Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pressure Ulcer Prediction in Older Adults Receiving Home Health Care: Implications for Use with the OASIS

OBJECTIVETo determine whether admission data routinely collected on the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) might be used to identify the older adult at risk for pressure ulcer development in home health care. DESIGNSecondary analysis of data from a retrospective cohort study SETTING AND SUBJECTSThe sample included 1711 nonhospice patients 60 years or older and free of pressure ulcers who were admitted to the intermittent skilled nursing division of a large midwestern home health care agency between January 1995 and March 1996. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURESData on potential risk factors were extracted from admission information. Those identical to items on the admission OASIS assessment were included in the study. Patient records were followed forward chronologically to either pressure ulcer development or absence. MAIN RESULTSCox regression analysis showed that limitation in activity to bed, dependence in dressing, urinary incontinence, and needing assistance with transferring predicted Stage I pressure ulcer development (P ≤.001). Bowel/bladder incontinence, oxygen use, a current fracture, and dependence in dressing predicted Stage II and greater pressure ulcer development (P ≤.001). Predictors of Stage I plus Stage II and greater pressure ulcers included those predictors from each of the individual models, including limitation in activity to bed, dependence in dressing, a current fracture, oxygen use, needing assistance with transferring, and urinary incontinence (P ≤.001). CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest that the admission OASIS assessment may provide a method for identifying elderly patients who are at risk for developing Stage I and Stage II pressure ulcers in home health care.
The Perils of Classifying Political Orientation From Text

Political communication often takes complex linguistic forms. Understanding political ideology from text is an important methodological task in studying political interactions between people in both new and traditional media. Therefore, there has been a spate of recent research that either relies on, or proposes new methodology for, the classification of political ideology from text data. In this paper, we study the effectiveness of these techniques for classifying ideology in the context of US politics. We construct three different datasets of conservative and liberal English texts from (1) the congressional record, (2) prominent conservative and liberal media websites, and (3) conservative and liberal wikis, and apply text classification algorithms with a domain adaptation technique. Our results are surprisingly negative. We find that the cross-domain learning performance, benchmarking the ability to generalize from one of these datasets to another, is poor, even though the algorithms perform very well in within-dataset cross-validation tests. We provide evidence that the poor performance is due to differences in the concepts that generate the true labels across datasets, rather than to a failure of domain adaptation methods. Our results suggest the need for extreme caution in interpreting the results of machine learning methodologies for classification of political text across domains. The one exception to our strongly negative results is that the classification methods show some ability to generalize from the congressional record to media websites. We show that this is likely because of the temporal movement of the use of specific phrases from politicians to the media.
Quantifying the Early Health Status Benefits of Successful Chronic Total Occlusion Recanalization: Results From the FlowCardia's Approach to Chronic Total Occlusion Recanalization (FACTOR) Trial

Background—Data on the health status benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention for coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs), a principal indication for the procedure, are lacking. Methods and Results—In the FlowCardia Approach to CTO Recanalization (FACTOR) trial, patients (n=125) completed the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) at baseline and 1 month after percutaneous coronary intervenion. One-month health status outcomes were compared by multivariable analysis, adjusting for group differences between those whose CTO was successfully and unsuccessfully recanalized. These changes were also analyzed according to baseline symptoms. Procedural success was 55% (n=64) and independently associated with angina relief (difference between those with successful and unsuccessful percutaneous coronary intervention [&Dgr;] in SAQ angina frequency=9.5 points; 95% confidence interval, 1.6 to 17.5; P=0.019), improved physical function (&Dgr; in SAQ physical limitation=13.1 points; 95% confidence interval, 5.1 to 21.1; P=0.001), and enhanced quality of life (&Dgr; in SAQ quality of life [QoL]=20.3 points; 95% confidence interval, 11.9 to 28.6; P<0.001). The benefit of successful percutaneous coronary intervention was greatest in symptomatic patients as compared with asymptomatic patients although statistically significantly so only for QoL (&Dgr;SAQ angina frequency domain=10.3 versus 4.3 points, P=0.51, &Dgr;physical limitation =15.9 versus 6.3 points, P=0.25; &Dgr;QoL=27.3 versus 8.5 points, P=0.047). Conclusions—Successful CTO recanalization is associated with significant early improvements in patient symptoms, function, and QoL but only among symptomatic patients. Percutaneous treatment of a CTO offers the potential to provide significant health status benefits in symptomatic patients.
A Novel Endonucleolytic Mechanism to Generate the CCA 3′ Termini of tRNA Molecules in Thermotoga maritima*

The tRNA 3′-terminal CCA sequence is essential for aminoacylation of the tRNAs and for translation on the ribosome. The tRNAs are transcribed as larger precursor molecules containing 5′ and 3′ extra sequences. In the tRNAs that do not have the encoded CCA, the 3′ extra sequence after the discriminator nucleotide is usually cleaved off by the tRNA 3′ processing endoribonuclease (3′ tRNase, or RNase Z), and the 3′-terminal CCA residues are added thereto. Here we analyzed Thermotoga maritima 3′ tRNase for enzymatic properties using various pre-tRNAs from T. maritima, in which all 46 tRNA genes encode CCA with only one exception. We found that the enzyme has the unprecedented activity that cleaves CCA-containing pre-tRNAs precisely after the CCA sequence, not after the discriminator. The assays for pre-tRNA variants suggest that the CA residues at nucleotides 75 and 76 are required for the enzyme to cleave pre-tRNAs after A at nucleotide 76 and that the cleavage occurs after nucleotide 75 if the sequence is not CA. Intriguingly, the pre-tRNAMet that is the only T. maritima pre-tRNA without the encoded CCA was cleaved after the discriminator. The kinetics data imply the existence of a CCA binding domain in T. maritima 3′ tRNase. We also identified two amino acid residues critical for the cleavage site selection and several residues essential for the catalysis. Analysis of cleavage sites by 3′ tRNases from another eubacteria Escherichia coli and two archaea Thermoplasma acidophilum and Pyrobaculum aerophilum corroborates the importance of the two amino acid residues for the cleavage site selection.
Complete remission of psoriasis after autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for multiple myeloma.

zone lymphoma: Clinical, cytological, immunological, molecular, and cytogenetical features of a series of 35 cases. Haematologica 92:104, 2007 (abstr 0288) 6. Chacón JI, Mollejo M, Munoz E, et al: Splenic marginal zone lymphoma: Clinical characzteristics and prognostic factors in a series of 60 patients. Blood 100:1648-1654, 2002 7. Oscier D, Owen R, Johnson S: Splenic marginal zone lymphoma. Blood Rev 19:39-51, 2005 8. Camacho FL, Mollejo M, Mateo MS, et al: Progression to large B-cell lymphoma in splenic marginal zone lymphoma: A description of a series of 12 cases. Am J Surg Pathol 25:1268-1276, 2001 9. Parry-Jones N, Matutes E, Gruszka-Westwood AM, et al: Prognostic features of splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes: A report on 129 patients. Br J Haematol 120:759-764, 2003
Structure and function of medial temporal and posteromedial cortices in early Alzheimer’s disease

Medial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy and posteromedial cortical hypometabolism are consistent imaging findings in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As the MTL memory structures are affected early in the course of AD by neurofibrillary tangle pathology, the posteromedial metabolic abnormalities have been postulated to represent remote effects of MTL alterations. In this study, we investigated with functional MRI (fMRI) the structure–function relationship between the MTL and posteromedial regions, including the retrosplenial, posterior cingulate and precuneal cortices, in 21 older controls (OCs), 18 subjects with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 16 AD patients during a word list learning task. In the voxel‐based morphometric and volumetric analyses, the MCI subjects showed smaller entorhinal volume than OCs (P = 0.0001), whereas there was no difference in the hippocampal or posteromedial volume. AD patients, as compared with MCI patients, showed pronounced loss of volume in the entorhinal (P = 0.0001), hippocampal (P = 0.01) and posteromedial (P = 0.001) regions. The normal pattern of posteromedial fMRI task‐induced deactivation during active encoding of words was observed bilaterally in the OCs, but only in restricted unilateral left posteromedial areas in the MCI and AD patients. Across all subjects, more extensive impairment of the retrosplenial and posterior cingulate function was significantly related to smaller entorhinal (P = 0.001) and hippocampal (P = 0.0002) volume. These findings demonstrate that entorhinal atrophy and posteromedial cortical dysfunction are early characteristics of prodromal AD, and precede and/or overwhelm atrophy of the hippocampus and posteromedial cortices. Disturbances in posteromedial cortical function are associated with morphological changes in the MTL across the continuum from normal aging to clinical AD.
"Finger drop sign" in Guillain-Barré syndrome.

BACKGROUND Guillain-Barriota syndrome (GBS) is an acute neurological illness affecting the peripheral nervous system causing significant morbidity. The syndrome has been classified electrophysiologically into demyelinating and axonal forms. The clinical features of the axonal variant (acute motor axonal neuropathy--AMAN) are not well characterized, particularly in the Indian context. OBJECTIVE To assess the incidence, clinical presentation and disease course of patients with AMAN. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is an observational study done at a tertiary referral center in South India. The study period extended from January 2006 to July 2007. All patients with a clinical diagnosis of GBS and satisfying the electrophysiological criteria for AMAN were included. RESULTS There were 12 cases of AMAN out of a total of 84 cases of GBS. All AMAN patients showed a characteristic pattern of hand weakness predominant weakness of finger extensors with relatively normal power in finger flexors, wrist flexors and extensors. Proximal limb weakness was mild and was present in 85% cases. One patient had cranial nerve palsy and one had hyperreflexia. None of the patients progressed to respiratory failure. CONCLUSION AMAN is a distinct subgroup in GBS showing certain distinguishing features, the most notable being predominant weakness of finger extensors.
The effects of indomethacin on arachidonic acid and prostaglandins e2 and f2alpha levels in human skin 24 h after u.v.B and u.v.C irradiation.

1 Clinically normal human abdominal skin was irradiated with either three times its minimal erythema dose (MED) of ultraviolet B (u.v.B) or six MEDs of ultraviolet C (u.v.C) radiation. In both instances erythema was maximal at 24 h. 2 Exudate was recovered by a suction bulla technique from normal and irradiated skin at 24 h after irradiation. 3 Arachidonic acid, prostaglandins E2 and FSalpha, as measured by GC--MS, were significantly elevated at 24 h. Radioimmunoassay also showed increased PGF2alpha-like concentrations. 4 Oral indomethacin only partially reduced the erythema resulting from both types of radiation but totally suppressed the elevation of PGE 2 and F2alpha concentrations. 5 Topical indomethacin also suppressed u.v. B-induced increases in prostaglandins E2 and F2alpha. Unexpectedly, the vehicle alone produced a similar suppressive effect on prostaglandins although erythema appeared unaltered. 6 Most of the arachidonic acid metabolized by indomethacin-sensitive pathways is not converted to prostaglandins E2 and F2alpha in human skin.
Rap1b Regulates B Cell Development, Homing, and T Cell-Dependent Humoral Immunity1

Rap1 is a small GTPase that belongs to Ras superfamily. This ubiquitously expressed GTPase is a key regulator of integrin functions. Rap1 exists in two isoforms: Rap1a and Rap1b. Although Rap1 has been extensively studied, its isoform-specific functions in B cells have not been elucidated. In this study, using gene knockout mice, we show that Rap1b is the dominant isoform in B cells. Lack of Rap1b significantly reduced the absolute number of B220+IgM− pro/pre-B cells and B220+IgM+ immature B cells in bone marrow. In vitro culture of bone marrow-derived Rap1b−/− pro/pre-B cells with IL-7 showed similar proliferation levels but reduced adhesion to stromal cell line compared with wild type. Rap1b−/− mice displayed reduced splenic marginal zone (MZ) B cells, and increased newly forming B cells, whereas the number of follicular B cells was normal. Functionally, Rap1b−/− mice showed reduced T-dependent but normal T-independent humoral responses. B cells from Rap1b−/− mice showed reduced migration to SDF-1, CXCL13 and in vivo homing to lymph nodes. MZ B cells showed reduced sphingosine-1-phosphate-induced migration and adhesion to ICAM-1. However, absence of Rap1b did not affect splenic B cell proliferation, BCR-mediated activation of Erk1/2, p38 MAPKs, and AKT. Thus, Rap1b is crucial for early B cell development, MZ B cell homeostasis and T-dependent humoral immunity.
Discrimination between normal and glaucomatous eyes with visual field and scanning laser polarimetry measurements

AIM To evaluate the ability of structural parameters (as determined by retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) measurements obtained with the scanning laser polarimeter (SLP-NFA/GDx)) and functional parameters (as determined by automated perimetry) to discriminate between normal and glaucomatous eyes. METHODS In a case-control study, a total of 91 normal subjects and 94 patients with glaucoma underwent automated perimetry and RNFL measurements obtained with the SLP. Three independent scans of each eye were obtained and a mean image was created and used for further analysis. Only one eye per individual was randomly included in the study. The sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of 12 RNFL parameters were calculated according to the SLP internal normative database. The Se and Sp of the visual field (VF) global indices and the glaucoma hemifield test (GHT) were also calculated according to the instrument's normative database. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were built for each SLP parameter and VF index. Fisher's linear discriminant formulas (LDFs) were developed for VF indices (VF LDF), SLP measurements (SLP LDF), and both examinations (combined LDF). RESULTS According to the SLP internal database, the parameters with better Se and Sp were: superior/nasal ratio (Se = 58.5%; Sp = 86.8%), and GDx the number (Se = 43.3%; Sp = 96.7%). The construction of an ROC curve for the number resulted in Se = 84% and Sp = 79%. The creation of LDFs improved both the sensitivities and specificities when compared with isolated parameters SLP LDF (Se = 90.4%; Sp = 82.4%), VF LDF (Se = 89.4%; Sp = 89.0%), and combined LDF (Se = 93.0%; Sp = 90.1%). The sensitivity to diagnose early and moderate glaucomatous damage observed with the GHT was lower than that obtained with the number (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Creation of LDFs enhanced the Se and Sp for both VF and SLP. Integration of SLP and VF in a combined LDF reached the highest Se/Sp relation, suggesting that these examinations may be additive concerning the diagnosis of glaucoma. The SLP parameter the number may be more sensitive than the GHT in diagnosing early and moderate glaucomatous damage.
TGF-β Induces Acetylation of Chromatin and of Ets-1 to Alleviate Repression of miR-192 in Diabetic Nephropathy

Acetylation of chromatin and Ets-1 contributes to induction of miR-192, a microRNA involved in kidney pathogenesis. Kidney Fibrosis Through Acetylation Epigenetic changes alter gene expression and can induce pathogenesis. MicroRNA-192 (miR-192) mediates the transcription of genes involved in kidney fibrosis in response to high glucose–induced signaling by TGF-β (transforming growth factor–β). Kato et al. found that in basal conditions, Ets-1 was bound to chromatin upstream of miR-192 and suppressed its expression in murine kidney mesangial cells. After treatment with high glucose or TGF-β, Ets-1 was acetylated in an Akt- and p300-dependent manner and dissociated from miR-192. Although Ets-1 was dispensable for transiently increased expression of miR-192, Ets-1 deficiency in mice or murine mesangial cells prevented the sustained expression of miR-192 in response to TGF-β. Activation of p300 and acetylation of Ets-1 and of histone H3 at lysines 9 and 14 were increased in diabetic db/db mice compared with wild-type mice, suggesting that alleviation of Ets-1 repression may contribute to diabetic nephropathy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), such as miR-192, mediate the actions of transforming growth factor–β1 (TGF-β) related to the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney diseases. We found that the biphasic induction of miR-192 expression by TGF-β in mouse renal glomerular mesangial cells initially involved the Smad transcription factors, followed by sustained expression that was promoted by acetylation of the transcription factor Ets-1 and of histone H3 by the acetyltransferase p300, which was activated by the serine and threonine kinase Akt. In mesangial cells from Ets-1–deficient mice or in cells in which Ets-1 was knocked down, basal amounts of miR-192 were higher than those in control cells, but sustained induction of miR-192 by TGF-β was attenuated. Furthermore, inhibition of Akt or ectopic expression of dominant-negative histone acetyltransferases decreased p300-mediated acetylation and Ets-1 dissociation from the miR-192 promoter and prevented miR-192 expression in response to TGF-β. Activation of Akt and p300 and acetylation of Ets-1 and histone H3 were increased in glomeruli from diabetic db/db mice compared to nondiabetic db/+ mice, suggesting that this pathway may contribute to diabetic nephropathy. These findings provide insight into the regulation of miRNAs through signaling-mediated changes in transcription factor activity and in epigenetic histone acetylation under normal and disease states.
Delayed Hypersensitivity Reaction to Acellular Dermal Matrix in Breast Reconstruction: The Red Breast Syndrome?

BackgroundAcellular dermal matrix (ADM) has become a valuable tool in reconstructive breast surgery, in part because it has been considered to be a non-reactive and non-immunogenic entity. However, some patients who undergo breast reconstruction with ADMs develop postoperative erythema overlying their ADM grafts. The etiology of this phenomenon is poorly understood. MethodsIn this article, we summarize clinical cases in which patients developed localized breast erythema following reconstruction with ADMs. We review what is known about postoperative breast erythema after ADM-based breast reconstructions and the possible antigenicity of biologic mesh implants. ResultsWe report 4 implant-based breast reconstruction patients who developed erythematous reactions overlying the region where ADM was placed: one demonstrated a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction on punch biopsy of the affected skin, leading to removal of the biologic product; 2 others had a similar clinical presentation that responded to corticosteroids without removal of the biologic material, with 1 patient experiencing recrudescence of erythema that responded fully to a second course of corticosteroids; and a fourth showed erythema that was only moderately responsive to antibiotic therapy but which improved consistently after the patient initiated chemotherapy. ConclusionWe propose that the etiology of erythema overlying ADM grafts, and the so-called red breast syndrome, may in some patients be a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction to the ADM product. Affected patients may benefit from treatment with corticosteroids or similar medications, and that such treatment may, in some cases, enable patients to retain the ADM grafts and enable salvage of the reconstructed breast.
Aging of the autonomic nervous system and possible improvements in autonomic activity using somatic afferent stimulation

There are significant age‐related changes in autonomic nervous system function that are responsible for an impaired ability to adapt to environmental or intrinsic visceral stimuli in the elderly. We review data on changes in autonomic nervous system regulation of cardiovascular and urinary function, as well as data on strategies to improve function. There are data showing alterations in peripheral and central autonomic nerve activity, and decreases in neurotransmitter receptor action that lead to diminished autonomic reactivity (e.g. blood pressure and cerebral blood flow regulation) and poorly coordinated autonomic discharge (e.g. bladder function). Simple strategies for autonomic function improvement and increasing cortical blood flow include walking and somatic afferent stimulation (e.g. stroking skin or acupuncture) to increase sympathetic, parasympathetic and central cholinergic activity. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2010; 10 (Suppl. 1): S127–S136.
Plant Breeding

This paper discusses the question: what genetic contributions to efficiency of crop plant production may be expected in the next decade or two? Two aspects of efficiency are recognized. General efficiency, reflected in the yield of a standard product, is essentially a matter of conversion of carbon dioxide and radiant energy to a desired product with minimal waste or loss. Minimal waste is achieved by optimal use of the environment and by optimization of plant structure and physiological response. The best opportunities for enhanced yields lie in improved partition of assimilate rather than in enhanced net assimilation. Minimal waste is primarily a matter of disease resistance; field (or horizontal) resistance is likely to become ever more widely used. Control of harvest and storage losses offers little opportunity to the plant breeder. Specific efficiency is reflected in quality and is concerned with altered chemical composition, often, and increasingly, of a fairly well-defined nature. There seems to be a clear trend towards breeding for quality factors. The conclusion is that the 1980 s will see further yield advances, together with great improvements in specific efficiency. Thereafter we may well be, in advanced agricultures, approaching plateaux in the yield performance of many crops. If so, the levels of the plateaux will be determined by the degree of success achieved by plant breeding, interacting with such factors of the environment as are accessible to control by good husbandry.