Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Severity of coronary artery disease in postmenopausal women: association with the androgen receptor gene (CAG)n repeat polymorphism

Objective:Androgen may adversely affect vascular health in women. We investigated the associations between the androgen receptor gene (CAG)n repeat polymorphism, which affects androgen receptor transcriptional activity, and the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in women undergoing coronary angiography. Methods:We examined 131 postmenopausal women (46-82 y). CAD severity was assessed by the number of vessels with greater than 50% stenosis. The history of angina, myocardial infarctions, and biochemical parameters were recorded. CAG repeats ranged between 13 and 24 in the shorter allele and 16 and 28 in the longer allele. The mean lowest quartile corresponded to 19, and the highest, to 22 repeats. Results:Carriers of 19 repeats or less in their shorter allele had severe disease (≥2 vessels affected) and a history of angina more frequently than those carrying 22 or more (39.2% vs 9.5%, P = 0.009 and 80.8% vs 55%, P = 0.037, respectively, using the Fisher exact test). A higher percentage of women carrying 19 repeats or less had one and two myocardial infarctions (28.6% and 10.7%, respectively) compared with women with more than 19 repeats (18.2% and 1.45%, respectively, P = 0.019). Women homozygous for two longer alleles (≥22 repeats) had less severe CAD, significantly higher sex hormone-binding globulin levels, and less frequent antilipid drug therapy compared with those homozygous for shorter alleles (P < 0.05). Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were negatively correlated with the number of repeats in the shorter allele (P < 0.04). Conclusions:Shorter polyglutamine stretch in the androgen receptor correlates with more severe CAD and worse predisposing factors in postmenopausal women undergoing coronary angiography. This association may support the adverse cardiovascular effect of lifelong androgenic exposure in this selected group of women.
Grave fraudulence in medical device research: a narrative review of the PIN seeding study for the Pinnacle hip system

ABSTRACT In 2001, DePuy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (J&J/DePuy), initiated a seeding study called the “Multi-center, Prospective, Clinical Evaluation of Pinnacle Acetabular Implants in Total Hip Arthroplasty” (PIN Study). J&J/DePuy designed this study to develop new business opportunities during the launch of their Pinnacle Hip System (PHS) and generate survivorship data for marketing. This article, the first review of a seeding trial for a medical device, examines internal company documents relating to the PIN Study; the analysis herein focuses on the integrity of J&J/DePuy’s research practices in conception, implementation, and analysis. J&J/DePuy violated the study protocol and manipulated data; consented participants in violation of standards protecting human subjects; and did not secure Institutional Review Board approval for all study sites. J&J/DePuy used PIN Study results as the “fundamental selling point” for the PHS. Medical device seeding trials are distinct from previously-documented pharmaceutical seeding trials because companies can profit directly from device sales and because these studies may be the first clinical evaluation of the device (as was the case for the PIN Study). Seeding trials are malleable marketing projects, not rigorous scientific studies. Regulatory bodies, physicians, and others should be vigilant for persuasive marketing accounts disguised as science.
Improvement in immediate memory after 16 weeks of tualang honey (Agro Mas) supplement in healthy postmenopausal women

Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate the verbal learning and memory performance of postmenopausal women who received tualang honey (Agro Mas) in comparison with women receiving estrogen plus progestin therapy and untreated controls. Methods:A total of 102 postmenopausal women were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups: tualang honey (20 mg/d), estrogen plus progestin therapy (Femoston 1/5), and untreated control. Their verbal learning and memory performances were assessed using the Malay version of the Auditory Verbal Learning Test before and after 16 weeks of intervention. Data were analyzed using the repeated-measures analysis of variance, and a P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results:There were significant differences in the mean scores of total learning as well as the mean scores of trials A1, A5, A6, and A7 between the three groups. There were also significant differences in the overall mean scores of total learning and trials A1 and A5 between both estrogen plus progestin therapy and tualang honey groups when compared with the untreated control group. However, significant differences in the mean score for trials A6 and A7 were only observed between the estrogen plus progestin therapy and untreated control groups. Conclusions:Postmenopausal women who received tualang honey showed improvement in their immediate memory but not in immediate memory after the interference and delayed recall. This is comparable with the improvement seen in women receiving estrogen plus progestin therapy.
The Importance of Emotions in Physiotherapeutic Practice

Abstract Emotions are a topic of great relevance, but are not frequently studied within physiotherapy. To identify and express emotions can be seen as a prerequisite for having emotional intelligence, an ability highly needed in treatment situations in physiotherapy. Within psychology, there is a tradition as well as a recognized fact that the identification and expression of emotions are important for good clinical outcomes. The aim of this paper is to review the literature within physiotherapy and psychology about the importance of emotions in treatment situations. Research has shown that physiotherapists have an awareness of underlying emotions in treatment situations, but often respond mostly on an intellectual level. Skills and awareness in identifying and expressing emotions in combination with cognitive and self-monitoring skills can be an effective way of improving the clinical reasoning process and treatment outcomes in physiotherapy. Identifying and expressing emotions in treatment situations may also increase positive treatment outcomes thanks to an increased adherence to transference and countertransference processes in treatment situations. More emphasis can be put on identifying and promoting verbal expression of emotions in treatment situations in physiotherapy practice.
Surgical treatment for advanced chronic venous insufficiency in Hong Kong

Advanced chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is an important health problem. In Hong Kong, with its predominantly Chinese population, most patients have primary CVI because deep vein thrombosis is less common. Nevertheless, 80% of the limbs with advanced CVI had reflux in both the superficial and deep vein systems. This showed that advanced CVI in this population is a multisystem pathological condition affecting both the superficial and deep vein systems. In the present study, it was hypothesized that the abnormal hydrostatic forces in the superficial and perforating vein systems are the significant pathologic forces leading to advanced CVI, although deep vein incompetence is common. This deep vein incompetence can be contributed to significantly by venous overload as a result of superficial reflux (reflux circuit of venous overload). This is well supported by the abolition of deep venous reflux as well as significant haemodynamic improvement as measured by air plethysmography after superficial vein surgery in limbs with mixed superficial and deep venous incompetence. Recently, subfascial endoscopic perforating vein surgery (SEPS) was introduced as a minimally invasive technique to interrupt incompetent calf perforators. Preliminary local experience showed that SEPS with concomitant superficial vein surgery was associated with a 97% ulcer healing at a mean follow up of 15 months. Significant haemodynamic improvement was also shown by air plethysmography. However, recurrent ulcers were noted in 15% of the limbs. Thus, SEPS with superficial vein surgery where appropriate can be the optimal operative treatment strategy for advanced CVI in the local population, although ulcer recurrence remains a concern.
Phytochemical Screening of Pentadesma butyracea Sabine (Clusiaceae) Acclimated in Benin by GC/MS

The results brought back at the end of this work concerned various chemical constituents of P. butyracea materials collected in seven forest galleries in northern of Benin. The phytochemical analysis showed mucilage, coumarins, gallic tannins, flavones, sterols, and saponins, in its leaves. The cyclohexanic fractions realized from petroleum ether extracts and analysed by GC/MS were marked by important rates of 9, 19-cyclolanost-24-en-3β-3-ol (49.3–72.6%), taraxasterol (18.4–30.1%), and friedooleanan-3-one (10.0%). Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from P. butyracea and analyzed by GC/MS contained 11 to 38 compounds representing 85.2 to 99.5% of the weight of this volatile extracts essentially rich in sesquiterpene constituents. The essential oils predominant compounds (>10%) identified and recorded independently of the organ studied were β-caryophyllene (14.9–77.9%), aromadendrene (43.5%), α-copaene (18.4–26.6%), α-ylangene (21.1%), germacrene-B (5.1–13.5%), selina-3,7(11)-diene (13.3%), α-humulene (6–13.3%), (2E, 6Z)-α-farnesene (12.6%), seychellene (12.0%), and palmitic acid (10,6%).
Premenopausal antimüllerian hormone concentration is associated with subsequent atherosclerosis

Objective The aim of this study was to determine if premenopausal ovarian reserve is associated with susceptibility for atherosclerosis. Methods Female cynomolgus macaques (n = 66, women’s equivalent age = 45 y) consumed an atherogenic diet for ∼5 months before the measurement of a marker of ovarian reserve (antimüllerian hormone [AMH]), plasma lipids, follicular phase estradiol, and body weight (BW). Monkeys were then ovariectomized (OVX; n = 17), remained premenopausal (n = 20), or were induced to have reduced ovarian reserve (ROR, n = 29). After 26 additional months consuming the diet, atherosclerosis measurements and risk variables were reassessed. Results No differences in baseline AMH, plasma lipids, BW, and estradiol or postdiet lipids and BW were observed among the groups subsequently assigned to the OVX, premenopausal control, or reduced ovarian reserve conditions. Postdiet measurements of atherosclerosis extent did not differ among the groups. However, analysis of plaque size by tertile of baseline AMH revealed that plaques were largest in monkeys that began the experiment with the lowest baseline AMH, followed by those in the middle and high tertiles (plaque extent: low AMH, 0.76 ± 0.12 mm2; mid AMH, 0.46 ± 0.1 mm2; high AMH, 0.34 ± 0.08 mm2; P = 0.02). Baseline AMH and plaque size were also correlated negatively (r = −0.31, P = 0.01). Plasma lipids were also correlated significantly with plaque extent (all P < 0.01) but not with AMH. Conclusions We report for the first time an inverse relationship between a marker of ovarian reserve (AMH) and subsequent atherosclerosis risk.
Successful teriparatide treatment of atypical fracture after long-term use of alendronate without surgical procedure in a postmenopausal woman: a case report

Objective Bisphosphonates are used as first-line therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis owing to their potent inhibition of bone resorption. Long-term use of bisphosphonates may lead to low-energy femoral subtrochanteric or shaft fractures in a very few patients. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical course of a patient treated with alendronate for 3 years who developed an atypical femoral fracture and to hypothesize the beneficial effects of teriparatide on the healing of the patient’s atypical femoral fracture. Methods A 63-year-old Asian woman had a lumbar osteoporotic fracture and received 70 mg of alendronate for 3 years. Pain and soreness in the thigh presented initially and exacerbated thereafter. X-ray revealed a right femoral diaphysis stress fracture. She then received teriparatide for the treatment of osteoporosis and the femoral atypical fracture. Results Pain and tenderness improved remarkably after teriparatide treatment for 1 month, and these symptoms disappeared after teriparatide treatment for 9 months. The patient also received raloxifen as further therapy, and the fracture line had completely disappeared by 15 months after treatment. Conclusions Even though a previous study has reported that teriparatide healed stress fractures in a rat model and even with the time course of fracture healing in our patient, we are still not certain that teriparatide played a primary role in the positive response to therapy. Vitamin D therapy, calcium, and alendronate discontinuation may have played secondary roles. This case report may serve to introduce a direction for future research into the pharmacological treatment of atypical femoral fractures. Surgical treatment of incomplete atypical femoral fractures may be a safer method.
Avaliação audiológica em pacientes portadores de hipotireoidismo

Hearing loss in hypothyroidism has been reported by many authors but its pathophysiology is unclear. AIMS: to study the audiological evaluation of patients with acquired hypothyroidism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: two groups were included: a hypothyroidism group (HG, n-30), and a control group (CG, n-30). Parameters studied: gender, time of hypothyroidism, comorbidities, cochleovestibular symptoms, biochemistry and hormonal exams (TSH, T4), tonal audiometry, TOAEs and BERA. RESULTS: all participants were women, 70% of the HG had Hashimoto thyroiditis, 60% of the HG had had the diagnostic of the hypothyroidism for at least five years. Depression and hypertension were frequent in HG. All HG patients had altered TSH values and 50% had diminished T4 values. Sensorineural hearing loss was detected in 22 ears from the HG and in seven from the CG. BERA was normal in the CG and altered in 10 ears from the HG, showing L-V increase. TOAEs were absent in 12 ears from the HG and in four from the CG. CONCLUSIONS: HG patients had more cochleovestibular symptoms, higher audiometric thresholds, increase in L-V in the BERA and absence or reduction in TOAEs amplitudes. Such alterations were not associated with THS and free T4 levels.
Gender neutrality improved completion rate for all

ABSTRACT The purpose of the present study was to investigate if we could improve retention by redesigning an online programming course from a gender perspective, while maintaining the focus on preferable and sustainable learning approaches. The study builds on results from an earlier study that investigated the relationship between approaches to learning and course completion and involves 1067 students that responded to the short version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Three principles for course material design were identified; gender neutral and non-biased messages, emphasize the interdisciplinary approach and link to everyday examples. Responses to ASSIST were analysed in relation to performed changes in the course literature from a gender perspective. The probability to complete the course increased with 7% points for all students, in particular for men, and decreased for students with a high score in surface approach to learning, especially among women.
‘I’m good, but not that good’: digitally-skilled young people’s identity in computing

Abstract Computers and information technology are fast becoming a part of young people’s everyday life. However, there remains a difference between the majority who can use computers and the minority who are computer scientists or professionals. Drawing on 32 semi-structured interviews with digitally skilled young people (aged 13–19), we explore their views and aspirations in computing, with a focus on the identities and discourses that these youngsters articulate in relation to this field. Our findings suggest that, even among digitally skilled young people, traditional identities of computing as people who are clever but antisocial still prevail, which can be unattractive for youths, especially girls. Digitally skilled youths identify with computing in different ways and for different reasons. Most enjoy doing computing but few aspired to being a computer person. Implications of our findings for computing education are discussed especially the continued need to broaden identities in computing, even for the digitally skilled.
A Set of Geometric Features for Neural Network-Based Textile Defect Classification

A significant attention of researchers has been drawn by automated textile inspection systems in order to replace manual inspection, which is time consuming and not accurate enough. Automated textile inspection systems mainly involve two challenging problems, one of which is defect classification. The amount of research done to solve the defect classification problem is inadequate. Scene analysis and feature selection play a very important role in the classification process. Inadequate scene analysis results in an inappropriate set of features. Selection of an inappropriate feature set increases the complexities of the subsequent steps and makes the classification task harder. By taking into account this observation, we present a possibly appropriate set of geometric features in order to address the problem of neural network-based textile defect classification. We justify the features from the point of view of discriminatory quality and feature extraction difficulty. We conduct some experiments in order to show the utility of the features. Our proposed feature set has obtained classification accuracy of more than 98%, which appears to be better than reported results to date.
Does pattern recognition software using the Bahr monitor improve the sensitivity, specificity, and concordance of ambulatory skin conductance monitoring of hot flushes?

Objective The aim of this study was to validate the performance of a new pattern recognition method for quantifying physiological hot flushes against conventional fixed criterion methods and to explore its suitability for use in ambulatory clinical trials. Methods This study performed a secondary analysis of baseline and outcome sternal skin conductance monitoring data from two recent randomized controlled trials of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for hot flushes in breast cancer patients (MENOS1) and healthy peri- and postmenopausal women (MENOS2) using a revised pattern recognition method (Bahr monitor; software version 1.1.6). Sensitivity and specificity were recalculated and compared with previous findings, based on conventional criteria, using monitor-defined flushes as “gold standard” and combined baseline data. Outcome data for physiologically measured flushes between the CBT group and the treatment-as-usual group were separately reexamined using the revised method for each trial. Results Pattern recognition showed higher concordance (36%), sensitivity (0.64), and specificity (0.99) than the standard method. Hot flushes recorded during the day showed slightly higher concordance (39%) and fewer false-negatives than 24-hour recordings. Based on the revised method, well women randomized to CBT (MENOS2) had significantly fewer flushes than those randomized to treatment as usual at posttreatment (P < 0.04), but CBT did not impact on physiologically measured hot flushes for breast cancer patients (MENOS1). Conclusions Pattern recognition can identify flushes more reliably by detecting the shape of physiological signals rather than by relying solely on the amplitude of their signals (as used in conventional criteria). With application of the revised method, ambulatory sternal skin conductance monitoring detects changes after a CBT intervention in well women but not in breast cancer survivors.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy in Children

Objectives: Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is effective and safe for the treatment of upper urinary tract calculi in adults. Some speculations concerning possible damages from ESWL on the growing kidney have been raised. Methods: From January 1990 to December 1998, 64 children (30 girls and 34 boys; 8 months to 15 years old, mean 5.6 years) with a total of 83 stones of the upper urinary tract were treated by ESWL (Lithostar). Preoperative evaluation included history, physical examination, routine blood tests, urinalysis, urine culture, intravenous urography and optional renal scintigraphy. The impulse rate per treatment varied from 750 to 4,000 (mean 2,996). After acute treatment, routine follow–up included renal ultrasound, blood pressure controls, laboratory tests and eventually plain film X–ray. Results: Successful fragmentation of the stones was achieved in all patients. In 54% the patients were free of stones treated at the time of discharge. At 3 months after treatment radiographic studies showed no residual fragments in 80% of the treated children. 83% of the treated stones were cleared entirely. The remaining fragments were clinically insignificant. An average of 2.5 ESWL treatments per child in general anesthesia were required. Stone analysis showed 20 calcium oxalate, 38 calcium phosphate, 12 struvite, 2 uric acid and 9 cystine calculi. Ureteral stents were placed in 43%. No significant urinary infection was seen under antibiotic prophylaxis. Only 3 children showed a recurrence (1 × cystinuria with low compliance and 2 × struvite). There was no case of renal scarring. No change in renal function or blood pressure was found compared to the preoperativ values. Hematuria and proteinuria disappeared in all children who were free of stones. Renal ultrasound revealed no growth difference between treated and untreated renal units. Conclusions: In childhood, ESWL is an efficacious and safe treatment of stones of the upper urinary tract. The long–term follow–up after ESWL with a second–generation lithotriptor did not show any signs of damage to the growing kidney. Sometimes repeated ESWL treatments are justified by the low rate of complications.
Risk factors and interventions related to maternal and pre-pregnancy obesity, pre-diabetes and diabetes for maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes: a systematic review

Around the world, 60 million women of reproductive age have type 2 diabetes and 15% of the pregnant women have gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). GDM accounts for 90% of all cases of diabetes in pregnancy, and if left unrecognized pose a higher risk of morbidity for mother and the fetus. Although GDM is a temporary phenomenon for the pregnant woman, but 5–10% of women with GDM develop type 2 diabetes after delivery and more than 50% within 5–10 years of delivery. However, the prevalence critically depends on the diagnostic methods and criteria. This review has undertaken an in-depth analysis to systematically assess the risk factors and interventions for screening, detection, prevention and management of pre-pregnancy obesity, pre-diabetes and diabetes at different levels of care (community, outreach, facility) and to draw research gaps and recommendations particularly for low- and middle-income countries.