Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of an Engineered Human Anti–TNF-α Antibody (CDP571) on Insulin Sensitivity and Glycemic Control in Patients With NIDDM

Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α action has recently been shown to reverse insulin resistance dramatically and to improve glycemic control in obese rodents. This double-blind study was designed to assess the effects of a recombinant-engineered human TNF-α-neutralizing antibody (CDP571) on glucose homeostasis in obese NIDDM patients. Glycemic control and insulin sensitivity were monitored in 21 NIDDM subjects for a 2-week run-in and then for 6 weeks after treatment in a randomized fashion with a single intravenous dose of either CDP571 (5 mg/kg) or an equivalent volume of normal saline. The prolonged half-life of the antibody ensured adequate plasma levels as measured throughout the study. Concentrations of fasting glucose (CDP571: 10.0 ± 0.8, 10.1 ± 0.8, 10.0 ± 1.0; placebo: 8.5 ± 0.6, 8.1 ± 0.5, 8.7 ± 0.8 mmol/l at baseline, day 1, and week 4, respectively), fasting serum insulin (CDP571:21.2 ± 2.8,21.0 ± 2.8,24.8 ± 3.3; placebo: 19.0 ± 2.8, 20.8 ± 2.9, 17.5 ± 2.2 pmol/l, respectively), and C-peptide remained unaffected by the type of treatment throughout the study. The percentage rate of glucose clearance per minute (KITT) during intravenous insulin sensitivity tests was identical in the CDP571 and placebo groups at baseline and also at 1 and 4 weeks after treatment (mean ± SE; CDP571: 1.33 ± 0.21,1.44 ± 0.25,1.26 ± 0.18; placebo: 1.38 ± 0.15,1.47 ± 0.20, 1.52 ± 0.20;P=0.85, 0.93, and 0.36, respectively). TNF-α neutralization over a period of 4 weeks had no effect on insulin sensitivity in obese NIDDM subjects.Diabetes45:881–885, 1996
Overhanging amalgam restorations by undergraduate students.

OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency of overhanging margins in amalgam restorations done by undergraduate students at Fatima Jinnah Dental College Hospital, Karachi. STUDY DESIGN Observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Operative Dentistry, Fatima Jinnah Dental Hospital, Karachi, from January to June 2009. METHODOLOGY Patients aged 20 - 45 years attending the Department of Operative Dentistry requiring class-II restorations were included in the study. Whereas, third molars, overlapped proximal surfaces, teeth adjacent to edentulous spaces and pregnant females were excluded. One hundred and fifty patients were selected randomly aged between 20 - 45 years requiring class-II restorations. Posterior Bitewing radiographs were taken and 1600 surfaces were examined. Restorations were done by undergraduate students at Fatima Jinnah Dental College Hospital, Karachi. Chi-square test was utilized to analyze the relationship between location and surface of overhang. RESULTS Overhanging amalgam restorations were common in the restorations done by undergraduate students (58%). The occurrence of overhangs was more frequent on the distal surfaces (56%) Although the association of amalgam overhangs with the surfaces of the teeth was significant (p < 0.0001), overhangs were not significantly associated with the location of the teeth (p < 0.063). CONCLUSION Overhanging restorations were present in approximately 58% of all proximal amalgam restorations done by undergraduate students.
Access to Care for the Adolescent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Patient With Medicaid Versus Private Insurance

Purpose: To determine the potential impact of type of health insurance on access to outpatient orthopaedic care for an adolescent patient with an acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. Methods: The offices of 42 orthopaedic surgeons in the Greater Cincinnati area, to include Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky were contacted on 2 separate occasions describing a fictitious 14-year-old male with an acute ACL tear. The 2 calls were separated by a period of 2 to 4 weeks. The independent variable was the patient’s insurance status, reported as either Medicaid or private insurance. Statistical comparison of the rates of successful appointment scheduling was performed through the Fisher exact test. Results: Thirty-eight of 42 Orthopaedic surgery practices (90%) offered the privately insured 14-year-old ACL patient an appointment within 2 weeks, while only 6 of 42 (14%) offered the Medicaid patient such an appointment. The difference in these rates was statistically significant (P<0.0001) with the odds of getting an appointment with private insurance being 57 times higher than that with Medicaid (95% confidence interval: 12.87, 288.62). Conclusions: Access to orthopaedic care for children on Medicaid continues to be a problem in the United States. Previous pediatric studies have documented that the reason for these discrepancies in access are related primarily to Medicaid reimbursement rates (approximately 23% of private insurance). Ours is the first study to show that these same limitations exist for teenagers with acute knee injuries likely to require surgery.
Reduced residual renal function is a risk of peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

BACKGROUND Loss of residual renal function (RRF) contributes to anaemia, inflammation and malnutrition and is also a strong predictor of mortality in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. However, the role of RRF on peritonitis is not yet clearly established. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of RRF on the development of peritonitis. METHODS Study subjects were 204 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients who started PD from January 2000 to December 2005. Biochemical and clinical data within 1 month of PD commencement were considered as baseline. To determine risk factors for peritonitis, multivariate Cox regression was performed. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test were used to examine the difference of peritonitis-free period according to the presence of diabetes and RRF. RESULTS On univariate analysis based on baseline data in first peritonitis, diabetes was less prevalent and RRF (6.7+/-2.6 vs 4.0+/-2.3 ml/min/1.73 m2, P<0.01), haemoglobin (10.9+/-1.2 vs 10.6+/-1.2 g/dl, P<0.05) and serum albumin level (3.6+/-0.4 vs 3.4+/-0.4 g/dl, P<0.01) were significantly higher in the peritonitis-free group. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that time to first PD peritonitis episode was significantly longer in the non-diabetic patients (P<0.001) and in patients with higher residual GFR (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that diabetes [hazard ratio(HR) 1.64, P<0.05] and RRF (per 1 ml/min/1.73 m2 increase, HR 0.81, P<0.01) were independent risk factors. CONCLUSION Our study revealed that RRF and diabetes were risk factors for peritonitis. These results suggest that preservation of RRF should be viewed as a protective strategy to reduce peritonitis.
The impact of processing on allergenicity of food

Purpose of reviewProcessing procedures and food structure may modulate the allergenic properties of foods. However, our lack of knowledge on this topic makes it difficult to both predict and minimize the impact of processing on allergenicity of foods and provide allergic patients with appropriate advice over what is safe to eat. Recent findingsNew data on the major birch pollen allergen, Bet v 1, show it is thermostable, whereas their complex interactions with lipids either enhancing or reducing its stability. Studies of cereal allergies have shown allergenic disulphide-bonded prolamin superfamily members (lipid transfer proteins, α-amylase inhibitors) are resistant to cooking although species differences in maize and wheat lipid transfer proteins have been identified. Novel methods are being sought to mitigate the allergenicity of foods using enzymes like transglutaminase and treatments with phytochemicals such as phytate. SummaryFurther research is needed to explain the subtle differences in the susceptibility of processing on the allergenic potential of Bet v 1 homologues in apple and celeriac and lipid transfer proteins from different cereals. The efficacy of new processing strategies in reducing food allergenicity needs to be demonstrated in allergic individuals. Studies are still lacking on the effect of the food matrix on allergenicity, and the impact of processing on sensitization potential.
Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacodynamics, and Pharmacokinetics of Rivaroxaban—an Oral, Direct Factor Xa Inhibitor—Are Not Affected by Aspirin

Rivaroxaban (BAY 59‐7939) is an oral, direct Factor Xa inhibitor in advanced clinical development for the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disorders. This was a randomized, 2‐way crossover study in healthy male subjects, with an aspirin run‐in period, to examine whether aspirin influences the safety, tolerability, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics of rivaroxaban. All treatments were well tolerated; drug‐related adverse events were mild and transient. Aspirin did not alter the effects of rivaroxaban on Factor Xa activity or clotting tests. Platelet aggregation and bleeding time were not affected by rivaroxaban, and rivaroxaban did not influence the effects of aspirin on these parameters to a clinically relevant extent. Aspirin did not affect the pharmacokinetics of rivaroxaban, including the fraction unbound. This study suggests that there is no clinically relevant interaction between rivaroxaban and aspirin and that the 2 drugs could be administered concomitantly at the doses used in this study.
The role of antenatal pelvic floor muscle exercises in prevention of postpartum stress incontinence: a randomised controlled trial.

AIM This article reports a randomised controlled trial to determine the efficacy of antenatal pelvic floor muscle exercises in the primary prevention of postpartum stress incontinence in primiparous women. BACKGROUND Pelvic floor muscle exercises are effective in treating stress incontinence, yet prevention studies demonstrate equivocal findings. DESIGN Randomised controlled trial. METHOD Pregnant women recruited from two hospitals in North-west England were randomised to an intervention (n = 141) or control group (n = 145). Data were collected from 2005-2006. The intervention comprised four sessions of taught pelvic floor muscle exercise training during pregnancy and 8-12 maximal contractions repeated twice daily at home. A modified Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptom questionnaire, Leicester Impact Scale and Three Day Diary were administered at 20 and 36 weeks of pregnancy and three months postpartum. RESULTS The intervention group was more likely to exercise their pelvic floor muscles compared to controls at 36 weeks (p = 0.019) and three months (0.022), reporting fewer episodes of incontinence and a lower score on the Leicester Impact Scale. However, these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Significant differences were not demonstrated between the groups in relation to incontinence episodes and degree of bother of symptoms postpartum, although trends indicate a positive effect. Further research is necessary to address issues of adherence and the effect of pelvic floor muscle exercise undertaken during pregnancy on postpartum stress urinary incontinence. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE A proportion of women did not meet the required attendance at antenatal class, furthermore, few exercised their pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy according to instructions. Health professionals need to find ways to instruct and motivate women to perform pelvic floor muscles exercises regularly during pregnancy and the postpartum.
Identification of a nonvirion protein of Aleutian disease virus: mink with Aleutian disease have antibody to both virion and nonvirion proteins

We studied Aleutian disease virus polypeptides in Crandall feline kidney (CRFK) cells. When CRFK cells labeled with [35S]methionine at 60 h postinfection were studied by immunoprecipitation with sera from infected mink, the major Aleutian disease virus virion polypeptides (p85 and p75) were consistently identified, as was a 71,000-dalton nonvirion protein (p71). The peptide maps of p85 and p75 were similar, but the map of p71 was different. p85, p75, and p71 were all precipitated by sera from Aleutian disease virus-infected mink, including those with signs of progressive disease, but heterologous sera raised against purified Aleutian disease virus did not precipitate the nonvirion p71. These results indicated that the nonvirion p71 was unrelated to p85 and p75 and further suggested that mink infected with Aleutian disease virus develop antibody to nonvirion, as well as structural, viral proteins.
Nematic order in a simple-cubic lattice-spin model with full-ranged dipolar interactions.

In a previous paper [Phys. Rev. E 90, 022506 (2014)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.90. 022506], we studied the thermodynamic and structural properties of a three-dimensional simple-cubic lattice model with dipolarlike interaction, truncated at nearest-neighbor separation, for which the existence of an ordering transition at finite temperature had been proven mathematically; here we extend our investigation, addressing the full-ranged counterpart of the model, for which the critical behavior had been investigated theoretically and experimentally. In addition, the existence of an ordering transition at finite temperature had been proven mathematically as well. Both models exhibited the same continuously degenerate ground-state configuration, possessing full orientational order with respect to a suitably defined staggered magnetization (polarization), but no nematic second-rank order; in both cases, thermal fluctuations remove the degeneracy, so that nematic order does set in at low but finite temperature via a mechanism of order by disorder. On the other hand, there were recognizable quantitative differences between the two models as for ground-state energy and critical exponent estimates; the latter were found to agree with early renormalization-group calculations and with experimental results.
Prevalence and diversity patterns of avian blood parasites in degraded African rainforest habitats

Land use changes including deforestation, road construction and agricultural encroachments have been linked to the increased prevalence of several infectious diseases. In order to better understand how deforestation affects the prevalence of vector‐borne infectious diseases in wildlife, nine paired sites were sampled (disturbed vs. undisturbed habitats) in Southern Cameroon. We studied the diversity, prevalence and distribution of avian malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) and other related haemosporidians (species of Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) from these sites in two widespread species of African rainforest birds, the yellow‐whiskered greenbul (Andropadus latirostris, Pycnonotidae) and the olive sunbird (Cyanomitra olivacea, Nectariniidae). Twenty‐six mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages were identified: 20 Plasmodium lineages and 6 Haemoproteus lineages. These lineages showed no geographic specificity, nor significant differences in lineage diversity between habitat types. However, we found that the prevalence of Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus infections were significantly higher in undisturbed than in deforested habitats (Leucocytozoon spp. 50.3% vs. 35.8%, Haemoproteus spp. 16.3% vs. 10.8%). We also found higher prevalence for all haemosporidian parasites in C. olivacea than in A. latirostris species (70.2% vs. 58.2%). Interestingly, we found one morphospecies of Plasmodium in C. olivacea, as represented by a clade of related lineages, showed increased prevalence at disturbed sites, while another showed a decrease, testifying to different patterns of transmission, even among closely related lineages of avian malaria, in relation to deforestation. Our work demonstrates that anthropogenic habitat change can affect host–parasite systems and result in opposing trends in prevalence of haemosporidian parasites in wild bird populations.
Liver Transplantation for Solitary Hepatocellular Carcinoma Less than 3 cm in Diameter in Child A Cirrhosis

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the treatment of choice for patients with unresectable tumors within the Milan criteria associated with Child B or C cirrhosis. Liver transplantation provides the best cure for both the HCC and the underlying cirrhosis. In recent years, some authors have advocated liver transplantation even for resectable early HCC associated with Child A cirrhosis, leading to a controversy of whether resection or transplantation should be the first-line therapy for patients with small HCC in Child A cirrhosis. Recent studies comparing liver resection and transplantation for early HCC demonstrated similar long-term survival of 60–70%, but liver transplantation is associated with a lower tumor recurrence rate. However, the current shortage of deceased donor liver grafts limits the applicability of liver transplantation for HCC. The use of live donor liver transplantation for patients with a small solitary HCC in Child A cirrhosis that is resectable may not be justified ethically because of the potential risk to the donors. Patients put on a transplantation waiting list run a significant risk of tumor progression and dropout, while liver resection is immediately applicable to all. Advocating primary liver transplantation for patients with early HCC associated with compensated cirrhosis will increase the waiting time for transplantation and further increases the chance of dropout. Resection first and salvage transplantation for recurrent tumors or liver failure is an alternative strategy that may reduce the use of liver grafts. However, the long-term survival result of such a strategy compared with primary liver transplantation remains unclear.
Behavior perception and automatic intervention for cooperative learning in network environment

Cooperative learning is that learners learn in different places through the Internet, which greatly improves the effectiveness and convenience of learning. Although some empirical researches show cooperative learning is effective, how to guarantee maximum efficiency of cooperative learning and overcome negative effects producing by communication that still remain a problem to be analyzed and studied further. This paper introduces a quantification method to reveal dynamic mechanism and intrinsic law of distributed pair programming, a professional cooperative learning method. A behavior prediction method in pairs is presented from the viewing of game. On the basis of prediction, an automatic intervention method is proposed for irrational behavior affecting results of pair programming. Experiments show that the methods in this paper can guarantee high efficiency in pairing real time.
Distinct mechanisms for activation of Cl− and K+ currents by Ca2+ from different sources in mouse sympathetic neurones

1 We have investigated the roles of different voltage‐dependent Ca2+ channels in the activation of the Cl− and K+ channels responsible for the afterdepolarization (ADP) and slow afterhyperpolarization (AHP) in sympathetic neurones of the isolated mouse superior cervical ganglion in vitro. 2 The ADP and its associated Ca2+‐activated Cl− current were markedly decreased by ω‐agatoxin IVA (40–200 nm) and nifedipine (1–10 μm), but not by ω‐conotoxin GVIA (300 nm). 3 In contrast, the AHP and the apamin‐sensitive Ca2+‐activated K+ current that underlies this potential were blocked by ω‐conotoxin GVIA, but were not affected by ω‐agatoxin IVA and were only slightly reduced by nifedipine. 4 Ryanodine (20 μm) reduced the Ca2+‐activated Cl− current following an action potential by 75 % but on average did not affect the Ca2+‐activated K+ current. 5 Evidence that R‐type channels provide a proportion of the Ca2+ activating both types of Ca2+‐dependent channel was obtained. 6 We conclude that Ca2+ entering through L‐ and P‐type Ca2+ channels preferentially activates the Cl− current responsible for the ADP in mouse sympathetic neurones, predominantly via Ca2+‐induced Ca2+ release, whereas the Ca2+ that activates the K+ channels responsible for the AHP enters predominantly through N‐type channels. The data can be explained by the selective association of each type of Ca2+ channel with particular intracellular mechanisms for activating other membrane channels, one indirect and the other direct, probably located at discrete sites on the soma and dendrites.
Factors influencing language development in preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE To examine factors influencing preterm infant language development. DESIGN Longitudinal. SETTING Infants were seen for developmental follow-up at 7, 13, and 26 months corrected age in the school of nursing. PARTICIPANTS The sample consisted of 43 mothers and their preterm infants who were below 2,000 g and 36 weeks gestation at birth. More than 88% of the sample were from lower social classes. Seventy-three percent of the sample was African American and 27% was White. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Developmental outcome was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and language was assessed using the Reynell Developmental Language Scales. RESULTS By 26 months corrected age, infant development was within the normal range. Expressive and receptive language was delayed an average of 3 to 5 months. Factors influencing language included length of hospital stay, birth weight, Apgar scores, infant irritability and state regulation at hospital discharge, and maternal sensitivity. CONCLUSION Language development is delayed in preterm infants. Maternal sensitivity is positively associated with enhanced infant language. Nurses need to utilize opportunities to enhance sensitive mothering to optimize infant outcomes.
Sociodemographic and health factors associated with mortality in community-dwelling elderly

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to identify factors associated with mortality, with emphasis on gender and age differences. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study, which uses data from the FIBRA-2008-2009 network in Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil, with information on non-institutionalized residents of the urban area and the Mortality Information System. The dependent variable has been death, in 2013. The associations have been tested by odds ratio (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals, and the analyses have been conducted using the program Stata 12.0. RESULTS Average age has been 72.3 years, 69.3% have been women, and 8.9% have died. We have found greater OR for mortality in individuals aged ≥ 75 years, classified as pre-frail or frail, and in those who have reported heart disease. CONCLUSIONS In this study, the analysis of specific subgroups has allowed us to better understand the relationship between the factors associated with death in the elderly. With the exception of age, strategies based on primary and secondary care, focused on priority groups, can have a positive impact on the reduction of mortality among the elderly.