Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm low birth weight infants.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY In many preterm low-birth-weight infants, ductus arteriosus fails to close spontaneously. This study evaluates the results of surgical ligation of symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm low birth weight infants. METHODS We reviewed the medical records of all infants undergoing surgical closure of PDA from January 1987 to December 2005. Demographic data, age and weight at operation, surgical technique to close PDA and outcome were analyzed. RESULTS One hundred and forty-five infants underwent surgical closure of PDA in which either indomethacin treatment had failed or was contraindicated. The mean gestational age was 25.5 +/- 2.3 (range 24-36 weeks) and the mean birth weight was 837.7 +/- 277.2 g (450-1000 g). The average age and weight at operation were 14.1 (+/-1.8) days and 881.7 g (+/-338.1), respectively. PDA was surgically closed by left thoracotomy using either nonabsorbable suture (73%) or hemoclips (27%). Postoperative complications occurred in 10 patients, which included intraoperative bleeding (6), pneumothorax (1), left vocal cord paralysis (1), lymphatic leak (1), and injury to left phrenic nerve (1). There was no mortality related to surgical closure of PDA. CONCLUSION We conclude that surgical closure of hemodynamically significant PDA is safe and effective in preterm low birth weight infants when pharmacological treatment is ineffective or contraindicated. The associated morbidity is minimal and no surgery-related mortality was observed.
Hearing Rehabilitation in Neurofibromatosis Type 2 Patients: Cochlear versus Auditory Brainstem Implantation

Objective: We aimed to evaluate and compare the auditory performance of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) patients with bilateral total deafness fitted with cochlear or auditory brainstem implants. Patients and Methods: A retrospective case review was performed. Nine patients suffering from NF2 who underwent hearing rehabilitation by means of cochlear (4 patients) or auditory brainstem (5 patients) implantation participated in the study. Postoperative auditory performance was assessed using closed- and open-set tests. Results: In the group of patients fitted with a cochlear implant, 3 subjects achieved open-set speech recognition abilities comparable to those of standard adult postlingual implant patients; the remaining patient scored 0% in all open-set format tests, reporting benefits only in environmental sound detection and lip-reading. Among the 5 patients who underwent auditory brainstem implantation, 1 reached good open-set speech recognition skills, scoring 70% in the common phrases comprehension test, and she was able to communicate on the telephone. Two other patients achieved open-set speech understanding (respectively, 33 and 41% in the common phrases comprehension test), reporting daily use of their device. The remaining 2 patients did not achieve any level of open-set speech perception, obtaining only improved access to environmental sound and lip-reading skills. Conclusions: Our study confirmed literature data reporting that cochlear implantation may offer open-set speech communication in NF2 patients. In this small cohort, cochlear implant patients performed better than auditory brainstem implant patients, even if variability in auditory performance was observed with both devices. More studies are needed in order to clarify the role and reliability of electrophysiological tests in predicting the residual functionality of the cochlear nerve after tumor removal.
Salivary Hormone and Immune Responses to Three Resistance Exercise Schemes in Elite Female Athletes

Nunes, JA, Crewther, BT, Ugrinowitsch, C, Tricoli, V, Viveiros, L, de Rose Jr, D, and Aoki, MS. Salivary hormone and immune responses to three resistance exercise schemes in elite female athletes J Strength Cond Res 25(8): 2322-2327, 2011—This study examined the salivary hormone and immune responses of elite female athletes to 3 different resistance exercise schemes. Fourteen female basketball players each performed an endurance scheme (ES—4 sets of 12 reps, 60% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) load, 1-minute rest periods), a strength-hypertrophy scheme (SHS—1 set of 5RM, 1 set of 4RM, 1 set of 3RM, 1 set of 2RM, and 1set of 1RM with 3-minute rest periods, followed by 3 sets of 10RM with 2-minute rest periods) and a power scheme (PS—3 sets of 10 reps, 50% 1RM load, 3-minute rest periods) using the same exercises (bench press, squat, and biceps curl). Saliva samples were collected at 07:30 hours, pre-exercise (Pre) at 09:30 hours, postexercise (Post), and at 17:30 hours. Matching samples were also taken on a nonexercising control day. The samples were analyzed for testosterone, cortisol (C), and immunoglobulin A concentrations. The total volume of load lifted differed among the 3 schemes (SHS > ES > PS, p < 0.05). Postexercise C concentrations increased after all schemes, compared to control values (p < 0.05). In the SHS, the postexercise C response was also greater than pre-exercise data (p < 0.05). The current findings confirm that high-volume resistance exercise schemes can stimulate greater C secretion because of higher metabolic demand. In terms of practical applications, acute changes in C may be used to evaluate the metabolic demands of different resistance exercise schemes, or as a tool for monitoring training strain.
Reflex control of inflammation by sympathetic nerves, not the vagus

It is believed that the CNS controls inflammation via the autonomic nervous system, but the strength of this action and the neural pathways responsible are unclear. In anaesthetized rats we measured the inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 60 μg kg−1, i.v.) by plasma tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) levels 90 min later. Bilateral section of the splanchnic sympathetic nerves before LPS treatment resulted in a 5‐fold increase in the plasma TNFα response, but bilateral vagotomy had no effect. LPS treatment strongly increased efferent activity in the splanchnic sympathetic nerve and its splenic branch; vagotomy did not affect this. These results show that, besides directly stimulating inflammation, LPS engages a powerful anti‐inflammatory reflex that can inhibit the plasma TNFα response by 80%. The reflex efferent arm is in the splanchnic sympathetic nerves; the vagi play no part.
Propagation over a valley: Asymptotic results

Prediction of radio signal strength for signals propagating over valley to a mobile receiver in terrestrial clutter, such as trees and buildings, is addressed. Starting from first principles, an accurate asymptotic approximation is found that describes the propagation as a combination of the usual two-ray component, and a “whispering gallery” mode that results from guided propagation over the valley, leading to a signal which is over 20 dB higher than would be observed in the case of flat terrain. This extends previously known flat terrain propagation models to include this sort of variable terrain.
Disruption of Imprinting by Mutator Transposon Insertions in the 5′ Proximal Regions of the Zea mays Mez1 Locus

Imprinting is a form of epigenetic gene regulation in which alleles are differentially regulated according to the parent of origin. The Mez1 gene in maize is imprinted such that the maternal allele is expressed in the endosperm while the paternal allele is not expressed. Three novel Mez1 alleles containing Mutator transposon insertions within the promoter were identified. These mez1-mu alleles do not affect vegetative expression levels or result in morphological phenotypes. However, these alleles can disrupt imprinted expression of Mez1. Maternal inheritance of the mez-m1 or mez1-m4 alleles results in activation of the normally silenced paternal allele of Mez1. Paternal inheritance of the mez1-m2 or mez1-m4 alleles can also result in a loss of silencing of the paternal Mez1 allele. The paternal disruption of imprinting by transposon insertions may reflect a requirement for sequence elements involved in targeting silencing of the paternal allele. The maternal disruption of imprinting by transposon insertions within the Mez1 promoter suggests that maternally produced MEZ1 protein may be involved in silencing of the paternal Mez1 allele. The endosperms with impaired imprinting did not exhibit phenotypic consequences associated with bi-allelic Mez1 expression.
Beneficial effects of intensive therapy of diabetes during adolescence: outcomes after the conclusion of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT).

OBJECTIVE The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) demonstrated that intensive therapy of type 1 diabetes mellitus reduces the risk of development and progression of microvascular complications. The Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) study assessed whether these benefits persisted after the end of DCCT. Results for the adolescent DCCT cohort are reported here. STUDY DESIGN Of the DCCT adolescent cohort (n = 195), 175 participated in EDIC, 151 had fundus photography, and 156 had albumin excretion rate measured at year 3 or 4. The odds of progression of retinopathy and albuminuria from closeout of the DCCT until EDIC year 4 were assessed. RESULTS In contrast to the 7.4 years of the DCCT, during which mean hemoglobin A(1c) levels were significantly lower with intensive therapy than conventional therapy (8.06% vs 9.76%; P <.0001), the subsequent first 4 years of EDIC had mean hemoglobin A(1c) levels that were similar between the former intensive and the former conventional groups (8.38% vs 8.45%). However, the prevalence of worsening of 3 steps or more in retinopathy and of progression to proliferative or severe nonproliferative retinopathy were reduced by 74% (P <.001) and 78% (P <.007), respectively, in the former intensive therapy group compared with the former conventional group. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide further support for the DCCT recommendation that most adolescents with type 1 diabetes receive intensive therapy aimed at achieving glycemic control as close to normal as possible to reduce the risk of microvascular complications.
Evaluation of Interhospital Spread of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Using Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis of Chromosomal DNA

Abstract: The widespread dissemination of a single clone of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in several hospitals in Sao Paulo could make the intrahospital epidemiologic evaluation of MRSA outbreaks very difficult. The high index of PPD reactivity among our healthcare workers (HCWs) obligates us to develop programs suitable to the prevailing conditions of Latin American hospitals to control TB inside healthcare facilities.
Phonological and tactual coding of Braille by blind children.

Two experiments were carried out to investigate phonological and tactual coding in Braille reading by blind children. In the first, the children read aloud two lists of word pairs, one item at a time. The second or 'target' word of each pair (e.g. on) was the same in both lists. In one list, the congruent list, the phonology and orthography of the first word of the pair (sun) provided no inconsistency with respect to the target word (sun-on). In the other incongruent list, the preceding word was similar in orthography but inconsistent in phonology with respect to the target word (son-on). The children named the target words (i.e. on) significantly faster in the context of the congruous list than in the context of the incongruous list, thus revealing a phonological effect in the blind children's reading of single words. In addition, direct lexical access, from tactual input, seems to proceed with the same facility for the blind as does visual input for the sighted. In the second study the children read aloud words which were either orthographically regular or irregular. The results indicated that the irregular words took longer to name than the regular words. It was suggested that blind children, like sighted children, show phonological interference effects in word naming. The results are discussed in relation to recent models of the processes involved in word naming.
Conventional TACE and Drug-Eluting Bead TACE as Locoregional Therapy Before Orthotopic Liver Transplantation: Comparison of Explant Pathologic Response

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite its increasing incidence, significant progress has been made in the clinical management of HCC. Transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) has been shown to improve survival in patients with unresectable HCC; it has also been successfully used as bridging therapy before orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in efforts to delay tumor growth or to downstage HCC. TACE with drug-eluting beads (DEB-TACE), a novel drug delivery system that produces a slow and sustained release of chemotherapeutic agent, has recently been shown to have similar efficacy to conventional TACE (cTACE); it also exhibits fewer adverse effects resulting from reduced systemic drug concentrations. To date, the pathologic response rate to cTACE compared with DEB-TACE in patients undergoing OLT has not been well described. Methods A total of 111 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent cTACE (n=76) or DEB-TACE (n=35) before OLT at a single center between January 2005 and December 2010 were evaluated. Results Complete necrosis was achieved in 50.9% and 57.1% of cTACE and DEB-TACE patients, respectively; at least 50% necrosis was evident in approximately three fourths of patients in both groups. Rates of necrosis and tumor recurrence did not differ between groups. Dropout from the transplant list was equal in both groups. Conclusions Either modality is an acceptable treatment to achieve tumor control for patients awaiting OLT and can be expected to result in excellent necrosis rates in the majority of patients.
Use of claims data to examine the impact of length of inpatient psychiatric stay on readmission rate.

OBJECTIVE This study analyzed the impact of length of stay for inpatient treatment of psychiatric disorders on readmission rates. METHODS Hospitalization data were obtained from the MarketScan data set collected by Medstat. The instrumental variable method, an econometric technique, was used to estimate the impact of length of stay on the rate of readmission for 5,735 persons who had at least one discharge with a primary diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder during 1997 and 1998. RESULTS Decreasing length of stay below ten days led to an increase in the readmission rate during the 30 days after discharge. Decreasing the length of stay from seven to six days increased the expected readmission rate from.04 to.047 (17.5 percent), whereas decreasing length of stay from four to three days increased the readmission rate from.09 to.136 (51.1 percent). CONCLUSION Decreasing length of stay for inpatient psychiatric treatment increased the readmission rate. The use of instrumental variables could help better estimate the value of mental health services when using observational data.
Relationships between preoperative astigmatism and corneal optical power, axial length, intraocular pressure, gender, and patient age.

BACKGROUND Preoperative astigmatism is likely to influence the outcome of cataract surgery, but it is only rarely considered in studies of cataract surgery outcomes. METHODS As part of a population-based study of 5878 consecutive cataract surgeries performed from 1986 through 1990, I studied the relationship between preoperative astigmatism and corneal shape, axial length, intraocular pressure, gender, and age. RESULTS The men had more against-the-rule astigmatism than the women, and the preoperative astigmatism shifted for both genders toward against-the-rule with age. Long eyes tended to have more with-the-rule astigmatism. Also, astigmatism deviated more from normal in both long and short eyes, and the with-the-rule astigmatism decreased with increasing intraocular pressure. Finally, I found that a second-degree polynomial model better described the relation between the axial lengths and keratometric powers better than a linear one. CONCLUSIONS Axial length is related to the direction and amount of astigmatism. Because in the present study a second-degree polynomial described the relationship between the axial lengths and keratometric powers better than a simple linear regression, a polynomial model also probably should be used for calculating the power of the intraocular lens to be inserted.
Insulin and C-peptide secretion and kinetics in humans: direct and model-based measurements during OGTT.

To directly evaluate prehepatic secretion of pancreatic hormones during a 3-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), we measured insulin and C-peptide in six healthy control, six obese, and six type 2 diabetic subjects in the femoral artery and hepatic vein by means of the hepatic catheterization technique. Hypersecretion in obesity was confirmed (309 +/- 66 nmol in obese vs. 117 +/- 22 in control and 79 +/- 13 in diabetic subjects, P </= 0.01), whereas early phase secretion was impaired in diabetes. We also measured hepatic insulin extraction (higher in diabetic than in control subjects, P = 0.03) and insulin clearance. The measured data were also used to validate a previously proposed mathematical model, developed to quantify prehepatic secretion, hepatic insulin extraction, and insulin clearance during OGTT, when C-peptide and insulin concentrations are systemically measured. We found good correspondence between experimental data and model estimates for prehepatic insulin secretion (P > 0.3, r(2) = 0.93), whereas estimation of hepatic insulin extraction and insulin clearance needs further investigation for improvement.
Regulation of sugar transport and metabolism by the Candida albicans Rgt1 transcriptional repressor

The ability of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans to cause systemic infections depends in part on the function of Hgt4, a cell surface sugar sensor. The orthologues of Hgt4 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Snf3 and Rgt2, initiate a signalling cascade that inactivates Rgt1, a transcriptional repressor of genes encoding hexose transporters. To determine whether Hgt4 functions similarly through the C. albicans orthologue of Rgt1, we analysed Cargt1 deletion mutants. We found that Cargt1 mutants are sensitive to the glucose analogue 2‐deoxyglucose, a phenotype probably due to uncontrolled expression of genes encoding glucose transporters. Indeed, transcriptional profiling revealed that expression of about two dozen genes, including multiple HGT genes encoding hexose transporters, is increased in the Cargt1 mutant in the absence of sugars, suggesting that CaRgt1 represses expression of several HGT genes under this condition. Some of the HGT genes (probably encoding high‐affinity transporters) are also repressed by high levels of glucose, and we show that this repression is mediated by CaMig1, the orthologue of the major glucose‐activated repressor in S. cerevisiae, but not by its paralogue CaMig2. Therefore, CaRgt1 and CaMig1 collaborate to control expression of C. albicans hexose transporters in response to different levels of sugars. We were surprised to find that CaRgt1 also regulates expression of GAL1, suggesting that regulation of galactose metabolism in C. albicans is unconventional. Finally, Cargt1 mutations cause cells to hyperfilament, and suppress the hypofilamented phenotype of an hgt4 mutant, indicating that the Hgt4 glucose sensor may affect filamentation by modulating sugar import and metabolism via CaRgt1. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detection of pulmonary metastases with the novel radiolabeled molecular probe, (99m)Tc-RRL.

BACKGROUND To improve the detection of pulmonary metastases, experimental blood-borne pulmonary metastasis mouse models were established using three intravenously administered cell lines. In a previous study we demonstrated that (99m)Tc-radiolabeled arginine-arginine-leucine (RRL) could be used to non-invasively image malignant tumors. METHODS (99m)Tc-RRL was prepared and injected intravenously in mice with pulmonary metastases that arose from the intravenous injection of HepG2, B16, and Hela cells. The bio-distribution and imaging of (99m)Tc-RRL were determined in different pulmonary metastases mouse models and in normal mice. RESULTS (99m)Tc-RRL exhibited higher uptake values in the lungs of pulmonary metastatic mice compared to normal mice (P<0.05; 3.92±0.48% ID/g 2 h post-injection and 3.89±0.36% ID/g 4 h post-injection in metastatic hepatic carcinoma [HepG2]-bearing lungs; 5.49±0.84% ID/g 2 h post-injection and 5.11±0.75% ID/g 4 h post-injection in metastatic melanoma [B16]-bearing lungs; 3.72±0.52% ID/g 2 h post-injection and 3.51±0.35% ID/g 4 h post-injection in metastatic cervical carcinoma [Hela]-bearing lungs; 2.38±0.20% ID/g 2 h post-injection and 2.11±0.24% ID/g 4 h post-injection in normal lungs). The pulmonary metastatic lesions were clearly visualized using (99m)Tc-RRL. CONCLUSIONS (99m)Tc-RRL exhibited favorable metastatic tumor targeting and imaging properties, thus highlighting its potential as an effective imaging probe for detection of pulmonary metastases. (99m)Tc-RRL can be used as a reasonable supplement to (18)F-FDG imaging in the non-invasive imaging of tumor angiogenesis.
Use of polymerase chain reaction-amplified Helicobacter pylori urease structural genes for differentiation of isolates

Helicobacter pylori has been demonstrated as an etiologic agent of human gastritis and peptic ulcer formation. However, there is no straightforward basis to distinguish different isolates. We used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the urease structural subunit genes, ureA and ureB, which, when digested with appropriate restriction endonucleases, allow the differentiation of patterns on agarose gels. PCR amplification was possible with DNA rapidly extracted from H. pylori by alkaline lysis and phenol-chloroform. The 2.4-kb PCR products amplified from 22 clinical isolates and subjected to HaeII restriction endonuclease digestion produced 10 distinct patterns on agarose gels, with two patterns being shared between five and six strains. PCR amplification of the urease genes may enable the differentiation of closely related H. pylori strains by restriction digest analysis of PCR-amplified ureA and ureB genes.