Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Questionnaire survey of management and prescription of general practitioners in knee osteoarthritis: a comparison with 2000 EULAR recommendations.

OBJECTIVE A large-scale questionnaire survey on the way to handle and treat knee osteoarthritis (OA) was conducted with French general practitioners (GPs). Results of this questionnaire were compared with the 2000 EULAR recommendations on the treatment of knee OA. RESULTS There was a high response rate among GPs (70%). Major findings included a high request rate for radiological examinations even if not required (about one-third of GPs in the case of a non-inflammatory condition); the under-utilization of non-pharmacological treatments as a first line approach; the prescription of paracetamol as the first-line drug; the co-prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in 40% as a first-line approach; and a low rate of corticoidsteroid prescription. CONCLUSIONS There is reasonable agreement between the results of this survey and EULAR 2000 recommendations. However, non-pharmacological approaches are under-utilized and should be reinforced.
The Impact of Electronic Mail Versus Print Delivery of an Exercise Program on Muscular Strength and Aerobic Capacity in People With Type 2 Diabetes

Taylor, JD. The impact of electronic mail versus print delivery of an exercise program on muscular strength and aerobic capacity in people with type 2 diabetes. J Strength Cond Res 22(5): 1696-1704, 2008-Previous research indicates that the Internet, electronic mail (e-mail), and printed materials can be used to deliver interventions to improve physical activity in people with type 2 diabetes. However, no studies have been conducted investigating the effect of e-mail or print delivery of an exercise program on muscular strength and aerobic capacity in people with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this clinical trial was to investigate the impact of e-mail vs. print delivery of an exercise program on muscular strength and aerobic capacity in people with type 2 diabetes. Nineteen participants with type 2 diabetes were allocated to either a group that was delivered a prescribed exercise program using e-mail (e-mail group, n = 10) or a group that was delivered the same prescribed exercise program in print form (print group, n = 9). Chest press and leg press estimated one-repetition maximum (1-RM) scores as well as estimated peak oxygen uptake (&OV0312;O2peak) were measured at baseline and follow-up. Intention-to-treat analysis indicated significant improvements in chest press (mean = 7.00 kg, p = 0.001, effect size = 2.22) and leg press (mean = 19.32 kg, p = 0.002, effect size = 1.98) 1-RM scores and &OV0312;O2peak (mean = 9.38 mL of oxygen uptake per kilogram of body mass per minute, p = 0.01, effect size = 1.45) within the e-mail group. Within the print group, significant improvements in chest press (mean = 9.13 kg, p = 0.01, effect size = 1.49) and leg press (mean = 16.68 kg, p = 0.01, effect size = 1.31) 1-RM scores and &OV0312;O2peak (mean = 5.14 ml of oxygen uptake per kilogram of body mass per minute, p = 0.03, effect size = 1.14) were found. No significant between-group differences in improvements were found. Clinicians can deliver a prescribed exercise program, either by e-mail or in print form, to significantly improve muscular strength and aerobic capacity in people with type 2 diabetes, and expect similar outcomes.
Species relationships and population structure of Littorina saxatilis Olivi and L. tenebrosa Montagu in Ireland using single‐strand conformational polymorphisms (SSCPs) of cytochrome b fragments

Littorina saxatilis is a ubiquitous snail of intertidal habitats in the North Atlantic. Shell type in littorinids is extremely polymorphic and defined by habitat. Taxonomy based upon shell type has been revised in the light of anatomic and genetic information, but uncertainties remain. In this study, the population structure of L. saxatilis and L. tenebrosa was studied at 11 sites in Ireland using single‐strand conformational polymorphisms of a 375‐bp portion of the cytochrome b gene, and the status of L. tenebrosa, the small, fragile‐shelled, brackish water type, was considered. The genetic patterns among L. saxatilis and L. tenebrosa populations were examined over varying distances and L. tenebrosa was compared with adjacent L. saxatilis populations at four sites on the west coast of Ireland and one site on the east coast. Haplotype diversity was high with 32 haplotypes present among 995 individuals. Pairwise tests suggest gene flow over small scales among and between habitat types and may reflect the stochastic legacy of postglacial recolonization over larger scales. In amova tests, geography explained nearly twice as much of the variance (30%) as habitat type (18%), indicating that gene flow is more restricted by distance than by habitat type, and supporting the status of L. tenebrosa as an ecotype of L. saxatilis rather than a separate species.
Localization of 2‐[125I]Iodomelatonin Binding Sites in Mammalian Retina

Abstract: Specific melatonin binding sites were localized in the mammalian retina using the selective radioligand 2‐[125I]iodomelatonin. Frozen sections obtained from both pigmented and albino rabbit eyes and albino mouse eyes were incubated with 2‐[125I]iodomelatonin in the absence and presence of competing agents. In eyecups from albino rabbits, the highest density of specific 2‐[125I]iodomelatonin binding sites was localized over the inner plexiform layer. Approximately 40–60% of the binding was specific, as determined with both the agonist 6‐chloromelatonin and the antagonist luzindole. A high density of binding sites was observed over the choroid and retinal pigmented epithelium, but no statistical difference between total and nonspecific binding was detected. Results were similar with eyecups from pigmented rabbits. Albino mice showed a significant extent of 2‐[125I]iodomelatonin binding in both the inner plexiform and the outer and inner segment layers. The specific binding of 2‐[125I]iodomelatonin in retinas from albino rabbits maintained in the light for 24 h before decapitation was increased in the inner retina compared with the control. The distribution of 2‐[125I]iodomelatonin binding sites in the various layers of the mammalian retina is consistent with the described functions for this hormone in retinal physiology.
Minimal wave speed and spread speed of competing pioneer and climax species

In this article, for a diffusive population model describing interaction of pioneer-climax species, we explore the issues of spreading speed, linear determinacy and traveling wave fronts. Applying the theory developed by Weinberger et al. [J. Math. Biol. 2002;45:183–218], we identify some ranges of model parameters within which, the model is shown to have a single spreading speed which is linearly determinate and coincides with the corresponding minimal speed for the traveling wave fronts connecting two relevant equilibria, one being a boundary equilibrium and the other being a coexistence equilibrium.
Exosome enrichment of human serum using multiple cycles of centrifugation

In this work, we compared the use of repeated cycles of centrifugation at conventional speeds for enrichment of exosomes from human serum compared to the use of ultracentrifugation (UC). After removal of cells and cell debris, a speed of 110 000 × g or 40 000 × g was used for the UC or centrifugation enrichment process, respectively. The enriched exosomes were analyzed using the bicinchoninic acid assay, 1D gel separation, transmission electron microscopy, Western blotting, and high‐resolution LC‐MS/MS analysis. It was found that a five‐cycle repetition of UC or centrifugation is necessary for successful removal of nonexosomal proteins in the enrichment of exosomes from human serum. More significantly, 5× centrifugation enrichment was found to provide similar or better performance than 5× UC enrichment in terms of enriched exosome protein amount, Western blot band intensity for detection of CD‐63, and numbers of identified exosome‐related proteins and cluster of differentiation (CD) proteins. A total of 478 proteins were identified in the LC‐MS/MS analyses of exosome proteins obtained from 5× UCs and 5× centrifugations including many important CD membrane proteins. The presence of previously reported exosome‐related proteins including key exosome protein markers demonstrates the utility of this method for analysis of proteins in human serum.
Oxidative Damage after Severe Head Injury and Its Relationship to Neurological Outcome

OBJECTIVE We sought to establish the time course of reactive oxygen species after severe head injuries in humans and to investigate their relationship with clinical outcomes. METHODS Both the markers of oxidative damage—malonylaldehyde (MDA) and the enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant defenses (i.e., superoxide dismutase [SOD] and vitamin E [VE], respectively)—were studied. To assess the time course of MDA, SOD, and VE, jugular bulb (JB) and peripheral venous blood samples were obtained from 30 patients within 8 hours of severe head trauma onset (T0) and 6 (T1), 12 (T2), 24 (T3), and 48 hours (T4) after trauma onset. Patients were divided into good and poor outcome groups according to their 6-month neurological outcome as determined on the basis of their Glasgow Outcome Scale scores and biochemical profiles. RESULTS In JB samples, MDA levels increased significantly at T1, T2, T3, and T4 as compared with T0; SOD activity increased significantly at T2 and T3 as compared with T0; and VE levels decreased significantly at T1, T2, and T3 as compared with T0. The same variables did not change significantly over time in peripheral venous blood samples. Moreover, the MDA levels and SOD activity detected in JB samples were significantly higher in the poor outcome group at T1 and T2. No significant difference in VE levels was observed between the two outcome groups. CONCLUSION Reactive oxygen species-mediated oxidative damage can play an important role in determining the prognosis of severe brain injury in humans.
A New Paradigm for Enzymatic Control of α-Cleavage and β-Cleavage of the Prion Protein*

Background: The prion protein (PrP) is cleaved into bioactive fragments by enzymes and metal catalysis. Results: Key members of the ADAM protease family yield all observed PrP products. Conclusion: Proteases alone may be responsible for PrP processing, with distinct activities depending on specific enzymes. Significance: Elucidation of the responsible enzymes and products can be used to evaluate PrP function and proteolysis in prion disease. The cellular form of the prion protein (PrPC) is found in both full-length and several different cleaved forms in vivo. Although the precise functions of the PrPC proteolytic products are not known, cleavage between the unstructured N-terminal domain and the structured C-terminal domain at Lys-109↓His-110 (mouse sequence), termed α-cleavage, has been shown to produce the anti-apoptotic N1 and the scrapie-resistant C1 peptide fragments. β-Cleavage, residing adjacent to the octarepeat domain and N-terminal to the α-cleavage site, is thought to arise from the action of reactive oxygen species produced from redox cycling of coordinated copper. We sought to elucidate the role of key members of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) enzyme family, as well as Cu2+ redox cycling, in recombinant mouse PrP (MoPrP) cleavage through LC/MS analysis. Our findings show that although Cu2+ redox-generated reactive oxygen species do produce fragmentation corresponding to β-cleavage, ADAM8 also cleaves MoPrP in the octarepeat domain in a Cu2+- and Zn2+-dependent manner. Additional cleavage by ADAM8 was observed at the previously proposed location of α-cleavage, Lys-109↓His-110 (MoPrP sequencing); however, upon addition of Cu2+, the location of α-cleavage shifted by several amino acids toward the C terminus. ADAM10 and ADAM17 have also been implicated in α-cleavage at Lys-109↓His-110; however, we observed that they instead cleaved MoPrP at a novel location, Ala-119↓Val-120, with additional cleavage by ADAM10 at Gly-227↓Arg-228 near the C terminus. Together, our results show that MoPrP cleavage is far more complex than previously thought and suggest a mechanism by which PrPC fragmentation responds to Cu2+ and Zn2+.
Gamma knife radiosurgery for brain metastases: a primary therapeutic option.

OBJECT The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the role of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) as a primary treatment for brain metastases by evaluating the results in particularly difficult cases such as oncotypes-which are unresponsive to radiation-cystic lesions, and highly critical locations such as the brainstem. METHODS Treatment of 804 patients with 1307 solitary (29%), single (26%), and multiple (45%) brain metastases was evaluated. Treatment planning parameters were as follows: mean tumor volume 4.8 cm3 (range 0.01-21.5 cm3), mean prescription dose 20.6 Gy (range 12-29 Gy), and mean number of isocenters 6.5 (one-19). In unresponsive oncotypes such as melanoma and renal cell carcinoma, the mean target dosages were higher. Cystic metastatic lesions were initially stereotactically evacuated and then GKS was performed. Patients with brainstem metastases were treated with lower doses. Conventional radiotherapy was used in only a minority (14%) of selected cases. The overall median patient survival time was 13.5 months, and the 1-year actuarial local progression-free survival rate was 94%, with a mean palliation index and functional independence index of 53.8 and 52.5 weeks, respectively. The local tumor control rate was 93%, with a mean follow-up period of 14 months. In the overall series, and especially in the unresponsive oncotypes, systemic disease progression was the main limiting factor with regard to patient life expectancy. CONCLUSIONS Gamma knife radiosurgery seems to be the primary treatment option for patients harboring small-to-medium size (< or = 20-cm3) brain metastases with reasonable life expectancy and no impending intracranial hypertension. Results are better than with those obtained using whole-brain radiotherapy and comparable to the best selected surgery-radiation series, even in oncotypes unresponsive to therapeutic radiation, cystic tumors, and tumors located in the brain stem.
Comparative pharmacokinetics of amikacin and kanamycin

Pharmacokinetic parameters of amikacin and kanamycin were compared in a crossover study using healthy adult male volunteers. Following an intravenous infusion of 3.33 mg per kilogram for 1 hour, an infusion of 1.00 mg per kilogram per hour over the next 3 hours produced a steady state with serum levels of approximately 12 mcg per milliliter. The apparent volumes of distribution were about 28% of total body weight, a relatively large value consistent with the observation that neither antibiotic is protein‐bound. Amikacin and kanamycin had serum half‐lives of about 2 hours, and renal clearance of the antibiotics (84 ml per minute) was less than the creatinine clearance (120 per milliliter per minute), indicating tubular reabsorption. Although 94% of the total dose was eventually recovered in the urine, clearance of the antibiotics from the serum was greater than renal clearance (100 versus 84 ml per minute), implying a small component of unidentified distribution or elimination. After single intramuscular injections of 7.5 mg per kilogram (about 0.6 gm), peak blood levels of about 18 mcg per milliliter were found, and the serum half‐life of each antibiotic was again about 2 hours. Thus the pharmacokinetic parameters of amikacin and kanamycin were Virtually identical.
In Vitro Antifungal Susceptibilities of Uncommon Basidiomycetous Yeasts

ABSTRACT The in vitro activities of eight antifungal drugs against 50 isolates of basidiomycetous yeasts were determined by a microdilution method. In general fluconazole and micafungin were inactive. Terbinafine was active only against Sporobolomyces salmonicolor. The activities of the other antifungals were variable and depended on the species tested. The new triazoles showed the lowest MICs, but amphotericin B and itraconazole were the only drugs active against Cryptococcus albidus.
Abortive activation of CD4 T cell responses during competitive priming in vivo

Immunodominance refers to the highly selective peptide reactivity of T cells during an immune response. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that persistence of peptide:class II complexes is one key parameter that selects the final specificity of CD4 T cells. We found that low-stability peptide:class II complexes support the initial priming and expansion of CD4 T cells, but the expansion becomes strikingly aborted in the presence of competitive T cell responses to unrelated peptides. Our experiments revealed that for inhibition to occur, the competitive responses must be initiated by the same antigen presenting cell, and it is not because of competition for MHC binding. These studies not only provide an insight into the events that regulate competitive CD4 T cell priming in vivo, but also provide a previously undescribed conceptual framework to understand the parameters that select the final specificity of the T cell repertoire during pathogen or vaccine-induced immune responses.
Interaction of albumin and fusidic acid.

1. By combining the agar plate diffusion technique for determination of antibiotic activity and zone microelectrophoresis in agar gel, the activity of fusidic acid in individual serum proteins of blood and pus obtained from patients given sodium fusidate revealed albumin to be responsible for the protein binding of this antibiotic.2. Based on the assumption that only free fusidic acid is microbiologically active, the relationship between the concentration of albumin and the ratio of free to total fusidic acid was determined at four concentrations of free fusidic acid, using as test organisms four differently sensitive variants of a Staphylococcus aureus strain. At each concentration an increasing amount of albumin (0-40 mg/ml culture medium) decreased the activity of fusidic acid as determined in serial dilutions (IC50). 3. The law of mass action expressed as Langmuir's adsorption isotherm was valid if a correction for the influence of albumin on the sensitivity of the strain of Staph. aureus was introduced. For other test organisms no correction is necessary. The constant in Langmuir's adsorption isotherm was K=78400+/-8200 l. /mol and n=3.15 (95% confidence limits: 2.09-5.52). 4. The mean blood concentration was 20.8 mug/ml and the mean pus concentration 17.2 mug/ml in nineteen sets of blood and pus samples. The ratio of pus to blood corresponds to the ratio of published values for the protein concentrations in serum and in inflammatory oedema.5. It is concluded that for albumin bound drugs the ;storage depot' of the organism also includes the fluid of the tissue spaces including the inflammatory oedema. As recent studies have revealed an extravascular albumin pool similar in size to the plasma pool, this ;storage depot' should not be neglected.
Research on the Cooling System of a 4QT Prototype Machine Used for HEV

A four-quadrant transducer (4QT) is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) power train concept. It can enable the internal combustion engine (ICE) to operate at optimum efficiency during all driving conditions with both torque and speed control. The thermal property is a vital problem due to its special configuration. Aiming to find the hot spot and investigate the cooling system of the 4QT, the thermal field is calculated with finite-element method (FEM). The simulation is validated by the comparisons with the experiment. The influences of the forced-air cooling, water cooling, and the distribution of the cooling channels on the cooling performance are discussed, respectively. The stator air ducts are removed, and 12 water channels evenly distributed in the housing are employed. The design principle of the cooling system is presented. The speed impacts of air flow and water flow are discussed and provide a parameter reference for choosing the forced-air cooling fan and water pump properly.
Personalized preventive care reduces healthcare expenditures among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the impact on healthcare expenditure and utilization trends of a personalized preventive care program designed to deliver individualized care focused on disease preventionamong Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. STUDY DESIGN MD-Value in Prevention (MDVIP) consists of a network of affiliated primary care physicians who utilize a model of healthcare delivery based on an augmented physician-patient relationship and focused on personalized preventive healthcare. The cost-effectiveness of the program was estimated using medical and pharmacy claims data relative to nonmembers. METHODS Multivariate modeling was used to control for demographic, socioeconomic, supply of healthcare services, and health status differences between members and nonmembers. Healthcare expenditure and utilization trends for members and nonmembers were tracked from the pre-period prior to member enrollment for a period of 2 years post enrollment. RESULTS MDVIP members experienced significantly reduced utilization rates for emergency department visits and inpatient admissions. Reduced medical utilization resulted in program savings of $86.68 per member per month (PMPM) in year 1 and $47.03 PMPM in year 2 compared with nonmembers. CONCLUSIONS A primary care model based on an augmented physician-patient relationship and focused on personalized preventive medicine can reduce Medicare Advantage healthcare spending.
Prevalence of Anemia among Adolescent Girls Studying in Selected Schools

As per recent report from UNICEF more than half (59%) of adolescent girls in India are anemic as par with Congo and Guinea. Among adolescents, girls constitute vulnerable groups due to family with limited resources, female child is more likely to be neglected and another added burden is menstrual blood loss and also influences of traditional eating habits and fear of gaining wt etc. AIM; To find out the prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls. Methodology: In order to achieve the objectives of the study a descriptive exploratory research study was used. The data was collected and fallowed with hemoglobin test for assessing anemia among 300 adolescent girls of selected schools at Nidoni. Non probability Non probability in which convenient sampling was used for sample selection. Results: The result of the study reveals that the prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls was 80% , in that 48.75% were mild anemic,42.5% were moderate anemic and 8,75% had severe anemic. There was association between prevalence of anemia with selected demographic variable. i.e. among adolescents 14yr age girls had highest prevalence of anemia (42.5%). 66.25% of prevalence of anemia was found in well nourished girls, 87.5% of prevalence was belongs to girls who had regular menstruation and 61.25% of prevalence was in adolescent girls who had bleeding for 5 days. Conclusion: Majority of the adolescents are having anemia. the result of the study reinforce that nutritional education should be given both parents and to children. Anemia should be treated before they enter into adolescent. Emphasizes are needed for corrective measures for anemia. It also needs proper monitoring for effective utilization of nutritional supplementation provided by GOVT by Anganawadi workers.