strand repairs performed with a dorsally placed button had greater ultimate force than the other three types of repairs as well as greater yield force and rigidity than the four and eight-strand repairs performed with a suture anchor.
Impact of Road Vehicle Accelerations on SAR-GMTI Motion Parameter Estimation

In this paper the problem of reliable along-track velocity estimation is addressed. It is known that the neglection of across-track accelerations can bias the estimates of along-track velocities, but up to now it is unknown which vehicle accelerations appear in real traffic scenarios. On this account an experiment to measure accelerations was conducted. The acceleration measurement results, which are presented and discussed in this paper, imply that accelerations must not be neglected in the along- track velocity estimation step if accurate estimates are required. Finally, some basic ideas are given which enable a reliable separation of along-track velocity and across- track acceleration and so improve the estimation accuracy.
Service quality of delivered care from the perception of women with caesarean section and normal delivery.

BACKGROUND Our aim was to determine the service quality of delivered care for people with Caesarean Section and Normal Delivery. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 people who had caesarean section and normal delivery in Al-Zahra Teaching Hospital in Tabriz, north western Iran. Service quality was calculated using: Service Quality = 10 - (Importance × Performance) based on importance and performance of service quality aspects from the postpartum women's perspective.A hierarchical regression analysis was applied in two steps using the enter method to examine the associations between demographics and SQ scores. Data were analysed using the SPSS-17 software. RESULTS "Confidentiality", "autonomy", "choice of care provider" and "communication" achieved scores at the highest level of quality; and "support group", "prompt attention", "prevention and early detection", "continuity of care", "dignity", "safety", "accessibility and "basic amenities" got service quality score less than eight. Statistically significant relationship was found between service quality score and continuity of care (P=0.008). CONCLUSION A notable gap between the participants‟ expectations and what they have actually received in most aspects of provided care. So, there is an opportunityto improve the quality of delivered care.
NATURE OF THE DETERMINANT CONTROLLING PENICILLINASE PRODUCTION IN STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

Harmon, Shirley A. (Ohio State University, Columbus), and Jack N. Baldwin. Nature of the determinant controlling penicillinase production in Staphylococcus aureus. J. Bacteriol. 87:593–597. 1964. —From three penicillinase-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus 38 penicillin-sensitive mutants were isolated. With phages 80 and 53 of the International Typing Series, each of these mutants was a competent recipient of the penicillinase marker from the parent strains. Although numerous reciprocal transductions were performed between penicillin-sensitive mutants, no penicillinase-producing recombinants were observed. Reversion of the penicillinase-negative mutants to capacity to produce penicillinase was never observed. When tested for 50 distinctive physiological characteristics, the mutants generally were similar to the parent strains except for resistance to penicillin. One penicillin-sensitive mutant failed to produce detectable amounts of five exoenzymes. By treating resistant strains with acridine orange, it was possible to isolate sensitive strains at a frequency that was 60 times greater than the spontaneous mutation rate. Thus, the determinant controlling the capacity of strains of S. aureus to produce penicillinase appears to be a cytoplasmic element.
Music Structural Segmentation by Combining Harmonic and Timbral Information

We propose a novel model for music structural segmentation aiming at combining harmonic and timbral information. We use two-level clustering with splitting initialization and random turbulence to produce segment labels using chroma and MFCC separately as feature. We construct a score matrix to combine segment labels from both aspects. Finally Nonnegative Matrix Factorization and Maximum Likelihood are applied to extract the final segment labels. By comparing sparseness, our method is capable of automatically determining the number of segment types in a given song. The pairwise F-measure of our algorithm can reach 0.63 without rules of music knowledge, running on 180 Beatles songs. We show our model can be easily associated with more sophisticated structural segmentation algorithms and extended to probabilistic models.
Motivation for Change and Alcoholism Treatment

Motivation plays an important role in alcoholism treatment by influencing patients to seek, complete, and comply with treatment as well as make successful long-term changes in their drinking. Both alcohol-abusing and alcohol-dependent people can be classified into different “stages of change” in terms of their readiness to alter their drinking behavior. Consequently, researchers have had to consider more seriously the role of motivation in the treatment of and recovery from substance abuse and to incorporate motivational enhancement strategies into treatment programs.
Long-term arterial pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats is set by the kidney

Objectives We investigated whether arterial pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) can be normalized by a kidney graft from normotensive histocompatible donors. In addition, the effect of differential genetic predisposition to hypertension of recipients of an SHR kidney on the development of post-transplantation hypertension was studied. Methods SHR were transplanted with a kidney from congenic rats (BB.1K) homozygous for a 2 cM segment of SHR chromosome 20, including the major histocompatibility complex class Ia and class II genes. BB.1K and F1 hybrids (F1H, SHR × Wistar–Kyoto rats) were transplanted with an SHR kidney and the development of renal post-transplantation hypertension was monitored. Results Thirty days after renal transplantation, mean arterial pressure (MAP) was 116 ± 4 mmHg in SHR with a BB.1K kidney (n = 8) versus 168 ± 2 mmHg in sham-operated SHR (n = 10);P < 0.001. Cumulative renal sodium balance (mmol/100 g body weight) over 21 days after bilateral nephrectomy was 6.8 ± 0.6 in SHR with a BB.1K kidney versus 10.8 ± 1.6 in sham-operated SHR (P < 0.05). Within 60 days of transplantation, MAP increased in BB.1K and in F1H transplanted with an SHR kidney (n = 7 per group) by 38 ± 5 mmHg and 43 ± 8 mmHg, respectively. Conclusions In SHR, arterial pressure can be normalized by a kidney graft from normotensive donors. The genetic predisposition of the recipients to hypertension does not modify the rate and the extent of the arterial pressure rise induced by an SHR kidney graft.
Challenges and Potential Solutions for Big Data Implementations in Developing Countries

Summary Background: The volume of data, the velocity with which they are generated, and their variety and lack of structure hinder their use. This creates the need to change the way information is captured, stored, processed, and analyzed, leading to the paradigm shift called Big Data. Objectives: To describe the challenges and possible solutions for developing countries when implementing Big Data projects in the health sector. Methods: A non-systematic review of the literature was performed in PubMed and Google Scholar. The following keywords were used: “big data”, “developing countries”, “data mining”, “health information systems”, and “computing methodologies”. A thematic review of selected articles was performed. Results: There are challenges when implementing any Big Data program including exponential growth of data, special infrastructure needs, need for a trained workforce, need to agree on interoperability standards, privacy and security issues, and the need to include people, processes, and policies to ensure their adoption. Developing countries have particular characteristics that hinder further development of these projects. Conclusions: The advent of Big Data promises great opportunities for the healthcare field. In this article, we attempt to describe the challenges developing countries would face and enumerate the options to be used to achieve successful implementations of Big Data programs.
Leukocyte CTG repeat length correlates with severity of myotonia in myotonic dystrophy type 1

Objective: To quantitate hand muscle myotonia and to assess the relationship between CTG repeat length and myotonia in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Methods: First dorsal interosseous twitch and tetanic contractions evoked by single and 10-Hz ulnar nerve stimulation were recorded with a force transducer in 15 patients with genetically confirmed DM1 and 15 control subjects. An automated computer program analyzed three single and three tetanic recordings per subject on 2 successive days by placing cursors along the declining (relaxation) phase of the force recordings at 90, 50, and 5% of peak force (PF) and calculating relaxation times (RT) between these points. Results: Tetanic and twitch RT was longer and PF lower in patients than subjects. RT (90 to 5%) was above the normal mean + 2.5 SD in 13 tetanic (87%) and 11 (73%) twitch patient recordings. In DM1, prolongation of RT was due mainly to delay in the terminal (50 to 5%), rather than the initial (90 to 50%) phase of relaxation, and was much greater in tetanic than single-twitch recordings. Mean test–retest variability was 19% for tetanic RT and 16% for tetanic PF. In DM1, both tetanic and twitch RT were positively correlated with leukocyte CTG repeat length. Conclusions: In DM1, myotonia of intrinsic hand muscles can be quantitated reliably by automated analysis of tetanic and twitch RT, targeting, in particular, the terminal phase of muscle relaxation after tetanic stimulation. Severity of hand muscle myotonia depends on CTG repeat length consistent with a “triplet repeat dosage” effect on chloride channel mRNA splicing and function.
Genetic variation in ORM1‐like 3 (ORMDL3) and gasdermin‐like (GSDML) and childhood asthma

Background: A genome‐wide association study identified ORM1‐like 3 (orosomucoid 1‐like 3, ORMDL3) as an asthma candidate gene. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the region including ORMDL3 on chromosome 17q21 were related to childhood asthma risk and ORMDL3 expression levels in Europeans.
Ticarcillin-clavulanic acid pharmacokinetics in preterm neonates with presumed sepsis

The objective of the reported study was to characterize the pharmacokinetics of ticarcillin and clavulanic acid in premature low-birth-weight (less than 2,200 g) neonates with presumed sepsis. Eleven infants received 12 courses of ticarcillin-clavulanic acid at 75 mg/kg of body weight intravenously every 12 h. Blood samples were collected at 0.5, 1.5, 4, and 8 h following the infusion of the initial dose. The concentrations of ticarcillin and clavulanic acid were determined by a microbiologic assay. Median (interpatient coefficients of variation) values for the volume of the central compartment, total steady-state volume, distributional clearance, total clearance, and terminal elimination half-life for ticarcillin were 0.030 liter/kg (21%), 0.26 liter/kg (48%), 0.41 liter/h/kg (47%), 0.047 liter/h/kg (47%), and 4.2 h (45%), respectively. For clavulanic acid the parameters were 0.28 liter/kg (32%), 0.36 liter/kg (34%), 11 liters/h/kg (36%), 0.12 liters/h/kg (72%), and 1.95 h (40%), respectively. Our results suggest that the current dosing recommendations of 75 mg/kg every 12 h risk subtherapeutic clavulanic acid concentrations and that 50 mg/kg every 6 h is a more rational dosing strategy.
The Ankle-to-Arm Blood Pressure Index Predicts Risk of Cardiac Complications After Noncardiac Surgery

BACKGROUND: Peripheral arterial disease, as detected by a reduced ankle-to-arm blood pressure index (AAI), has been shown to predict future cardiac events. However, the utility of measuring the AAI to predict postoperative cardiac complications in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery is unknown. METHODS: We prospectively studied 242 consecutive patients aged 50 yr or older presenting to a university hospital preadmission clinic before elective noncardiac surgery. We performed a standardized clinical evaluation that included calculation of the revised cardiac risk index (rCRI) and measurement of the AAI using both palpation and Doppler techniques. Independent observers, blinded to preoperative assessment and AAI results, ascertained cardiac complications in the first 7 days after surgery. We assessed the ability of an abnormal AAI (≤0.9 or absence of all four pedal pulses) to predict postoperative cardiac complications using likelihood ratios (LR), area under the ROC curves (AUC), and multivariable logistic regression in which we adjusted for the rCRI result. RESULTS: The cohort had a median age of 67 yr, 60% were male, 19% had diabetes, 14% had ischemic heart disease, and 35% underwent intraperitoneal or intrathoracic surgery. Postoperatively, 14 of 242 (6%) patients suffered cardiac complications, but no patients died. An abnormal AAI was present in 44 patients, 10 (23%) of whom had postoperative cardiac complications: positive LR 4.79 (95% CI: 3.04–7.54), negative LR 0.34 (95% CI: 0.15–0.77), AUC = 0.80. The AAI compared favorably with the rCRI, which had positive LR 4.22 (95% CI: 2.24–7.95), negative LR 0.57 (95% CI: 0.34–0.96), and AUC = 0.74. In multivariate analysis, the adjusted odds ratio for having a cardiac complication was 10.16 (95% CI: 2.90–36.02) for those patients with an abnormal AAI, even after adjusting for rCRI results. CONCLUSIONS: An abnormally low AAI, indicative of underlying peripheral arterial disease, is an independent risk factor for postoperative cardiac complications. The accuracy of the AAI is similar to the rCRI, and it provides additional independent predictive value for preoperative cardiac risk stratification.