Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Return to play and performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in the National Basketball Association: surgeon case series and literature review

ABSTRACT Objectives: To investigate return to play (RTP) and functional performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in National Basketball Association (NBA) players and to perform a systematic review of the literature to understand RTP after ACLR in professional basketball. Methods: NBA players undergoing ACLR between 2008 and 2014 by two surgeons were identified. RTP and performance were assessed based on a review of publically available statistics. A systematic review of the literature was performed using the MEDLINE database. Inclusion criteria were: English language, ACL surgery outcome, professional basketball and RTP outcome. We reviewed studies for RTP rates and RTP performance. Results: Our study included 12 professional basketball players with NBA level experience. Eleven of the 12 players returned to their prior level of play. Eight of the 9 (88.9%) players actively playing in the NBA returned to play in the NBA at a mean 9.8 months. Among players returning to NBA play, during RTP season 1, mean per game statistics decreased for the following: minutes, points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers and personal fouls – none of these changes reached statistical significance. Player efficiency ratings significantly declined from pre-injury (12.5) to the first RTP season (7.6) (p = 0.05). By RTP season 2, player performance metrics approximated pre-injury levels and were not significantly different. Six studies met inclusion criteria; reported RTP rates ranged from 78–86%. Identified studies similarly found a decline in functional performance after RTP. Conclusion: There is a high rate (89%) of return to NBA play for NBA players undergoing ACLR. After RTP, however, there is a quantitative decline in initial season 1 RTP statistics with a significant decrease in player efficiency rating. By RTP season 2, performance metrics demonstrated an improvement compared to RTP season 1 but did not reach pre-injury functional performance, though performance metrics are not significantly different between pre-injury and RTP season 2.
Nitric Oxide Synthase-Mediated Phytoalexin Accumulation in Soybean Cotyledons in Response to the Diaporthe phaseolorum f. sp. meridionalis Elicitor 1

Phytoalexin biosynthesis is part of the defense mechanism of soybean ( Glycine max ) plants against attack by the fungus Diaporthe phaseolorum f. sp. meridionalis (Dpm), the causal agent of stem canker disease. The treatment of soybean cotyledons with Dpm elicitor or with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, resulted in a high accumulation of phytoalexins. This response did not occur when SNP was replaced by ferricyanide, a structural analog of SNP devoid of the NO moiety. Phytoalexin accumulation induced by the fungal elicitor, but not by SNP, was prevented when cotyledons were pretreated with NO synthase (NOS) inhibitors. The Dpm elicitor also induced NOS activity in soybean tissues proximal to the site of inoculation. The induced NOS activity was Ca 2 1 - and NADPH-dependent and was sensitive to the NOS inhibitors N G -nitro- l -arginine methyl ester, aminoguanidine, and l -N 6 -(iminoethyl) lysine. NOS activity was not observed in SNP-elicited tissues. An antibody to brain NOS labeled a 166-kD protein in elicited and nonelicited cotyledons. Isoflavones (daidzein and genistein), pterocarpans (glyceollins), and flavones (apigenin and luteolin) were identified after exposure to the elicitor or SNP, although the accumulation of glyceollins and apigenin was limited in SNP-elicited compared with fungal-elicited cotyledons. NOS activity preceded the accumulation of these flavonoids in tissues treated with the Dpm elicitor. The accumulation of these metabolites was faster in SNP-elicited than in fungal-elicited cotyledons. We conclude that the response of soybean cotyledons to Dpm elicitor involves NO formation via a constitutive NOS-like enzyme that triggers the biosynthesis of antimicrobial flavonoids.
Prevalence of reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate among the oldest old from 1988-1994 through 2005-2010.

Prevalence of Reduced Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Among the Oldest Old From 1988-1994 Through 2005-2010 Recent studies have shown that older adults with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 have a high prevalence of concurrent complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and increased risk for adverse outcomes including mortality, cardiovascular disease, and kidney failure.1,2 A prior study demonstrated an increase in CKD prevalence between 1988-1994 and 1999-2004 for the general US population.3 However, trends in CKD prevalence have not been reported for the oldest old (defined as ≥80 years). People aged 80 years or older often have complex medical, social, and psychological needs and substantial requirements for health care resources. This group represents an increasing challenge to the health care system.4
Baseline imbalance in randomised controlled trials

In a controlled trial randomisation ensures that allocation of patients to treatments is left purely to chance. The characteristics of patients that may influence outcome are distributed between treatment groups so that any difference in outcome can be assumed to be due to the intervention. However, imbalance between groups in baseline variables that may influence outcome (such as age or disease severity) can bias statistical tests, a property sometimes referred to as chance bias Observed differences in outcome between groups in a particular trial could by chance be due to characteristics of the patients, not treatments. Some protection against chance bias is given by stratified randomisation or minimisation and by adjusting in the statistical analysis for baseline variables. In reporting clinical trials it is recommended that prognostic variables should be described for each treatment group.1 This may …
Structure and Cytotoxicity of a New Lanostane‐Type Triterpene Glycoside from the Sea Cucumber Holothuria hilla

A new triterpene glycoside, hillaside C (1), was isolated from the sea cucumber Holothuria hilla Lesson, which is found in the South China Sea, and its structure has been elucidated by spectral analysis (ESI‐MS and NMR) and chemical transformations. Four known compounds, holothuria A, thymine, uracil, and cholesterol, were also obtained. Compound 1 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against eight human tumor cell lines (A‐549, MCF‐7, IA9, CAKI‐1, PC‐3, KB, KB‐VIN, and HCT‐8) with IC50 values in the range of 0.15–3.20 μg/ml.
Radiological Features of Osteoarthritis of the Acromiclavicular Joint and its Association with Clinical Symptoms

Purpose. To determine whether increasing age is associated with increased radiological features of osteoarthritis of the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) in a general population, and whether clinical symptoms correlate with radiological features. Methods. Anteroposterior and axillary shoulder radiographs of 240 patients aged 20 to 80 years were randomly selected. The presence of stigmata of osteoarthritis of the ACJ including sclerosis, cysts, lysis, and osteophytes were recorded, and the width of the ACJ was measured. To determine the correlation between clinical symptoms and radiological features, the same radiological features were assessed for 100 further patients who had undergone either arthroscopic subacromial decompression (ASD) alone (n=50) or ASD plus ACJ excision (n=50, age-matched controls) based on clinical examination. Results. Radiological features of osteoarthritis of the ACJ increased significantly with increasing age but were not related to gender or the side affected. Of the 10 features, only medial acromial sclerosis and superior clavicular osteophytes were more prevalent in patients with ASD plus ACJ excision than in those with ASD alone (p=0.016). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of these features were poor. Therefore, clinical symptoms were not associated with radiological features of osteoarthritis of the ACJ. Conclusion. Radiological features should only be used as an adjunct in the decision to excise the ACJ. A thorough clinical examination is crucial in the assessment of ACJ pathology.
Balancing food safety and risk: do drug residue limits affect international trade in beef?

There have been a number of high profile food safety disputes in trade over the past decade. These include the widely publicized case at the World Trade Organization between the US and EU over hormone-treated beef. In particular, consumers in some industrialized countries have expressed concern over the health implications of consuming beef produced with antibiotics and other artificial supplements. Developing countries are affected in a significant way in how these concerns are addressed, as well as the balance between risk and safety reflected in how standards are set. This paper examines the impact of drug residue standards on trade in beef and the trade effect of setting harmonized international standards. We find that if international standards set by Codex were followed in antibiotics, global trade in beef would rise by over $3.2 billion. Among other developing countries, South African exports would rise by $160 million, Brazil's by $200 million, and Argentina's by over $300 million.
A Low Affinity Ground State Conformation for the Dynein Microtubule Binding Domain*

Dynein interacts with microtubules through a dedicated binding domain that is dynamically controlled to achieve high or low affinity, depending on the state of nucleotide bound in a distant catalytic pocket. The active sites for microtubule binding and ATP hydrolysis communicate via conformational changes transduced through a ∼10-nm length antiparallel coiled-coil stalk, which connects the binding domain to the roughly 300-kDa motor core. Recently, an x-ray structure of the murine cytoplasmic dynein microtubule binding domain (MTBD) in a weak affinity conformation was published, containing a covalently constrained β+ registry for the coiled-coil stalk segment (Carter, A. P., Garbarino, J. E., Wilson-Kubalek, E. M., Shipley, W. E., Cho, C., Milligan, R. A., Vale, R. D., and Gibbons, I. R. (2008) Science 322, 1691–1695). We here present an NMR analysis of the isolated MTBD from Dictyostelium discoideum that demonstrates the coiled-coil β+ registry corresponds to the low energy conformation for this functional region of dynein. Addition of sequence encoding roughly half of the coiled-coil stalk proximal to the binding tip results in a decreased affinity of the MTBD for microtubules. In contrast, addition of the complete coiled-coil sequence drives the MTBD to the conformationally unstable, high affinity binding state. These results suggest a thermodynamic coupling between conformational free energy differences in the α and β+ registries of the coiled-coil stalk that acts as a switch between high and low affinity conformations of the MTBD. A balancing of opposing conformations in the stalk and MTBD enables potentially modest long-range interactions arising from ATP binding in the motor core to induce a relaxation of the MTBD into the stable low affinity state.
Basic Critical Care Echocardiography by Pulmonary Fellows: Learning Trajectory and Prognostic Impact Using a Minimally Resourced Training Model*

Objectives:The spread of basic critical care echocardiography may be limited by training resources. Another barrier is the lack of information about the learning trajectory and prognostic impact of individual basic critical care echocardiography domains like acute cor pulmonale determination and left ventricular function estimation. We thus developed a minimally resourced training model and studied the latter outcomes. Design:Prospective observational study. Setting:Twenty-bed medical ICU. Subjects:Echocardiography-naive trainees enrolled in the first year of our Pulmonary Medicine Fellowship Program from September 2012 to September 2013. Interventions:We described the learning trajectory in six basic critical care echocardiography domains (adequate views, pericardial effusion, acute cor pulmonale, left ventricular ejection fraction, mitral regurgitation, and inferior vena cava variability) and correlated abnormalities in selected basic critical care echocardiography domains with clinical outcomes (mortality and length of stay). Measurements and Main Results:Three-hundred forty-three basic critical care echocardiography scans were done for 318 patients by seven fellows (median of 40 scans per fellow; range, 34–105). Only one-third patients had normal basic critical care echocardiography studies. Accuracy in various basic critical care echocardiography domains was high (> 90%), especially beyond the first 30 examinations. Acute cor pulmonale was associated with ICU mortality when adjusted for Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score and presence of sepsis, whereas mitral regurgitation was associated with longer hospitalization only on univariate analysis. Conclusions:Basic critical care echocardiography training using minimal resources is feasible. New trainees can achieve reasonable competency in most basic critical care echocardiography domains after performing about 30 examinations within the first year. The relatively high prevalence of abnormalities and the significant association of acute cor pulmonale with ICU mortality support the need for basic critical care echocardiography training.
Use and misuse of glucocorticoids in the community of Raxaul Block, North Bihar

Background Glucocorticoid misuse is widely recognised but inadequately addressed issue in India. This study reports the use and misuse of glucocorticoids in Raxaul Block, North Bihar, India. Methods A two-stage sampling method was used to interview 240 households during April and May 2013. In each household, anyone who had been sick in the last 6 months had their medication use recorded. Results In total, 113 out of 334 (33·8%) were found to have taken a glucocorticoid in the last 6 months (95% CI: 28.7–38.9%). One hundred (88.4%) of these were considered to be inappropriate. Seventy-nine percent had been using glucocorticoids for more than 1 month; 60.2% were prescribed by local, unlicensed practitioners. Conclusions Glucocorticoid misuse will contribute to the burden of hypertension, diabetes, osteoporotic fracture, tuberculosis, cataracts and deaths due to hypoadrenal crisis. One in 15 people in Raxaul Block are likely to have a suppressed hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Genetic association signal near NTN4 in Tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex genetic etiology. Through an international collaboration, we genotyped 42 single nucleotide polymorphisms (p < 10−3) from the recent TS genomewide association study (GWAS) in 609 independent cases and 610 ancestry‐matched controls. Only rs2060546 on chromosome 12q22 (p = 3.3 × 10−4) remained significant after Bonferroni correction. Meta‐analysis with the original GWAS yielded the strongest association to date (p = 5.8 × 10−7). Although its functional significance is unclear, rs2060546 lies closest to NTN4, an axon guidance molecule expressed in developing striatum. Risk score analysis significantly predicted case–control status (p = 0.042), suggesting that many of these variants are true TS risk alleles. Ann Neurol 2014;76:310–315
Home Health Care With Telemonitoring Improves Health Status for Older Adults With Heart Failure

Home telemonitoring can augment home health care services during a patient's transition from hospital to home. Home health care agencies commonly use telemonitors for patients with heart failure although studies have shown mixed results in the use of telemonitors to reduce rehospitalizations. This randomized trial investigated if older patients with heart failure admitted to home health care following a hospitalization would have a reduction in rehospitalizations and improved health status if they received telemonitoring. Patients were followed up to 180 days post-discharge from home health care services. Results showed no difference in the time to rehospitalization or emergency visit between those who received telemonitoring versus usual care. Older heart failure patients who received telemonitoring had better health status by home health care discharge than those who received usual care. Therefore, for older adults with heart failure, telemonitoring may be an important adjunct to home health care services to improve health status.
Cross-Ethnic Measurement Equivalence of the RCMAS in Latino and White Youth With Anxiety Disorders

We examined the measurement equivalence of the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS; Reynolds & Richmond, 1979) in a sample of 667 White and Latino youth with anxiety disorders. Findings supported the factorial invariance of the Physiological Anxiety, Worry/Oversensitivity, and Social Concerns/Concentration subscales as well as the construct validity equivalence of the RCMAS Total Anxiety scale. The RCMAS appears to have measurement equivalence across Latino and White youth.
Pattern Of Alcohol Consumption And Its Effects On Livelihood In Selected Rural Communities Of Enugu State, Nigeria

The study examined alcohol consumption and its effects on economic and social livelihood of selected rural communities of Enugu State. One hundred and twenty randomly selected alcohol consuming heads of households and sixty four purposively selected non-alcohol consuming heads of household were used. Data were collected using structured interview schedule and analysed using percentage. Alcoholic beverages available were palm wine (100%), beer (100%), local gin (100%), spirit (89.2%), and burukutu (41.7%). Respondents indicated preference for palm wine (50.0%). Choice of alcoholic beverage was a function of several factors namely availability, ability to produce the alcohol, cost and others. Effects of alcohol consumption were evident by less commitment to livelihood activities, household’s welfare, incidents of violence and others. The study recommends that policies should be enacted to regulate proliferation and operation of alcohol enterprises in the rural areas. More importantly is the regulation of the type of alcohol marketed in the communities. Also government should promote programmes that target improved livelihood strategies and empowerment of rural people to enhance diversification of the rural economy
Translational frameshifting in the Escherichia coli dnaX gene in vitro.

Production of the gamma subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme is dependent on a very efficient translational frameshif in the dnaX gene. I used an E. coli in vitro translation system to analyze the mechanism of this frameshifting event. In this system, gamma was produced almost to the same extent as the inframe translation product, tau, suggesting that efficient frameshifting was reproduced in vitro. Coupling with transcription was not necessary for frameshifting. Addition of purified tau or gamma had no effect on the frameshifting process suggesting the absence of direct feedback regulation. By use of mutant genes, a strong pausing site was identified at or very close to the frameshift site. This pausing was apparently caused by a potential stem-loop structure which was previously shown to enhance frameshifting. Thus, enhancement of frameshifting by this putative stem-loop seems to be mediated by the translation pausing at the frameshift site. Despite the apparent structural similarity of the dnaX frameshift site to that of the eukaryotic retroviral genes, dnaX mRNA synthesized in vitro failed to direct the production of gamma in eukaryotic translation systems. This suggests that frameshifting in the dnaX gene depends on components specific to the E. coli translation system. Images
Comparison of in-house-developed ELISA with HPLC techniques for the analysis of atrazine residues

In-house developed ELISA was standardized to monitor atrazine residues in different environmental samples. The standard curve was linear, indicating an increase in log concentration with decrease in absorbance (%B/B0 = 1.075–0.042 Log C; r = −0.966). The middle of the test was at 75 ng/L and the lowest detection limit at 4 ng/L. ELISA significantly correlated with the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (r = 0.990). Internal validation showed good accuracy and precision. Maximum atrazine residues were present in Jehlum River water/sediments and maize/sugarcane plant roots. Most of the food samples were found to be contaminated. ELISA required less clean-up steps than HPLC, but showed matrix effect in soil/colored extracts.
Left visual spatial neglect is both environment‐centered and body‐centered

To determine whether the left space that is neglected after right hemisphere lesions is body centered or environment centered, we asked patients with right hemisphere stroke and normal controls to report the contents of spatial arrays of objects or words, either while seated or while reclining on their side. The reclining posture eliminated the alignment of the vertical axis of the body with the vertical axis of the environment. Patients made fewer reports to the body left, but also fewer reports to the environment left, independent of body position. This suggests that a cerebral hemisphere directs attention not only relative to the body midline axis, but also relative to an environmental reference frame.
Phenotypic and genetic relationships between residual energy intake and growth, feed intake, and carcass traits of young bulls.

Residual energy intake, defined as actual minus predicted energy intake during a production period, was estimated for each of 650 bull calves of 31 Holstein Friesian or Brown Swiss sires. Residual energy intake, measured under ad libitum feeding, had heritabilities similar to those of growth rate and energy conversion ratio with an estimate of approximately . 3. Residual energy intake was related to average daily energy intake both phenotypically and genetically such that selection for decreased residual energy intake would lead to a decrease in daily feed intake. Such selection would also tend to increase carcass fatness (i.e., genetically fat animals are the most efficient). Residual energy intake estimated with and without correction for carcass composition were closely correlated. Thus, residual energy intake may be estimated without the knowledge of carcass composition in growing bulls of dual-purpose breeds.