Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combined treatment of ulinastatin and tranexamic acid provides beneficial effects by inhibiting inflammatory and fibrinolytic response in patients undergoing heart valve replacement surgery.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of ulinastatin and tranexamic acid administered alone or in combination on inflammatory cytokines and fibrinolytic system in patients undergoing heart valve replacement surgery during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). BACKGROUND CPB-induced fibrinolytic hyperfunction and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) are the leading causes responsible for the occurrence of postsurgical complications such as postsurgical cardiac insufficiency and lung injury, which may lead to an increase in postsurgical bleeding, prolongation of hospital stay, and increased costs. METHODS One hundred twenty patients undergoing heart valve replacement surgery during CPB were randomly assigned into 4 groups of 30 patients each: blank control group (Group C), tranexamic acid group (Group T), ulinastatin group (Group U), and tranexamic acid-ulinastatin combination group (Group D). Physiological saline, tranexamic acid, ulinastatin, and a combination of tranexamic acid and ulinastatin were given to each group, respectively. Arterial blood was collected from the radial artery at 4 time points: after induction of anesthesia (T1), unclamping the ascending aorta (T2), and at 1 hour (T3) and 24 hours (T4) after CPB. The levels of plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), neutrophil elastase (NE), and the concentrations of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and α2-antiplasmin (α2-AP) were detected. The changes in the volume of pericardial mediastinal drainage after surgery were observed and recorded. RESULTS The plasma TNF-α, IL-6, and NE levels significantly increased in patients from all 4 groups at time points of T2, T3, and T4 in comparison to those before CPB (P < .05), and the plasma TNF-α and IL-6 levels in groups U and D were significantly lower than those in the other 2 groups (P < .05). The plasma t-PA, α2-AP, and D-dimer concentrations significantly increased in patients from all 4 groups at T2 and T3 compared with those before CPB (P < .05), and the plasma t-PA and D-dimer concentrations were significantly lower in groups T and D than those in groups U and C (P < .05) at T2 and T3. The plasma α2-AP concentrations in groups T and D were significantly higher than those in Group C at T3 (P < .05). The volumes of pericardial mediastinal drainage per body surface area were significantly lower in groups T and D than those in Group C 6 hours after the surgery (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS Ulinastatin inhibits the release of inflammatory medium and reduces the inflammatory response during CPB. Tranexamic acid can effectively inhibit the fibrinolytic hyperfunction caused by CPB and thus decreases postsurgical bleeding. In addition, it exhibits a minor anti-inflammatory response. As a consequence, a combined treatment of ulinastatin and tranexamic acid reduces postsurgical bleeding and shortens postoperative hospital stay in patients undergoing heart valve replacement surgery.
Feel it or Measure it - Perceived vs. Measured Noise in Hedonic Models

The aim of this paper is to compare the use of scientific and perceived noise measures in a hedonic model framework. Although in theory the use of subjective variables is recommended, most of the empirical applications use scientific noise variables. Using three different databases, we are able to obtain a relative large sample of about 2800 apartments located in Geneva, Switzerland. The sample contains both scientific measures and perceived noise data, as well as structural and accessibility variables. However, in order to compare scientific and perceived noise measures we need them expressed in comparable units, e.g. dB(A). Since no such data is available, we refer to the acoustic literature to transform a categorical variable on perceived external noise into a measure directly comparable to a scientific measure of noise in dB(A). We show that a clear relationship appears between the scientific measure of road traffic noise and the transformation of the perceived external noise in dB(A). From this relationship, it is interesting to note that: 1) There is a great variability in the perception of noise when the scientific noise level is relatively low; and 2) The systematic bias of subjective overestimation of low probability events that has been highlighted in the risk literature also parallels with our findings here concerning the perceived exposure to external noise. Having both noise measures in comparable units, we are able to analyse their performance in the context of the hedonic model. We conclude that for moderate to high noise levels, the scientific measures of noise safely approximate the individual perception of it. This last result is very promising from a policy-making point of view, for which the use of scientific measures are more convenient and transferable than subjective perceptions.
Effect of exercise training on inflammation status among people with metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND Metabolic syndrome is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, a condition thought to play a key role in the pathogenesis of the syndrome. Among a number of proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-18 (IL-18) seems to be the best marker for inflammation among people with metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of aerobic training versus strength training on circulating IL-18 and other proinflammatory markers in people with metabolic syndrome. METHODS Thirty-one inactive men and women with metabolic syndrome were randomized to either high-intensity aerobic interval training (AIT, n=11), strength training (ST, n=10), or a control group (n=10). Exercise training was carried out three times per week for 12 weeks. Serum insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), IL-18, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured before and after the intervention. RESULTS Serum IL-18 was reduced by 43% after AIT (P<0.001). Although there was no change in TNF-α from baseline after AIT, the levels were lower compared to the ST (P=0.032) and control groups (P=0.039) after the intervention. Total body fat was reduced after AIT (from 33.9 ± 7.3% to 32.2 ± 7.9%, P<0.001) and ST (from 31.2 ± 3.9% to 29.7 ± 3.4%, P=0.025). There were no changes in serum IL-6, insulin, or hsCRP within or between the groups. CONCLUSION Both ST and AIT reduced fat mass. However, only the latter intervention was associated with a more favorable inflammatory status among people with metabolic syndrome. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00986024/ .
MCL-1ES Induces MCL-1L-Dependent BAX- and BAK-Independent Mitochondrial Apoptosis

MCL-1 (myeloid cell leukemia-1), a member of the BCL-2 family, has three splicing variants, antiapoptotic MCL-1L, proapoptotic MCL-1S, and MCL-1ES. We previously reported cloning MCL-1ES and characterizing it as an apoptotic molecule. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism by which MCL-1ES promotes cell death. MCL-1ES was distinct from other proapoptotic BCL-2 members that induce apoptosis by promoting BAX or BAK oligomerization, leading to mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP), in that MCL-1ES promoted mitochondrial apoptosis independently of both BAX and BAK. Instead, MCL-1L was crucial for the apoptotic activity of MCL-1ES by facilitating its proper localization to the mitochondria. MCL-1ES did not interact with any BCL-2 family proteins except for MCL-1L, and antiapoptotic BCL-2 members failed to inhibit apoptosis induced by MCL-1ES. The BCL-2 homology 3 (BH3) domain of MCL-1ES was critical for both MCL-1ES association with MCL-1L and apoptotic activity. MCL-1ES formed mitochondrial oligomers, and this process was followed by MOMP and cytochrome c release in a MCL-1L-dependent manner. These findings indicate that MCL-1ES, as a distinct proapoptotic BCL-2 family protein, may be useful for intervening in diseases that involve uncontrolled MCL-1L.
Effect of Snippets on User Experience in Web Search

In recent years, the search engine results pages (SERP's) have been augmented with new markup elements that introduce seamlessly additional semantic information. Examples of such elements are the aggregated results disseminated by vertical portals, and the enriched snippets that display meta-information from the landing pages. In this paper, we investigate the gaze behaviour of web users who inter- act with SERP's that contain plain and rich snippets, and observe the impact of both types of snippets on the web search experience. For our study, we consider a wide range of snippet types, such as multimedia elements (Google Images, Google Videos), recommendation snippets (Author, Google Plus, Reviews, Google Shopping Product), and geo-location snippets (Google Places). We conduct two controlled user studies that employ eye tracking and mouse tracking, and analyse the search interactions of 213 participants, focusing on three factors: noticeability, interest, and conversion. Our findings indicate that ranking remains the most critical factor in relevance perception, although in certain cases the richness of snippets can capture user attention.
Chronic Disease Self-Management Improved with Enhanced Self-Efficacy

This pilot study used a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design to examine if participation in a chronic disease self-management program (CDSMP) improved self-efficacy, self-efficacy health, and self-management behaviors in anunderserved, poor, rural population. The sample, recruited from two clinics in a south central state, consisted of 48 adults (59.70 11.22 years) and was 79.2% Caucasian (n = 38) and 20.8% (n = 10) African American. Trained lay leaders with chronic illnesses directed the interactive CDSMP based on Bandura’s selfefficacy theory that included strategies for personal exercise program development, cognitive symptom management, problem solving, and communication skills. Program-specific paper-and-pencil instruments were completed prior to and immediately after completion of the 6-week program. Significant improvements (p < .10) in self-efficacy, self-efficacy health, and self-management behaviors occurred. Results underscore the need to evaluate intervention programs for specific populations and for a new paradigm that focuses on patient-provider partnerships that can improve health outcomes in underserved, poor, rural populations.
Mesenchymal stem cells as a novel vaccine platform

Vaccines are the most efficient and cost-effective means of preventing infectious disease. However, traditional vaccine approaches have thus far failed to provide protection against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, malaria, and many other diseases. New approaches to vaccine development are needed to address some of these intractable problems. In this report, we review the literature identifying stimulatory effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on immune responses and explore the potential for MSC as a novel, universal vaccination platform. MSC are unique bone marrow-derived multipotent progenitor cells that are presently being exploited as gene therapy vectors for a variety of conditions, including cancer and autoimmune diseases. Although MSC are predominantly known for anti-inflammatory properties during allogeneic MSC transplant, there is evidence that MSC can actually promote adaptive immunity under certain settings. MSC have also demonstrated some success in anti-cancer therapeutic vaccines and anti-microbial prophylactic vaccines, as we report, for the first time, the ability of modified MSC to express and secrete a viral antigen that stimulates antigen-specific antibody production in vivo. We hypothesize that the unique properties of modified MSC may enable MSC to serve as an unconventional but innovative, vaccine platform. Such a platform would be capable of expressing hundreds of proteins, thereby generating a broad array of epitopes with correct post-translational processing, mimicking natural infection. By stimulating immunity to a combination of epitopes, it may be possible to develop prophylactic and even therapeutic vaccines to tackle major health problems including those of non-microbial and microbial origin, including cancer, or an infectious disease like HIV, where traditional vaccination approaches have failed.
Structure Prediction

We begin to consider computational approaches to predicting the structure of proteins. Notes: Fun event Saturday a.m.: Grinnell Destination ImagiNation Fun Run/Walk. More info outside my office. If you are registered in Powesheik county, don't forget to vote. Don't forget Thursday's " Thursday Extra " : The Ontological domain model of medical imaging informatics. (Yes, it will be more interesting than it sounds.) Lots of kinds of structures: Primary, secondary, tertiary, quartenary Proteins have structure. RNA has structure. Even DNA sometimes has non-obvious structure Why do we care? Can we write programs that predict structures? Not perfectly (at least not yet) But can get some potentially useful info The Chou-Fasman Algorithm Chou and Fasman provided an algorithm (well, perhaps more of a heuristic) for predicting some secondary structure: alpha helices beta sheets (aka beta strands)
Use of a tubular retractor system in microscopic lumbar discectomy: 1 year prospective results in 135 patients.

OBJECT Application of minimally invasive techniques to lumbar disc surgery has led to the development of the Microscopic Endoscopic Tubular Retractor System (METRx-MD). A prospective evaluation of results and complications was undertaken. METHODS One hundred thirty-five patients underwent surgery in which the METRx-MD system was used; most procedures were performed on an outpatient basis, and general anesthesia was induced in all cases. All patients were followed prospectively. Outcomes were measured using a visual analog scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaires. Follow-up data were collected by an outside company, which also tabulated the data. Data were collected in 129 of 135 patients. Improvement was seen on the VAS (Scores 7-2), ODI (Scores 57-16), and SF-36 scales (bodily pain Scores 20-60). Patient satisfaction with results was 94% and with office services 88%. Thirty-six percent of patients returned to work at 0 to 2 weeks, 38% at 3 to 5 weeks, and 25% at 5 to 26 weeks. Hospital charges decreased by $2395 (18%). The mean operative time was 66 minutes, and the mean blood loss was 22 ml. Complications included one superficial wound infection, one discitis, three durotomies, and three cases of excessive bleeding (> 100 ml). There were five reoperations: four for recurrent disc herniations, (two ipsilateral and two contralateral to the index site) and one for spinal stenosis contralateral to the index site. CONCLUSIONS Minimally invasive surgery in which the METRx-MD system is used is clinically effective and cost effective. Patient satisfaction was high. A mean per case cost savings of $2395 was realized. Complications rates were comparable with those associated with traditional microdiscectomy procedures.
Diffusion-weighted EPI- and HASTE-MRI and 18F-FDG-PET-CT early during chemoradiotherapy in advanced head and neck cancer.

MAIN PROBLEM Diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) has potential to predict chemoradiotherapy (CRT) response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and is generally performed using echo-planar imaging (EPI). However, EPI-DWI is susceptible to geometric distortions. Half-fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE)-DWI may be an alternative. This prospective pilot study evaluates the potential predictive value of EPI- and HASTE-DWI and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT (18F-FDG-PET-CT) early during CRT for locoregional outcome in HNSCC. METHODS Eight patients with advanced HNSCC (7 primary tumors and 25 nodal metastases) scheduled for CRT, underwent DW-MRI (using both EPI- and HASTE-DWI) and 18F-FDG-PET(-CT) pretreatment, early during treatment and three months after treatment. Median follow-up time was 38 months. RESULTS No local recurrences were detected during follow-up. Median Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC)EPI-values in primary tumors increased from 77×10(-5) mm(2)/s pretreatment, to 113×10(-5) mm(2)/s during treatment (P=0.02), whereas ADCHASTE did not increase (74 and 74 mm(2)/s, respectively). Two regional recurrences were diagnosed. During treatment, ADCEPI tended to be higher for patients with regional control [(117.3±12.1)×10(-5) mm(2)/s] than for patients with a recurrence [(98.0±4.2)×10(-5) mm(2)/s]. This difference was not seen with ADCHASTE. No correlations between ΔADCEPI and ΔSUV (Standardized Uptake Value) were found in the primary tumor or nodal metastases. CONCLUSIONS HASTE-DWI seems to be inadequate in early CRT response prediction, compared to EPI-DWI which has potential to predict locoregional outcome. EPI-DWI and 18F-FDG-PET-CT potentially provide independent information in the early response to treatment, since no correlations were found between ΔADCEPI and ΔSUV.
Use and acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine among the general population and medical personnel: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND The interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased during the past decade and the attitude of the general public is mainly positive, but the debate about the clinical effectiveness of these therapies remains controversial among many medical professionals. METHODS We conducted a systematic search of the existing literature utilizing different databases, including PubMed/Medline, PSYNDEX, and PsycLit, to research the use and acceptance of CAM among the general population and medical personnel. A special focus on CAM-referring literature was set by limiting the PubMed search to "Complementary Medicine" and adding two other search engines: CAMbase (www.cambase.de) and CAMRESEARCH (www.camresearch.net). These engines were used to reveal publications that at the time of the review were not indexed in PubMed. RESULTS A total of 16 papers met the scope criteria. Prevalence rates of CAM in each of the included studies were between 5% and 74.8%. We found a higher utilization of homeopathy and acupuncture in German-speaking countries. Excluding any form of spiritual prayer, the data demonstrate that chiropractic manipulation, herbal medicine, massage, and homeopathy were the therapies most commonly used by the general population. We identified sex, age, and education as predictors of CAM utilization: More users were women, middle aged, and more educated. The ailments most often associated with CAM utilization included back pain or pathology, depression, insomnia, severe headache or migraine, and stomach or intestinal illnesses. Medical students were the most critical toward CAM. Compared to students of other professions (ie, nursing students: 44.7%, pharmacy students: 18.2%), medical students reported the least consultation with a CAM practitioner (10%). CONCLUSIONS The present data demonstrate an increase of CAM usage from 1990 through 2006 in all countries investigated. We found geographical differences, as well as differences between the general population and medical personnel.
A general space vector PWM algorithm for multilevel inverters, including operation in overmodulation range

Multilevel inverters are being increasingly used in high power industrial drive applications. There are many modulation techniques available for a multilevel inverter but space vector PWM is commonly used. When the inverter operates in the sinusoidal mode of space vector PWM, the DC link voltage of the inverter is not fully utilized. A suitable overmodulation scheme is required to address this problem. Another problem associated with the space vector PWM of multilevel inverters is, when the level of the inverter increases, the implementation of space vector modulation becomes cumbersome due to the difficulty in determining the location of reference vector, calculation of on-times and large number of switching states. This paper proposes a simple space vector PWM algorithm, which (a) can cover sinusoidal mode and overmodulation mode (b) can easily determine the location of reference vector (c) can easily calculate the on-times (d) can be used for any level of inverter. In the proposed scheme, the on-time calculations are based on a standard two-level space vector PWM. The proposed scheme is explained for a 5-level cascaded H-bridge inverter with operation in sinusoidal mode, overmodulation mode I, and overmodulation mode II. Experimental results are provided to prove the viability of the scheme
Media Use by Children Younger Than 2 Years

In 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement addressing media use in children. The purpose of that statement was to educate parents about the effects that media—both the amount and the content—may have on children. In one part of that statement, the AAP recommended that “pediatricians should urge parents to avoid television viewing for children under the age of two years. ” The wording of the policy specifically discouraged media use in this age group, although it is frequently misquoted by media outlets as no media exposure in this age group. The AAP believed that there were significantly more potential negative effects of media than positive ones for this age group and, thus, advised families to thoughtfully consider media use for infants. This policy statement reaffirms the 1999 statement with respect to media use in infants and children younger than 2 years and provides updated research findings to support it. This statement addresses (1) the lack of evidence supporting educational or developmental benefits for media use by children younger than 2 years, (2) the potential adverse health and developmental effects of media use by children younger than 2 years, and (3) adverse effects of parental media use (background media) on children younger than 2 years.
Parity and Overweight/Obesity in Peruvian Women

Introduction The rise in noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors in developing countries may have changed or intensified the effect of parity on obesity. We aimed to assess this association in Peruvian women using data from a nationally representative survey. Methods We used data from Peru’s Demographic and Health Survey, 2012. Parity was defined as the number of children ever born to a woman. We defined overweight as having a body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) of 25.0 to 29.9 and obesity as a BMI ≥30.0. Generalized linear models were used to evaluate the association between parity and BMI and BMI categories, by area of residence and age, adjusting for confounders. Results Data from 16,082 women were analyzed. Mean parity was 2.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.17–2.33) among rural women and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.36–1.43) among urban women. Mean BMI was 26.0 (standard deviation, 4.6). We found evidence of an association between parity and BMI, particularly in younger women; BMI was up to 4 units higher in rural areas and 2 units higher in urban areas. An association between parity and BMI categories was observed in rural areas as a gradient, being highest in younger women. Conclusion We found a positive association between parity and overweight/obesity. This relationship was stronger in rural areas and among younger mothers.