Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of different metrics as an index for the assessment of arterial stiffness

ABSTRACT Elevated intravascular pressure is a contributing factor to increased arterial stiffness, and is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Assessment of arterial stiffness is of importance in evaluating cardiovascular risk. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) has been broadly used in the assessment of arterial stiffness. We compared three different metrics of arterial stiffness to PWV. Hemodynamic recordings were carried out in anesthetized hypertensive and normotensive rats (n = 25; 13–14 weeks old). Four parameters were calculated (PWV, elastic modulus (Einc), stiffness index (β), and pressure-strain modulus (Ep)) as metrics of arterial stiffness. Hypertensive in comparison to normotensive rats had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Metric for arterial stiffness were significantly (p < 0.002) higher in hypertensive animals: PWV (8.46 ± 2.01 vs. 6.39 ± 1.28 m/s), Ep (0.246 ± 0.019 vs. 0.137 ± 0.010 dyn/cm2 × 10–6), Einc (17.5 ± 1.8 vs. 10.1 ± 0.9 dyn/cm2 × 10–6), and β (2.43 ± 0.11 vs. 1.98 ± 0.08) (mean±SE). Bland-Altman analysis revealed β as the only metric aligned with PWV in hypertensive state. We find in state of reduced arterial compliance associated with high systemic pressure, β but not Einc or Ep is an index of arterial stiffness showing agreement with PWV.
HEALING OF Nd:YAG LASER INCISION IN TONGUE OF RABBITS COMPARED WITH SCALPEL INCISION, AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Background The incision quality and healing postoperatively are the main goals for the surgeon. Many different laser wavelengths have been used in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery with many advantages, especially because of their high properties (like selective physical properties, the wave length works in a deeper skin structure and it can be applied for removal of vascular lesion).
Hormonal and reproductive factors and risk of upper gastrointestinal cancers in men: A prospective cohort study within the UK Biobank

Incidence of upper gastrointestinal cancers of the oesophagus and stomach show a strong unexplained male predominance. Hormonal and reproductive factors have been associated with upper gastrointestinal cancers in women but there is little available data on men. To investigate this, we included 219,425 men enrolled in the UK Biobank in 2006–2010. Baseline assessments provided information on hormonal and reproductive factors (specifically hair baldness, number of children fathered, relative age at first facial hair and relative age voice broke) and incident oesophageal or gastric cancers were identified through linkage to U.K. cancer registries. Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. During 8 years of follow‐up, 309 oesophageal 210 gastric cancers occurred. There was some evidence that male pattern baldness, was associated with gastric cancer risk (adjusted HR 1.35, 95% CI 0.97, 1.88), particularly for frontal male pattern baldness (adjusted HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.02, 2.28). There was little evidence of association between other hormonal and reproductive factors and risk of oesophageal or gastric cancer, overall or by histological subtype. In the first study of a range of male hormonal and reproductive factors and gastric cancer, there was a suggestion that male pattern baldness, often used as a proxy of sex hormone levels, may be associated with gastric cancer. Future prospective studies that directly test circulating sex steroid hormone levels in relation to upper gastrointestinal cancer risk are warranted.
Diaphragm and ventilatory dysfunction during cancer cachexia

Cancer cachexia is characterized by a continuous loss of locomotor skeletal muscle mass, which causes profound muscle weakness. If this atrophy and weakness also occurs in diaphragm muscle, it could lead to respiratory failure, which is a major cause of death in patients with cancer. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to determine whether colon‐26 (C‐26) cancer cachexia causes diaphragm muscle fiber atrophy and weakness and compromises ventilation. All diaphragm muscle fiber types were significantly atrophied in C‐26 mice compared to controls, and the atrophy‐related genes, atrogin‐1 and MuRF1, significantly increased. Maximum isometric specific force of diaphragm strips, absolute maximal calcium activated force, and maximal specific calcium‐activated force of permeabilized diaphragm fibers were all significantly decreased in C‐26 mice compared to controls. Further, isotonic contractile properties of the diaphragm were affected to an even greater extent than isometric function. Ventilation measurements demonstrated that C‐26 mice have a significantly lower tidal volume compared to controls under basal conditions and, unlike control mice, an inability to increase breathing frequency, tidal volume, and, thus, minute ventilation in response to a respiratory challenge. These data demonstrate that C‐26 cancer cachexia causes profound respiratory muscle atrophy and weakness and ventilatory dysfunction. —Roberts, B. M. , Ahn, B. , Smuder, A. J., Al‐Rajhi, M. , Gill, L. C. , Beharry, A. W. , Powers, S. K. , Fuller, D. D. , Ferreira, L. F. , Judge, A. R. Diaphragm and ventilatory dysfunction during cancer cachexia. FASEB J. 27, 2600‐2610 (2013). www.fasebj. org
How Much Demand for New HIV Prevention Technologies Can We Really Expect? Results from a Discrete Choice Experiment in South Africa

Background For the first time in the history of HIV, new bio-medical interventions have been shown to be effective in preventing HIV transmission. For these new HIV prevention technologies (NPTs) to have an impact on the epidemic, they must be widely used. This study uses a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to: understand the relative strength of women’s preferences for product characteristics, understand the implications for substitution away from male condoms, and inform realistic modelling of their potential impact and cost-effectiveness. Methods A DCE was conducted among 1017 women in urban South Africa. Women were presented with choices between potential women’s NPTs (microbicides, diaphragm, female condom) and ‘what I did last time’ (use or not use a condom) with different HIV and pregnancy prevention effectiveness’ and prices. Choice probabilities are estimated using the nested logit model and used to predict uptake. Results In this high HIV prevalence setting, HIV prevention effectiveness is the main driver of uptake followed by pregnancy prevention effectiveness. For example a microbicide with poor effectiveness would have niche appeal at just 11% predicted uptake, while a highly effective microbicide (95% effective against HIV and pregnancy) would have far wider appeal (56% predicted uptake). Though women who reported not using condoms were more likely to choose the NPTs, at current very high rates of male condom use in South Africa (60%), about half of microbicide uptake is projected to be among those currently not using condoms. Conclusions Women are very interested in NPTs, especially if highly effective in preventing HIV and pregnancy. Women in greatest need were also most likely to switch to the new products. Where products are not yet available for distribution, proxy data, such as that generated by DCEs, can bring realism to overly optimistic uptake scenarios found in many current impact models.
Resident Education Through Blogging and Other Social Media Platforms.

A t the University of Utah Family Medicine Residency Program, we were very interested to read the article by Khadpe and Joshi regarding the use of blogs in graduate medical education (GME). Two years ago our residency program started publishing Family Medicine Vital Signs, the first family medicine (FM) residency blog in the nation. Our blog fills several critical roles in our residency program. First, writing a blog entry addressing an area of passion in FM teaches residents advocacy skills and supports the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education training milestones for professionalism, and interpersonal and communication skills. Second, the blog endorses the program’s core missions of supporting FM advocacy and training future physician leaders in the specialty. Third, the blog provides a platform that allows residents and faculty to share personal and professional experiences as trainees, practitioners, and educators. Many submissions have shared personal stories that reflect on such topics as the professional roles of a physician, meaning and purpose in medicine, and the human experience in medicine. Multiple Family Medicine Vital Signs posts have subsequently been picked up by KevinMD.com and other medical blogs. In addition to our residents and faculty participants, we have invited guest bloggers from the University of Utah and nationally to write on FM topics of importance. The blog has included a series from FM leaders around the country addressing the question, ‘‘Why (not) family medicine? ’’ Many of these posts covered the joys of practicing in FM, while others focused on the future of health care and the place of FM in this future system. These posts provided a contextual view regarding FM’s role in providing current and future leaders in our health care system. Participation in the University of Utah FM blog is a requirement for our residents. The posts are reviewed by a social media editorial board composed of FM residency faculty and residents. This review process ensures that delicate and controversial issues are addressed in an appropriate and respectful manner. The board has been critical to the successful implementation and function of our social media efforts. We strongly encourage a similar oversight group for other GME programs considering developing a social media presence. The Family Medicine Vital Signs blog has provided rich learning and writing opportunities for our residents and faculty. We recommend that all GME programs consider the value of developing a similar social media project.
AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR3 Regulates Floral Meristem Determinacy by Repressing Cytokinin Biosynthesis and Signaling

AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR3 integrates the activities of AGAMOUS and auxin to control cytokinin biosynthesis and signaling, thereby coordinately regulating floral meristem maintenance and termination. Successful floral meristem (FM) determinacy is critical for subsequent reproductive development and the plant life cycle. Although the phytohormones cytokinin and auxin interact to coregulate many aspects of plant development, whether and how cytokinin and auxin function in FM determinacy remain unclear. Here, we show that in Arabidopsis thaliana, cytokinin homeostasis is critical for FM determinacy. In this developmental context, auxin promotes the expression of AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR3 (ARF3) to repress cytokinin activity. ARF3 directly represses the expression of ISOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE (IPT) family genes and indirectly represses LONELY GUY (LOG) family genes, both of which encode enzymes required for cytokinin biosynthesis. ARF3 also directly inhibits the expression of ARABIDOPSIS HISTIDINE KINASE4, a cytokinin receptor gene, resulting in reduced cytokinin activity. Consequently, ARF3 controls cell division by regulating cell cycle gene expression through cytokinin. In flowers, we show that AGAMOUS (AG) dynamically regulates the expression of ARF3 and IPTs, resulting in coordinated regulation of FM maintenance and termination through cell division. Moreover, genome-wide transcriptional profiling revealed both repressive and active roles for ARF3 in early flower development. Our findings establish a molecular link between AG and auxin/cytokinin and shed light on the mechanisms of stem cell maintenance and termination in the FM.
Treatment Patterns for Prostate Cancer: Comparison of Medicare Claims Data to Medical Record Review

Background:As evidence-based guidelines increasingly define standards of care, the accurate reporting of patterns of treatment becomes critical to determine if appropriate care has been provided. We explore the level of agreement between claims and record abstraction for treatment regimens for prostate cancer. Methods:Medicare claims data were linked to medical records abstraction using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registry–funded Breast and Prostate Patterns of Care study. The first course of therapy included surgery, radiation therapy (RT), and hormonal therapy with luteinizing hormone–releasing hormone agonists. Results:The linked sample included 2765 men most (84.7%) of whom had stage II prostate cancer. Agreement was excellent for surgery (&kgr;=0.92) and RT (&kgr;=0.92) and lower for hormonal therapy (&kgr;=0.71); however, most of the discrepancies were due to greater number of patients reported who received hormonal therapy in the claims database than in the medical records database. For some standard multicomponent management strategies sensitivities were high, for example, hormonal therapy with either combination RT (86.9%) or cryosurgery (96.6%). Conclusions:Medicare claims are sensitive for determining patterns of multicomponent care for prostate cancer and for detecting use of hormonal therapy when not reported in the medical records abstracts.
Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on liver enzymes increases with increasing body mass index.

BACKGROUND Although both ethanol consumption and overweight alter the activities of hepatic enzymes in circulation, the differentiation of an alcohol or nonalcohol basis for such changes remains problematic. The magnitude of alterations occurring among moderate drinkers has remained obscure. OBJECTIVE We examined the links between moderate ethanol consumption, body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)), and liver enzymes. DESIGN Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were recorded from 2,164 apparently healthy participants (1,028 men, 1,136 women) reporting either no alcohol (abstainers) or <40 g ethanol consumption per day (moderate drinkers). The study population was further classified according to BMI as follows: <19 (underweight), > or =19 and <25 (normal weight), > or =25 and <30 (overweight), and > or =30 (obese). RESULTS Serum ALT (P < 0.05) and GGT (P < 0.001) but not AST (P = 0.805) activities in moderate drinkers were higher than those in abstainers. For all enzymes, a significant main effect was observed of increasing BMI, which was more striking in moderate drinkers than in abstainers. Tests of between-subjects effects indicated significant interactions with sex and drinking status, although not with sex and BMI. CONCLUSIONS The effect of moderate alcohol consumption on liver enzymes increases with increasing BMI. These findings should be considered in the clinical assessment of overweight alcohol consumers and in the definition of normal ranges for liver enzymes. These results may also help to develop new approaches for examining patients with fatty liver induced by either ethanol or adiposity.
Electromyographic activity of the shoulder muscles during rehabilitation exercises in subjects with and without subacromial pain syndrome: a systematic review

Background Subacromial pain syndrome (SPS) is a common cause of shoulder pain and muscle activity deficits are postulated to contribute to the development and progression of the disorder. The purpose of this systematic review was to definitively determine whether evidence exists of differences in electromyography (EMG) characteristics between subjects with and without SPS. Methods Six key databases were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORTdiscus, PEDro and The Cochrane Library (inception to May 2016). The search yielded 1414 records using terms relating to shoulder impingement, EMG, scapular and rotator cuff muscles. Twenty-two papers remained once duplicates were removed and selection criteria applied. Data extraction, quality assessment and data synthesis were performed. Effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results There was limited evidence that serratus anterior has lower amplitude, delayed activation and earlier termination in SPS participants. For the majority of muscles, regardless of task, load or arm position, significant differences were not demonstrated or results were contradictory. Conclusions The understanding of SPS is changing and EMG appears unable to capture the complexities associated with this condition. Addressing aberrant movement patterns and facilitating balanced activation of all shoulder muscles may be a more appropriate treatment direction for the future.
Collagen Type I Alpha 2 (COL1A2) Polymorphism Contributes to Intracranial Aneurysm Susceptibility: A Meta-Analysis

Background COL1A2, which encodes collagen type I alpha2, has long been suggested to be a potential positional and functional candidate gene for intracranial aneurysm. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the association between COL1A2 rs42524 polymorphism and the risk of intracranial aneurysm. Material/Methods We conducted a systematic search for relevant literature from the following databases up to 22 July 2016: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. The strength of association between gene and disease was estimated using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) under 5 genetic models. Results A total of 6 qualified studies were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Pooling results indicated a significant association between COL1A2 rs42524 polymorphism and intracranial aneurysm risk under 4 genetic models (C vs. G: OR=1.74, 95%CI=1.34–2.26; GC vs. GG: OR=1.81, 95%CI=1.37–2.41; CC+GC vs. GG: OR=1.74, 95%CI=1.28–2.36; CC vs. GC+GG: OR=1.76, 95%CI=1.02–3.04). This association was still robust when stratified by ethnicity, intracranial aneurysm type, or Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium, which was stronger in Asian than in Caucasians. No publication bias was observed. Conclusions This meta-analysis suggests COL1A2 rs42524 is a significant risk factor for IA susceptibility, with an especially strong effect in Asian people. Further larger-scale epidemiological studies among different ethnicities are warranted to confirm our findings.
The Motor-Cognitive Model of Motor Imagery: Evidence From Timing Errors in Simulated Reaching and Grasping

Motor imagery represents an important but theoretically underdeveloped area of research in psychology. The motor-cognitive model of motor imagery was presented, and contrasted with the currently prevalent view, the functional equivalence model. In 3 experiments, the predictions of the two models were pitted against each other through manipulations of task precision and the introduction of an interference task, while comparing their effects on overt actions and motor imagery. In Experiments 1a and 1b, the motor-cognitive model predicted an effect of precision whereby motor imagery would overestimate simulated movement times when a grasping action involved a high level of precision; this prediction was upheld. In Experiment 2, the motor-cognitive model predicted that an interference task would slow motor imagery to a much greater extent than it would overt actions; this prediction was also upheld. Experiment 3 showed that the effects observed in the previous experiments could not be due to failures to match the motor imagery and overt action tasks. None of the above results were explainable by either a strong version of the functional equivalence model, or any reasonable adaptations thereof. It was concluded that the motor-cognitive model may represent a theoretically viable advance in the understanding of motor imagery.
Vitamin A is excreted in the urine during acute infection.

Episodes of acute infection are thought to deplete body stores of vitamin A. The mechanism by which this might occur is not known, but increased metabolic requirements are presumed to play a role. We have found, however, that significant amounts of retinol and retinol-binding protein (RBP) were excreted in the urine during serious infections, whereas only trace amounts were found in the urine of healthy control subjects. The geometric mean excretion rate in 29 subjects with pneumonia and sepsis was 0.78 mumol retinol/d. Subjects with fever (temperature > or = 38.3 degrees C) excreted significantly more retinol (geometric mean = 1.67 mumol/d) than did those without fever (0.18 mumol/d; t = 3.53, P < 0.0015). Aminoglycoside administration and low glomerular filtration rates (< 35 mL/min) were also associated with higher rates of urinary retinol excretion. Thirty-four percent of patients excreted > 1.75 mumol retinol/d, equivalent to 50% of the US recommended dietary allowance. These data show that vitamin A requirements are substantially increased during serious infections because of excretion of retinol in the urine, and suggest that these losses are due to pathologic changes associated with the febrile response.
New evidence for the recent divergence of Devil's Hole pupfish and the plausibility of elevated mutation rates in endangered taxa

Sağlam et al. recently argued that the Devil's Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis), a conservation icon with the smallest known species range, was isolated 60 kya based on a new genomic data set. If true, this would be a radically long timescale for any species to persist at population sizes <500 individuals, in contrast to conservation genetics theory. However, here we argue that their analyses and interpretation are inappropriate. They placed highly restrictive prior distributions on divergence times, which do not appropriately model the large uncertainty and result in removing nearly all uncertainty from their analyses, and chose among models by assuming that pupfishes exhibit human mutation rates. We reanalysed their data with their same methods, only using an informative prior for the plausible range of mutation rates observed across vertebrates, including an estimate of the genomewide mutation rate from a pedigree analysis of cichlid fishes. In fact, Saglam et al.'s phylogenetic data support much younger median divergence times for C. diabolis, ranging from 6.2 to 19.9 kya, overlapping with our previous phylogenetic divergence time estimates of 2.5–6.5 kya. There are many reasons to suspect an even younger age and higher mutation rate in C. diabolis, as we previously estimated, due to their high metabolism, small adult size, small population size and severe environmental stressors. In conclusion, our results highlight the need for measuring mutation rate in this fascinating species and suggest that the ages of endangered taxa present in small, isolated populations may frequently be overestimated.