Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary hemodynamics in primary pulmonary hypertension.

One hundred and thirteen cases of primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) obtained through a questionnaire survey to various nation-wide institutions were investigated. They are divided into 2 groups: the survivors (48 cases) and those who died (65 cases). The relation between the hemodynamic parameters and the survival months after right heart catheterization was examined. The results can be summarized as follows:1) In all PPH cases, the average cardiopulmonary pressures were 8.3±6.4mmHg in PRA, 62.3±17.3mmHg in PPA, and 7.4±4.1mmHg in PPC. There were no statistically significant differences in these parameters between the survivors and the deceased. There was no fixed relation between the cardiopulmonary pressures and the survival time after the measurement.2) The average CI was 2.90±0.95L/min/M2 as a whole. For the survivor group it was 3.29±1.13 and for the deceased group 2.60±0.69L/min/M2, the latter showing a significantly lower value (p<0.001). There was also a significant positive correlation (r=0.484, p<0.01) between CI and the survival months from the date CI was measured.3) The TPVR was 1, 362±704 dyne sec cm-5, which was a remarkably increased value. The value for the deceased group was much higher than that of the survivor group (p<0.001). 4) The RVWI was 2.05±0.99Kg/min/M2 as a whole. The value for the deceased group was clearly lower than that of the survivor group (P<0, 001). 5) As to arterial blood gas data, SaO2 was 90.7±5.8%, PaO2 67.9±17.0mmHg, PaCO2 32.0±8.4mmHg, and pH 7.45±0.05 as a whole. The PaO2 of 73.4±13.8mmHg for the survivors was clearly higher than that of 64.2±18.6mmHg for the deceased group (p<0.001). 6) There were no fixed trends between any of the hemodynamic parameters. However, the prognosis was extremely poor in cases with PPA_? _50mmHg and CI_? _2. 8L/min/M2, PRA_? _6mmHg and RVWI_? _2Kgm/min/M2, and PaO2_? _70mmHg. From the above results, it is evident that right heart failure is decisive of the poor prognosis of PPH and this is most clearly expressed by the decreased CI. In addition, the presence of hypoxia is also considered to affect the prognosis.
Frequency and associated factors of structural progression of open-angle glaucoma in the Beijing Eye Study

Background To examine factors associated with progression of open-angle glaucoma in a population-based setting. Methods The population-based Beijing Eye Study, which included 4439 subjects with an age of 40+ years in the year 2001, was repeated in 2006. Optic disc photographs of the baseline examination versus follow-up examination were compared. Results Out of 111 open-angle glaucoma patients examined in 2001, 77 (69%) subjects participated in the follow-up examination and 16 (21%) eyes showed glaucoma progression. Glaucoma progression was associated with smaller rim area (p=0.001), larger β zone (p=0.037), higher frequency of β zone increase during follow-up (p=0.01), higher prevalence of disc haemorrhages (p=0.01) and higher single intraocular pressure (p=0.04). In multiple regression analysis, only smaller rim area remained significantly associated with glaucoma progression. Glaucoma progression was not associated with optic disc size (p=0.70), mean blood pressure (p=0.43), ocular perfusion pressure (p=0.96), retinal vessel diameter and retinal microvascular abnormalities (all p>0.10), prevalence of diabetes mellitus (p=0.75) and arterial hypertension (p=0.26), prevalence of dyslipidaemia (p=0.28), refractive error (p=0.69), and central corneal thickness (p=0.97). Conclusions In a population-based setting in adult Chinese, factors showing an association with open-angle glaucoma progression were an advanced stage of the disease (ie, small rim), presence of disc haemorrhages, larger area of β zone and higher frequency of β zone increase, and higher intraocular pressure. Glaucoma progression was not significantly associated with optic disc size, central corneal thickness, retinal vessel diameter and retinal microvascular abnormalities, and systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension.
Analysis of Intravesical Recurrence After Bladder-preserving Therapy for Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to analyze the pattern of recurrences after bladder-preserving therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. METHODS The subjects were 77 patients with T2-3N0M0 bladder cancer whose bladder was preserved by intra-arterial chemotherapy and radiation. The patterns of the first recurrences were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS With a median follow-up of 38.5 months, 17 patients (22.1%) experienced intravesical recurrence without metastasis, 14 (82.4%) of which were cases of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer recurrence and 3 (17.6%) of which were muscle-invasive bladder cancer recurrences. Muscle-invasive bladder cancer recurred at the same site as the initial tumor site in all three cases, whereas non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer recurred at different sites in 64% of the patients in that group. The peak hazard of the non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer recurrence was observed at around a year after treatment. Recurrent non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer was of a significantly lower histological grade with lower Ki-67-labeling indices than the initial muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Twelve (85.7%) of 14 patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer recurrence achieved disease-free status. The multivariate analysis revealed that multiplicity, grade and tumor size were significantly correlated with the recurrence (P= 0.0001, 0.0442 and 0.0412, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Most of the recurrences after bladder-preserving therapy were cases of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The recurrence pattern and characteristics of the tumors did not differ from those of primary non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Patients with high-risk factors would be candidates for prophylactic intravesical therapy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer recurrence.
Effect of cataract surgery volume constraints on recently graduated ophthalmologists: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND: Across Canada, graduates from several medical and surgical specialties have recently had difficulty securing practice opportunities, especially in specialties dependent on limited resources such as ophthalmology. We aimed to investigate whether resource constraints in the health care system have a greater impact on the volume of cataract surgery performed by recent graduates than on established physicians. METHODS: We used population-based administrative data from Ontario for the period Jan. 1, 1994, to June 30, 2013, to compare health services provided by recent graduates and established ophthalmologists. The primary outcome was volume of cataract surgery, a resource-intensive service for which volume is controlled by the province. RESULTS: When cataract surgery volume in Ontario entered a period of government-mandated zero growth in 2007, the mean number of cataract operations performed by recent graduates dropped significantly (−46.37 operations/quarter, 95% confidence interval [CI] −62.73 to −30.00 operations/quarter), whereas the mean rate for established ophthalmologists remained stable (+5.89 operations/quarter, 95% CI 95% CI −1.47 to +13.24 operations/quarter). Decreases in service provision among recent graduates did not occur for services without volume control. The proportion of recent graduates providing exclusively cataract surgery increased over the study period, and recent graduates in this group were 5.24 times (95% CI 2.15 to 12.76 times) more likely to fall within the lowest quartile for cataract surgical volume during the period of zero growth in provincial cataract volume (2007–2013) than in the preceding period (1996–2006). INTERPRETATION: Recent ophthalmology graduates performed many fewer cataract surgery procedures after volume controls were implemented in Ontario. Integrated initiatives involving multiple stakeholders are needed to address the issues facing recently graduated physicians in Canada.
Rheology of viscoelastic suspensions

The rheology of suspensions of solid particles in viscoelastic fluids is important in many technological applications as exemplified by the processing of filled polymers e.g. injection molding, coating processes, application in food and health care products,. Consequently, considerable attention in the literature is given to the rheology of suspensions of particles. Most studies are focused on highly filled systems (typically, volume fractions greater than 10%), with polydisperse particles of irregular shapes due to their technological importance. In contrast, realtively few studies are conducted on the rheology of dilute or semi-dilute suspensions of monodisperse spheres. In the first part we elucidate the effect of viscoelasticity on the bulk rheological properties. The behavior of model suspensions composed of non Brownian, inertialess, rigid spheres immersed in Newtonian and viscoelastic matrices is investigated in the concentration range from 0 up to 10%, thus encompassing both the dilute and semidilute regimes. The data are fitted with quadratic polynomial functions of the particle volume fraction in order to compare with theoretical, empirical and experimental models. As second part, new simulation technique for suspensions in Newtonian fluids under oscillatory shear flow is presented. The cases of a single sphere and two particles are studied and discussed. Finally, the flow induced microstructure of suspensions in viscoelastic fluids is studied by rheo-optical techniques. More specifically, the flow-induced alignment of non-colloidal particles in viscoelastic fluids is investigated systematically in an attempt to quantify the alignment of the particles and correlate it with the shear rate, size of the particles and interactions with the wall.
A 20-year experience of electron microscopy in the diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of ciliary ultrastructure is classically used for the diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). We report our extensive experience of TEM analysis in a large series of patients in order to evaluate its feasibility and results. TEM analysis performed in 1,149 patients with suspected PCD was retrospectively reviewed. Biopsies (1,450) were obtained from nasal (44%) or bronchial (56%) mucosa in children (66.5%) and adults (33.5%). TEM analysis was feasible in 71.4% of patients and showed a main defect suggestive of PCD in 29.9%. TEM was more feasible in adults than in children, regardless of the biopsy site. Main defects suggestive of PCD were found in 76.9% of patients with sinopulmonary symptoms and in only 0.4% of patients with isolated upper and 0.4% with isolated lower respiratory tract infections. The defect pattern was similar in children and adults, involving dynein arms (81.2%) or central complex (CC) (18.8%). Situs inversus was never observed in PCD patients with CC defect. Kartagener syndrome with normal ciliary ultrastructure was not an exceptional condition (10.2% of PCD). In conclusion, TEM analysis is feasible in most patients and is particularly useful for PCD diagnosis in cases of sinopulmonary syndrome of unknown origin.
Lymphotoxin-Alpha Gene Polymorphism +252A/G (rs909253, A/G) Is Associated with Susceptibility to Chronic Periodontitis: A Pilot Study

Background. Periodontal disease leading to clinical findings such as increased periodontal probing depth involves a complex interaction between invading pathogenic microorganisms and the patient's immune system. Lymphotoxin alpha (LT-α) is a potent multifunctional immune modulator that contributes toward susceptibility to immune regulation disorders, including periodontal disease. Objective. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that chronic periodontitis (CP) is associated with polymorphisms of the LT-α gene. Materials and Methods. A total of 126 subjects, 44 healthy subjects, and 82 subjects with CP, were evaluated for periodontal disease by measuring clinical attachment loss and separation. Samples of epithelial cells were obtained for DNA analysis by scraping of the buccal mucosa. The LT-α gene was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction followed by endonuclease digestion with NcoI to analyze restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Results. The LT-α gene (+252A/G) polymorphism was associated with CP. LT-α allele frequencies were significantly different (P = 0.0019) between patients with CP and healthy individuals, with an odds ratio of 2.67 for patients with CP with the G allele. Conclusions. These findings suggest the LT-α gene genotype is a risk indicator for susceptibility to chronic periodontal disease in the Brazilian population studied.
Long‐term assessment of a multidisciplinary approach to thyroid nodule diagnostic evaluation

The diagnostic evaluation of patients with thyroid nodules is imprecise. Despite the benefits of fine‐needle aspiration (FNA), most patients who are referred for surgery because of abnormal cytology prove to have benign disease. Recent technologic and procedural advances suggest that this shortcoming can be mitigated, although few data confirm this benefit in unselected patients.
Intra-Individual Consistency in Endocrine Profiles Across Successive Pregnancies.

CONTEXT It is yet unknown how similar women's hormone levels are during successive pregnancies, and very little is known about the degree to which siblings experience similar prenatal environments. Given the importance of understanding how women's reproductive life histories exert cumulative effects on health via hormone exposure, and the importance of understanding how fetal programming via endocrine signaling affects sibling trait concordance, here, we address this important lacuna in the literature. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate how consistent women's hormone profiles are across two successive pregnancies. DESIGN AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES This longitudinal, prospective study followed a cohort of 28 women across two pregnancies (PREG 1 and PREG 2). Women's circulating hormone levels were assessed from blood samples at 25, 31, and 37 weeks' gestation for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), placental corticotropin-releasing hormone (pCRH), cortisol, estradiol, and progesterone. ACTH and cortisol levels were assessed 3 months postpartum. Research questions include: Are hormone levels in PREG 2 significantly different from levels in PREG 1? What proportion of variance in PREG 2 hormone levels is attributable to variance in PREG 1 levels? Are hormone levels more stable between PREG 1 and PREG 2 compared with postpartum phases following these pregnancies? Is pCRH, which is completely placentally derived, less similar than other hormones across successive pregnancies? PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Pregnant women attended study visits at a university psychobiology laboratory in Southern California. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Comparisons of hormone concentrations across women's successive pregnancies via paired t test revealed substantial consistency from one pregnancy to another, with only significant differences between pregnancies for pCRH. Regressions revealed substantial predictability from one pregnancy to another, with between 17-56% of PREG 2 variances accounted for by PREG 1 values. Women exhibited lower degrees of consistency and predictability in hormone levels across postpartum phases compared with gestational concentrations. This is the first study to describe maternal and placental hormone levels across successive pregnancies.
Design, Analogy, and Creativity

Analogical reasoning appears to play a key role in creative design. In briefly reviewing recent research on analogy-based creative design, this article first examines characterizations of creative design and then analyzes theories of analogical design in terms of four questions: why, what, how and when? After briefly describing recent AI theories of analogy-based creative design, the article focuses on three theories instantiated in operational computer programs: Syn, DSSUA (Design Support System Using Analogy) and Ideal. From this emerges a related set of research issues in analogy-based creative design. The main goal is to sketch the core issues, themes and directions in building such theories.
Steady-state movement related potentials for brain computer interfacing

An approach for brain computer interfacing (BCI) by analysis of the steady-state movement related potentials (ssMRP) is proposed in this paper. The neurological background of the ssMRPs which are primarily studied by means of the averaged electroencephalogram (EEG) signals are briefly reviewed. A simple feature extraction method is suggested for single trial ssMRP processing. The proposed BCI paradigm is tested by using the Fishers linear discriminant (FLD) classifier. The novelty of this approach is mainly in the application of rhythmic cues for BCI, simple recording setup, and straightforward computations which make the real-time implementations plausible.
Natural Variability in S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM)-Dependent Riboswitches: S-Box Elements in Bacillus subtilis Exhibit Differential Sensitivity to SAM In Vivo and In Vitro

ABSTRACT Riboswitches are regulatory systems in which changes in structural elements in the 5′ region of the nascent RNA transcript (the “leader region”) control expression of the downstream coding sequence in response to a regulatory signal in the absence of a trans-acting protein factor. The S-box riboswitch, found primarily in low-G+C gram-positive bacteria, is the paradigm for riboswitches that sense S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Genes in the S-box family are involved in methionine metabolism, and their expression is induced in response to starvation for methionine. S-box genes exhibit conserved primary sequence and secondary structural elements in their leader regions. We previously demonstrated that SAM binds directly to S-box leader RNA, causing a structural rearrangement that results in premature termination of transcription at S-box leader region terminators. S-box genes have a variety of physiological roles, and natural variability in S-box structure and regulatory response could provide additional insight into the role of conserved S-box leader elements in SAM-directed transcription termination. In the current study, in vivo and in vitro assays were employed to analyze the differential regulation of S-box genes in response to SAM. A wide range of responses to SAM were observed for the 11 S-box-regulated transcriptional units in Bacillus subtilis, demonstrating that S-box riboswitches can be calibrated to different physiological requirements.
A Nationwide Epidemiological Study of Nocturnal Enuresis in Korean Adolescents and Adults: Population Based Cross Sectional Study

We performed a nationwide epidemiological study to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of nocturnal enuresis (NE) in Korean adolescents and adults. A questionnaire was sent via e-mail to 51,073 people aged 16-40 yr by stratified sampling according to age, sex, and region among a 200,000 internet survey panel pool. The questionnaire included following information; presence or absence of NE, frequency of NE, possible risk factors for NE, self-esteem scale score and depression score results, and measures for the treatment of NE. Among the 2,117 responders, 54 (2.6%) had NE (≥1 enuretic episode within 6 months). Of 54 bedwetters, 9.3% wet ≥1 night per week and 20.5% wet ≥1 per month. The prevalence rates remained relatively stable with no apparent trend of reduction with age. The presence of sleep disturbance, family history, urgency, or urge incontinence increased the probability of NE episode significantly. The self-esteem score was lower (P=0.053) and the depression scale score was higher (P=0.003) in bedwetters compared with non-bedwetters. Overall 2.6% of Korean aged 16-40 yr have NE. The higher rate of urgency and urge incontinence in adolescent and adult enuretics suggests that bladder function has an important role in adolescent and adult NE.
Analysis of the Langat Virus Genome in Persistent Infection of an Ixodes scapularis Cell Line

Tick-borne flaviviruses (TBFVs) cause a broad spectrum of disease manifestations ranging from asymptomatic to mild febrile illness and life threatening encephalitis. These single-stranded positive-sense (ss(+)) RNA viruses are naturally maintained in a persistent infection of ixodid ticks and small-medium sized mammals. The development of cell lines from the ixodid ticks has provided a valuable surrogate system for studying the biology of TBFVs in vitro. When we infected ISE6 cells, an Ixodes scapularis embryonic cell line, with Langat virus (LGTV) we observed that the infection proceeded directly into persistence without any cytopathic effect. Analysis of the viral genome at selected time points showed that no defective genomes were generated during LGTV persistence by 10 weeks of cell passage. This was in contrast to LGTV persistence in 293T cells in which defective viral genomes are detectable by five weeks of serial cell passage. We identified two synonymous nucleotide changes i.e., 1893A→C (29% of 5978 reads at 12 h post infection (hpi)) and 2284T→A (34% of 4191 reads at 12 hpi) in the region encoding for the viral protein E. These results suggested that the mechanisms supporting LGTV persistence are different between tick and mammalian cells.
Effect of Postdischarge Morbidity and Mortality on Comparisons of Hospital Surgical Quality

Background:Hospitals increasingly rely on surgical quality assessment programs that require considerable resources to capture outcomes after hospital discharge. However, it is unclear whether capturing postdischarge complications and deaths is important. Our objectives were (1) to determine the frequency of postdischarge complications and deaths and (2) to determine whether hospital rankings change with inclusion of postdischarge outcomes. Methods:From 181 hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeon's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, 329,951 patients were identified (2006–2007). Mortality and 19 complications within 30 days of the index operation were categorized as occurring before or after discharge. Risk-adjusted hospital rankings were compared based on whether only predischarge (inpatient) versus both pre- and postdischarge (inpatient and outpatient within 30 days of operation) morbidity and mortality were included. Results:Postdischarge complications accounted for 32.9% of all complications. Certain complications occurred frequently after discharge: surgical site infections (66.0%), urinary tract infections (39.4%), pulmonary embolisms (42.2%), and deep venous thromboses (34.5%). Of all patients experiencing complications, 39.7% had only postdischarge complications. Of 5827 postoperative deaths, 23.6% occurred after discharge. Hospital quality rankings changed when postdischarge outcomes were excluded versus included for morbidity (median hospital rank change: 16 ranks; interquartile range, 7–36) and mortality (median hospital rank change: 14 ranks; interquartile range, 6–29), and there was disagreement in outlier status designations depending on whether postdischarge events were included (morbidity: &kgr; = 0.546; mortality: &kgr; = 0.507). Conclusions:A substantial proportion of postoperative complications and deaths occur after hospital discharge. Inclusion of postdischarge events considerably affects hospital quality rankings and outlier status designations. Quality improvement programs and research that do not consider postdischarge outcomes may offer incomplete information to hospitals, payers, providers, and patients.