Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The clinical course of treated hyperparathyroidism among patients receiving hemodialysis and the effect of cinacalcet: the EVOLVE trial.

CONTEXT The clinical course of secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) in patients on hemodialysis is not well described, and the effect of the calcimimetic cinacalcet on disease progression is uncertain. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to describe 1) the clinical course of sHPT in patients treated with phosphate binders and/or vitamin D sterols and 2) the impact of cinacalcet on the occurrence of severe unremitting HPT, defined by the persistence of markedly elevated PTH concentrations together with hypercalcemia or parathyroidectomy (PTX). DESIGN AND SETTING This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, global, multicenter clinical trial. PATIENTS Of 5755 patients screened with moderate to severe sHPT, 3883 patients on hemodialysis were included in the trial. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Outcomes included PTX; severe, unremitting HPT; and use of commercial cinacalcet (a protocol violation). INTERVENTION Intervention was cinacalcet (30-180 mg daily) or placebo for up to 64 months. RESULTS In the 1935 patients randomized to placebo, 278 patients (14%) underwent PTX (median PTH 1872 pg/mL within the previous 12 weeks from surgery). Age, sex, geographic region, co-morbidity, calcium-containing phosphate binder use, and baseline serum calcium, phosphorus, and PTH concentrations were associated with PTX. Commercial cinacalcet was started in 443 (23%) patients (median PTH 1108 pg/mL before treatment began). Severe unremitting HPT developed in 470 patients (24%). In a multivariable Cox model, the relative hazard (comparing patients randomized to cinacalcet versus placebo) of severe unremitting HPT was 0.31 (95% confidence interval = 0.26-0.37). The relative hazard differed little when adjusted by baseline clinical characteristics. CONCLUSIONS Severe unremitting HPT develops frequently in patients on hemodialysis despite conventional therapy, and cinacalcet substantially reduces its occurrence.
Interaction between delayed visual feedback and secondary cognitive tasks on postural control in older adults

Interaction entre un feedback visuel retarde et une tâche cognitive ajoutee sur le controle postural chez des personnes ageesLe declin lie a l’âge des mecanismes de controle et de la detection des informations sensorielles affecte l’equilibre chez les personnes âgees. Cet effet est particulierement prononce lorsque les sujets doivent realiser une tâche cognitive concurrente. L’objectif de cette experimentation etait de determiner les effets de la charge mentale et du delai de feedback visuel sur la stabilite de l’equilibre postural chez des personnes âgees. Quinze sujets jeunes et quinze sujets âges, tous en bonne sante, ont participe a cette experimentation. Les sujets devaient maintenir la position de leur centre des pressions aussi proche que possible d’une cible presentee sur un moniteur LCD. Dans un ensemble de conditions experimentales le delai avec lequel le feedback visuel etait rendu disponible a ete systematiquement manipule. La tâche cognitive ajoutee etait une tâche serielle d’operations arithmetiques simples. Les conditions de feedback visuel comprenaient une condition sans feedback, et des conditions de feedback retarde (0, 300, 600, 900 ms). Les resultats montrent que la variabilite posturale augmente avec le delai de feedback dans les deux groupes, mais que les sujets âges presentent une variabilite plus elevee dans toutes les conditions avec feedback retarde. Les sujets jeunes presentent une diminution de la variabilite des deplacements du centre des pressions dans les conditions de double tâche, alors que les sujets âges ne beneficient pas de cet effet double tâche. Nous pensons que ceci reflete une modulation insuffisante ou inappropriee de l’attention chez les sujets âges, debouchant sur un controle deficient de l’equilibre.
Impact of TGFβ1 Gene Polymorphisms on Acute and Chronic Rejection in Pediatric Heart Transplant Allografts

Background. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of IL-10 and TGFβ1 gene polymorphisms on the development of acute rejection and coronary disease in pediatric heart transplant recipients. Methods. Patients were classified as either Rejectors or Nonrejectors. Coronary artery disease (CAD) was diagnosed by angiography or on macroscopic examination. Genotyping PCR-SSP were performed for IL-10 and TGFβ1 (codon 10 and 25) in 111 patients. Thirty-nine were Rejectors and 31 developed CAD. Results. The proportion of IL-10 low-producers was higher in Rejectors than in Nonrejectors (respectively 46% versus 22%, P=0.009). IL-10 gene polymorphism was not associated with CAD. TGFβ1-codon10-25 high-producers were 92.3% in Rejectors and 75% in Nonrejectors (P=0.026), 93.5% in patients with CAD and 76.2% in patients free from CAD (P=0.037). TGFβ1-codon25 high-production separately analyzed correlated with CAD (31/31 high-producers in CAD=100% versus 69/80 in noCAD patients=86.2%, P=0.03). TGFβ1-codon10 gene polymorphisms were not associated with CAD. Conclusion. IL-10 low-producers have an increased risk of acute rejection. High-expressors of TGFβ1-codon10-25 have an increased risk of acute rejection and CAD, while TGFβ1-codon25 high-production is associated with coronary disease. Genetic polymorphism may reveal patients at high-risk in whom therapies and monitoring should be adjusted.
Epinephrine-induced in vivo muscle glycogen depletion enhances insulin sensitivity of glucose transport.

Muscle glycogen depletion by means of exercise is associated with increased insulin-stimulated glucose transport activity. To determine whether reduction in muscle glycogen content independent of muscle contractions would increase glucose transport activity, rats were injected with epinephrine (20 micrograms/100 g body wt) or saline. Two hours later, epitrochlearis muscles were removed, washed thoroughly to remove epinephrine, and assayed for glucose transport activity with 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (3-MG). Muscle adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate concentration was elevated 441% in muscles frozen immediately after removal from epinephrine-injected rats but had returned to control levels by the time 3-MG transport was measured. Prior exposure to epinephrine resulted in depletion of muscle glycogen [from 18.6 +/- 1.4 to 11.0 +/- 0.1 (SE) mumol glucose units/g wet wt] and a small increase in basal glucose transport activity (from 0.13 +/- 0.02 to 0.24 +/- 0.04 mumol 3-MG.ml-1 x 10 min-1, P < 0.05). A submaximally effective insulin concentration (30 microU/ml) induced a 70% greater increase in 3-MG transport in epinephrine-treated muscles than in controls (0.57 +/- 0.09 and 0.34 +/- 0.04 mumol.ml-1 x 10 min-1, respectively, P < 0.001). Response to a maximally effective concentration of insulin was unaltered by prior exposure to epinephrine. When epinephrine-induced glycogen depletion was prevented by prior injection with the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol, glucose transport activity was no longer enhanced by epinephrine. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Methods of Cervical Ripening and Labor Induction: Mechanical

Introduction Mechanical dilation by insertion of a foreign body into the cervix is the oldest reported method for induction of labor and is still widely used today. Before the first century AD, Hippocrates described the use of mammary stimulation and manual dilation of the cervical canal to produce uterine contractions. Similar methods, used at various times up until the mid 20th century, included pressurized douches, extra-amniotic aqua picea (a mixture of water and pitch), laminaria tents, balloon-tipped catheters, and bougies. In the early 1900s, a substance extracted from the pituitary gland was noted to cause ‘‘powerful contractions in the pregnant, puerperal, and menstruating uterus’’ when administered through intravenous infusion. The substance, then called infundibular extract, is now known as oxytocin and is in widespread use today. The discovery of oxytocin’s tocogenic effects, and the subsequent finding in the 1960s that exogenously applied prostaglandins can efface and dilate the uterine cervix, gave clinicians 2 options: pharmacologic andmechanical methods to induce labor. Over the last half century, copious research has been dedicated to finding the most efficacious agent or combination of agents for timely achievement of vaginal delivery after induction of labor. Overall, the data shows mechanical methods to be comparable with pharmaceutical methods in terms of outcomes of interest, with less risk of uterine hyperstimulation when mechanical methods are used alone.
Patterns of invasion and colonization of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in North America as revealed by microsatellite genotypes

Invasions by exotic organisms have had devastating affects on aquatic ecosystems, both ecologically and economically. One striking example of a successful invader that has dramatically affected fish community structure in freshwater lakes of North America is the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). We used eight microsatellite loci and multiple analytical techniques to examine competing hypotheses concerning the origins and colonization history of sea lamprey (n = 741). Analyses were based on replicated invasive populations from Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan, and Superior, populations of unknown origins from Lakes Ontario, Champlain, and Cayuga, and populations of anadromous putative progenitor populations in North America and Europe. Populations in recently colonized lakes were each established by few colonists through a series of genetic bottlenecks which resulted in lower allelic diversity in more recently established populations. The spatial genetic structure of invasive populations differed from that of native populations on the Atlantic coast, reflecting founder events and connectivity of invaded habitats. Anadromous populations were found to be panmictic (θP = 0.002; 95% CI = −0.003–0.006; P > 0.05). In contrast, there was significant genetic differentiation between populations in the lower and upper Great Lakes (θP = 0.007; P < 0.05; 95% CI = 0.003–0.009). Populations in Lakes Ontario, Champlain, and Cayuga are native. Alternative models that describe different routes and timing of colonization of freshwater habitats were examined using coalescent‐based analyses, and demonstrated that populations likely originated from natural migrations via the St Lawrence River.
Socio-demographic and clinical profile of HIV seropositives in hospital of

Background: Since the inception of the teaching reference institutions and associated hospitals, there was very few cases observed on the clinical experiences in HIV/AIDS positive cases in Aim: The aim of this study was to delineate the cases and which included to study the number of HIV seropositive patients from February 2013 to June 2014; common signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS seropositive patients; age and sex distribution of all seropositive cases; mode of transmission of HIV infection; residence and profession profile of seropositive cases and different types of opportunistic infections in these patients. Material and methods: Present stu conducted at the tertiary care teaching institution and associated hospitals through data collection of 105 records of individual who tested positive for HIV by three rapid test methods using three different antigens at integrated age, sex and occupation, data on mode of transmission and clinical manifestation were examined together. 1, Issue. 4, December, 2014. Reserved. tertiary care teaching South India 1* , Abirami Dhakshinamoorthy 3 , Balasubramanian Narasimhan Tiruchirapalli, India
Position, Energy, and Transit Time Distributions in a Hemispherical Deflector Analyzer with Position Sensitive Detector

Practical analytic equations, for the ideal field, and numerical results from SIMION simulations, for the fringing field, are presented for the exit radius and transit time of electrons in a hemispherical deflector analyzer (HDA) over a wide range of analyzer parameters. Results are presented for a typically dimensioned HDA with mean radius mm and interradial separation mm able to accommodate a 40 mm diameter position sensitive detector (PSD). Results for three different entry positions are compared: (the conventional central entry) and two displaced (paracentric) entries: mm and mm. Exit spreads , and base energy resolution are computed for HDA pass energies , 100, 500, and 1000 eV, entry aperture sizes mm, entry angular spreads °, and an electron beam with relative energy spread . Overall, under realistic conditions, both paracentric entries demonstrate near ideal field behavior and clear superiority over the conventional entry at . The mm entry has better absolute energy and time spread resolutions, while the mm has better relative energy resolutions, both offering attractive alternatives for time-of-flight and coincidence applications where both energy and timing resolutions are important.
RNase H Requirements for the Second Strand Transfer Reaction of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcription

ABSTRACT Retroviral reverse transcriptase (RT) enzymes are responsible for transcribing viral RNA into double-stranded DNA. An in vitro assay to analyze the second strand transfer event during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcription has been developed. Model substrates were constructed which mimic the viral intermediate found during plus-strand strong-stop synthesis. Utilizing wild-type HIV-1 RT and a mutant E478Q RT, the requirement for RNase H activity in this strand transfer event was analyzed. In the presence of Mg2+, HIV-1 RT was able to fully support the second strand transfer reaction in vitro. However, in the presence of Mg2+, the E478Q RT mutant had no detectable RNase H activity and was unable to support strand transfer. In the presence of Mn2+, the E478Q RT yields the initial endoribonucleolytic cleavage at the penultimate C residue of the tRNA primer yet does not support strand transfer. This suggests that subsequent degradation of the RNA primer by the RNase H domain was required for strand transfer. In reactions in which the E478Q RT was complemented with exogenous RNase H enzymes, strand transfer was supported. Additionally, we have shown that HIV-1 RT is capable of supporting strand transfer with substrates that mimic tRNAHis as well as the authentic tRNA3 Lys.
Disease Development with Resistance/Susceptibility to AIDS Associations of MHC Ancestral Haplotypes

We tested the association of MHC ancestral haplotypes with rapid or slow progression to AIDS by comparing their frequencies in the French genetics of resistance/susceptibility to immunodeﬁciency virus cohort with that reported in a control French population. Seven ancestral haplotypes were identiﬁed in the genetics of resistance/susceptibility to immunodeﬁciency virus cohort with a frequency > 1%. The 8.1 (odds ratio (OR) (cid:1) 3, p (cid:1) 0.006), 35.1 (OR (cid:1) 5.7, p (cid:1) 0.001), and 44.2 (OR (cid:1) 3.4, p (cid:1) 0.007) ancestral haplotypes were associated with rapid progression, whereas the 35.2 (OR (cid:1) 3.6, p (cid:1) 0.001), 44.1 (OR (cid:1) 5.4, p < 10 (cid:2) 4 ), and 57.1 (OR (cid:1) 5.8, p < 10 (cid:2) 4 ) ancestral haplotypes were associated with slow progression to AIDS. Although the frequency of each ancestral haplotype is low in the population, the OR were quite higher than those previously obtained for single HLA allele associations, with some p values as low as 10 (cid:2) 4 . The analysis of the recombinant fragments of these haplotypes allowed the identiﬁcation of the MHC regions in the 35.1, 35.2, and 44.2 haplotypes associated with rapid progression to AIDS and the MHC regions of the 44.1 and 57.1 haplotypes associated with slow progression to AIDS. Previous studies have identiﬁed single HLA alleles associated with disease progression. Our results on recombinant fragments conﬁrm the direct role of HLA-B35 in rapid progression. Associations with HLA-A29 and -B57 might be due to linkage disequilibrium with other causative genes within the MHC region. The Journal of Immunology, 2003, 170: 1925–1929.
Development, validity and reproducibility of a food frequency questionnaire in pregnancy for the Universiti Sains Malaysia birth cohort study.

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to develop and examine the validity and reproducibility of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) among Malay pregnant women in Kelantan, Malaysia. METHODS A total of 177 Malay pregnant women participated in the validation study while 85 of them participated in the reproducibility study which was carried out in the antenatal clinic of Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital. The newly developed FFQ was validated against two 24-hour dietary recalls (DR). The FFQ was repeated 20 to 28 days apart. RESULTS Results showed that the FFQ moderately over-estimated the nutrient and food intakes compared to the DR. Spearman correlation coefficients for nutrients ranged from 0.24 (fat) to 0.61 (calcium) and for foods, ranged from 0.13 (organ meats, onion and garlic) to 0.57 (malt drink). For nutrients, 72 to 85% of women were classified into the correct quartiles from the FFQ and the DR while for foods, 67 to 85% of women were classified correctly. Bland-Altman plot showed relatively good agreement between these two dietary methods. The intra-class correlation (ICC) was used to estimate reproducibility. It ranged from 0.75 (vitamin C) to 0.94 (phosphorus) for nutrients while it ranged from 0.73 (confectionary) to 0.96 (coffee) for foods. CONCLUSION On average, at least 90% of pregnant women were correctly classified into the quartiles for nutrients and foods from the two sets of the FFQ. The FFQ presented acceptable reproducibility and appears to be a valid tool for categorising pregnant women according to dietary intake.
Fusarium toxins and total fungal biomass indicators in naturally contaminated wheat samples from north-eastern Poland in 2003

Concentrations of fungal metabolites were measured in 32 wheat grain samples from north-eastern Poland in 2003. The samples originated from fields cultivated conventionally (but varying in chemical protection level) or cultivated organically. Concentrations of Fusarium toxins (HT-2, DON, 3-AcDON, NIV), trichodiene, microbial biomass indicators (fungal ergosterol and general adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP)) and seed vigour were assessed. A large variation between samples was observed, depending on their origin. Seed from organic farms contained similar amounts of Fusarium toxins but more ergosterol and ATP than conventionally grown and chemically protected seed. The highest levels of toxins and ergosterol were detected in samples from conventional cultivation lacking chemical protection. Intensive agronomic practices (including complete chemical protection) significantly lowered the levels of ergosterol, ATP and trichodiene, as compared with other cultivation systems.
Lanthanides and actinides in ionic liquids.

Ionic liquids are solvents that consist entirely of ions. These nonvolatile and nonflammable solvents offer interesting opportunities for lanthanide and actinide chemistry. They can replace the organic phase in solvent extraction systems and can be used as nonaqueous electrolytes for electrodeposition of metals. Ionic liquids could find applications in the nuclear fuel cycle. Lanthanide coordination compounds or lanthanide-containing nanoparticles can be obtained via ionothermal or microwave-assisted synthesis in ionic liquids. Lanthanide-doped ionogels are a new type of luminescent hybrid materials. Ionic liquids can serve as solvents for lanthanide-mediated organic reactions, and there are several examples of high reactivity and selectivity.
Optimizing Nutrient Use Efficiency and Returns from Soybean Production under Smallholders in Three Agro-Ecologies of Malawi

Field trials were conducted to determine the economically optimum fertilizer rates for soybean production and for optimizing net profits in Dedza, Lilongwe and Salima Districts of Malawi. The effects of PK fertilizer rates on rain use efficiency (RUE), harvest index, agronomic use efficiency of phosphorous (AEP) and potassium (AEK), and value cost ratio (VCR) were evaluated. The applied diagnostic PK fertilizer rates significantly improved soybean grain yields, harvest index, rainwater use efficiency, AEP, AEK and returns to fertilizer use expressed as value cost ratio (VCR). However, the results differed significantly (P < 0.01) among the three agro-ecological zones. The VCR values indicated that the most economical and profitable fertilizer rate was 7.5 kg/ha P in Salima, Dedza and Lilongwe. The lowest economical and profitable NP fertilizer rate was 22.5 kg/ha P plus 20 kg/ha K for Dedza and Lilongwe and 15 kg/ha P plus 30 kg/ha K for Salima District. All the VCR values obtained from applying different PK fertilizer nutrient rates were above two implying that all the applied fertilizer rates had a good value of returns to adequately cover against any risks associated with using fertilizers at small-scale under smallholder farms with inadequate financial resources. The results also presented different available NP fertilizer application rate options for maximizing profits for the financially constrained smallholder farmers.
Persistent calcium‐sensitive potassium current and the resting properties of guinea‐pig myenteric neurones.

1. Intracellular recordings were made from neurones in the guinea‐pig myenteric plexus which show a long‐lasting after‐hyperpolarization following the action potential (AH neurones). In most experiments membrane currents were measured using a single‐electrode voltage clamp. Tetrodotoxin was present. 2. A step depolarization (10‐15 mV, 5‐10 s) from a holding potential close to the resting level (typically ‐60 mV) caused a slowly developing outward current. The current increased exponentially with a time constant of about 1.3 s at ‐50 mV. At the termination of the step the current declined over a similar time period (time constant congruent to 2.5 s). Hyperpolarizing step commands resulted in a slowly declining outward current (tau congruent to 3.5 s at ‐70 mV) which developed again at the termination of the hyperpolarization (tau congruent to 2.1 s at ‐60 mV); these tail currents reversed at the potassium equilibrium potential. 3. The current was not observed in solutions containing no calcium, high magnesium concentrations and cobalt. It did not inactivate during changes in holding potential of up to 5 min. The current is therefore called the persistent calcium‐sensitive potassium current. 4. A brief depolarizing command to less‐negative potentials (typically to ‐10 mV for 10‐30 ms) was followed by a potassium current which increased and decreased according to the sum of two exponentials having time constants tau on congruent to 0.4 s and tau off congruent to 2.5 s. This after‐current disappeared in calcium‐free, high‐magnesium and cobalt solution. 5. Both the after‐current and the persistent calcium‐sensitive current were similarly sensitive to tetraethylammonium ions, being unaffected by 5 mM but substantially reduced by 20 mM solutions. The time constant of decline of the persistent calcium‐sensitive current at the end of a depolarizing step was not different from tau off for the after‐current; these time constants had a similar sensitivity to voltage and temperature. 6. The conductance underlying the after‐current became progressively smaller as the persistent calcium‐sensitive current was increased by membrane depolarization. In a given neurone, the sum of the two conductances was constant. This finding implies that the persistent calcium‐sensitive potassium conductance is the same conductance as that which is increased during the after‐hyperpolarization.