Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy for staghorn stones in patients with solitary kidney in prone position or in completely supine position: a single-center experience.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effectivity and safety of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in the treatment of solitary kidney with staghorn stones in prone position or in completely supine position. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the records of 18 patients with staghorn stones in a solitary kidney treated with PCNL. 12 patients underwent PCNL in prone position (group A). 6 patients underwent PCNL in completely supine position (group B). Demographic data, number of accesses, operating time, stone free rate, hemoglobin values, hospital stay and complications were studied. Serum creatinine, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and new onset hypertension were determined preoperatively and postoperatively at 3 months. RESULTS No blood transfusions were required and no abdominal or thoracic organ injuries were reported in both groups. The mean operative time was 104 minutes (range: 72-145 minutes) and 128 minutes (range: 80-170 minutes), respectively. The I stage stone free rate was 91.7 % and 83.3 %, respectively. There was no new onset hypertension by the end of follow-up in both groups. Both groups showed a similar fall in serum creatinine at 3 month follow-up period (p = 0.004 and 0.029, respectively). Systolic blood pressure showed a statistically significant improvement in group B (p = 0.034). CONCLUSION PCNL is safe and has an acceptably high stone free rate in patients with solitary kidneys in both prone and completely supine position. At short-term follow-up, systolic blood pressure had improved in PCNL in supine position.
Uterotropic actions of relaxin in prepubertal gilts.

Uterotropic actions of relaxin (RLX) have been demonstrated in rats and mice but not in other species. Experiments were conducted to assess (1) if RLX has uterotropic effects in prepubertal gilts and (2) if RLX-induced imbibition of water by uterine tissues is mediated by histamine. Prepubertal gilts received (i.m.) either 0.5 mg pRLX (greater than or equal to 3000 U/mg; n = 10) in 0.1 M phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or PBS vehicle (n = 8) every 6 h for 54 h. Additionally, one-half of each group received either (1) the histamine receptor antagonists (300 mg i.m. of each), pyrilamine maleate (H1) and cimetidine (H2), in PBS and corn oil, respectively, or (2) control vehicles every 6 h for 66 h beginning 12 h prior to initiation of RLX treatment. Treatment with RLX stimulated a twofold increase (p less than or equal to 0.05) in uterine weight in prepubertal gilts. Increases in total uterine weight were manifested by greater (p less than or equal to 0.05) uterine water content and dry weight in RLX-treated gilts. Cotreatment with histamine receptor antagonists did not alter RLX-induced changes in uterine water content or dry weight. Uterine contents of soluble protein and DNA were greater (p less than or equal to 0.05) in RLX-treated gilts compared to controls. Treatment with RLX tended (p approximately 0.08) to reduce protein; DNA ratio of uterine tissues and increased (p less than or equal to 0.05) uterine DNA as a percentage of uterine dry weight. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Impact of oil palm agriculture on amphibians and reptiles

In den letzten Jahrzehnten breiteten sich Palmolplantagen in den vielen Regionen der Tropen rapide aus, unter anderem auch in den Neuwelttropen. In dieser Studie aus dem pazifischen Tiefland Costa Ricas wurde ihr Einfluss auf die regionale Herpetofauna untersucht. Amphibien und Reptilien wurden entlang von Transekten an je funf Standorten im Waldinneren (FI), am Waldrand (FM) und in Palmolplantagen (OP) erfasst. Neben der Erfassung des Artenreichtums wurden Veranderungen der funktionellen Diversitat (FD) mittels vier Kenngrosen (FRic – functional richness, FEve – functional evenness, FDiv – functional divergence, FDis – functional dispersion) untersucht. Hinsichtlich Artenvielfalt waren FI und FM nicht signifikant unterschiedlich, OP waren jedoch durch eine stark verarmte Fauna gekennzeichnet. Die Zahl der Arten an Amphibien (28 Arten) und Reptilien (19 Arten) war hier im Vergleich zu FI um 45,3 bzw. 49,8% geringer und nur 31,8 bzw. 30.8% der Arten aus FI konnten auch in OP nachgewiesen werden. In beiden Taxa unterschied sich die Artenzusammensetzung von OP Standorten signifikant von beiden Waldhabitaten und war in erster Linie von storungstoleranten Arten dominiert. FD-Mase der beiden Waldhabitate erwiesen sich als sehr ahnlich. In OP Hingegen waren FRic, FDiv und FDis von Amphibien jedoch dramatisch reduziert in OP. Dies weist auf einen deutlichen Ruckgang funktionellen Diversitat von Amphibiengemeinschaften in diesem Landnutzungssystem hin. In den Palmolplantagen kam es zudem zu einem erheblichen Verlust an endemischen Arten. Das komplette Fehlen von Streuschicht, Unterwuchsvegetation und Totholz sowie ein verringerter Baumkronenschluss stellen vermutlich die Hauptursache fur den Ruckgang der Artenvielfalt der Herpetofauna in Palmolplantagen dar. Eine Forderung der Unterwuchsvegetation konnte hier helfen, Plantagen zumindest fur einige Arten zu einem geeigneteren Lebensraum zu machen. Fur wahre Waldspezialisten reichen solche Masnahmen jedoch vermutlich nicht aus. Daher ist der Schutz jeglicher Art verbleibender Waldhabitate in der Kulturlandschaft, seien es Sekundarwalder, Galeriewaldstreifen oder Reste naturnaher Waldfragmente, essentiell, um den Verlust eines Grosteils der tropischen Herpetofauna in vom Menschen gepragten Landschaften zu verhindern.
Difficult patients or difficult encounters?

Sir, Dr Schattner1 stresses that research interest in the psychosocial and behavioural aspects of medical illness is rapidly growing, and extensive data have accumulated to support a bi-directional relationship of high clinical significance. In this field, communication studies on the doctor-patient relationship have been of interest to a growing number of researchers. Many studies investigate different aspects of communication. There are studies2 aimed at observing communication models (e.g. biomedical model, psychosocial or biopsychosocial model) or centeredness (e.g. patient-centered, doctor-centered or relation-centered models) and communications channels. A topic receiving growing attention is a patient category …
Drugs Hypersensitivity Reaction in Patient with Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV) Infection

A case of male, 34 years old with a diagnosis of immunodeficiency syndrome resulting from HIV infection with suspected pneumonia in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis relapse, in the course of the disease, patients experienced hypersensitivity reactions to some antibiotics and antituberculosis drugs. Hypersensitivity reactions were exaggerated by immune response to an allergen in a normal immune system. In this case, we found the drug hypersensitivity reactions in patients with immunodeficiency. Until now, the exact underlying mechanism is not fully known but may be due to multifactorial and the dysregulation of the immune system due to HIV infection.
Dialysis Modality and Readmission Following Hospital Discharge: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND Readmissions following hospital discharge among maintenance dialysis patients are common, potentially modifiable, and costly. Compared with patients receiving in-center hemodialysis (HD), patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD) have fewer routine dialysis clinic encounters and as a result may be more susceptible to a hospital readmission following discharge. STUDY DESIGN Population-based retrospective-cohort observational study. SETTINGS & PARTICIPANTS Patients treated with maintenance dialysis who were discharged following an acute-care hospitalization during January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2013, across 164 acute-care hospitals in Ontario, Canada. For those with multiple hospitalizations, we randomly selected a single hospitalization as the index hospitalization. PREDICTOR Dialysis modality PD or in-center HD. Propensity scores were used to match each patient on PD therapy to 2 patients on in-center HD therapy to ensure that baseline indicators of health were similar between the 2 groups. OUTCOME All-cause 30-day readmission following the index hospital discharge. RESULTS 28,026 dialysis patients were included in the study. 4,013 PD patients were matched to 8,026 in-center HD patients. Among the matched cohort, 30-day readmission rates were 7.1 (95% CI, 6.6-7.6) per 1,000 person-days for patients on PD therapy and 6.0 (95% CI, 5.7-6.3) per 1,000 person-days for patients on in-center HD therapy. The risk for a 30-day readmission among patients on PD therapy was higher compared with those on in-center HD therapy (adjusted HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.08-1.31). The primary results were consistent across several key prespecified subgroups. LIMITATIONS Lack of information for the frequency of nephrology physician encounters following discharge from the hospital in both the PD and in-center HD cohorts. Limited validation of International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes. CONCLUSIONS The risk for 30-day readmission is higher for patients on home-based PD compared to in-center HD therapy. Interventions to improve transitions in care between the inpatient and outpatient settings are needed, particularly for patients on PD therapy.
Purified NS2B/NS3 Serine Protease of Dengue Virus Type 2 Exhibits Cofactor NS2B Dependence for Cleavage of Substrates with Dibasic Amino Acids in Vitro*

Dengue virus type 2 NS3, a multifunctional protein, has a serine protease domain (NS3pro) that requires the conserved hydrophilic domain of NS2B for protease activity in cleavage of the polyprotein precursor at sites following two basic amino acids. In this study, we report the expression of the NS2B-NS3pro precursor inEscherichia coli as a fusion protein with a histidine tag at the N terminus. The precursor was purified from insoluble inclusion bodies by Ni2+ affinity and gel filtration chromatography under denaturing conditions. The denatured precursor was refolded to yield a purified active protease complex. Biochemical analysis of the protease revealed that its activity toward either a natural substrate, NS4B-NS5 precursor, or the fluorogenic peptide substrates containing two basic residues at P1 and P2, was dependent on the presence of the NS2B domain. The peptide with a highly conserved Gly residue at P3 position was 3-fold more active as a substrate than a Gln residue at this position. The cleavage of a chromogenic substrate with a single Arg residue at P1 was NS2B-independent. These results suggest that heterodimerization of the NS3pro domain with NS2B generates additional specific interactions with the P2 and P3 residues of the substrates.
Mechanisms of monovalent cation action in enzyme catalysis: the tryptophan synthase alpha-, beta-, and alpha beta-reactions.

The alpha-subunit of the tryptophan synthase bienzyme complex catalyzes the formation of indole from the cleavage of 3-indolyl-D-glyceraldehyde 3'-phosphate, while the beta-subunit utilizes L-serine and the indole produced at the alpha-site to form tryptophan. The replacement reaction catalyzed by the beta-subunit requires pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) as a cofactor. The beta-reaction occurs in two stages: in stage I, the first substrate, L-Ser, reacts with the enzyme-bound PLP cofactor to form an equilibrating mixture of the L-Ser Schiff base, E(Aex1), and the alpha-aminoacrylate Schiff base intermediate, E(A-A); in stage II, this intermediate reacts with the second substrate, indole, to form tryptophan. Monovalent cations (MVCs) are effectors of these processes [Woehl, E. , and Dunn, M. F. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 9466-9476]. Herein, detailed kinetic dissections of stage II are described in the absence and in the presence of MVCs. The analyses presented complement the results of the preceding paper [Woehl, E. , and Dunn, M. F. (1999) Biochemistry 38, XXXX-XXXX], which examines stage I, and confirm that the chemical and conformational processes in stage I establish the presence of two slowly interconverting conformations of E(A-A) that exhibit different reactivities in stage II. The pattern of kinetic isotope effects on the overall activity of the beta-reaction shows an MVC-mediated change in rate-limiting steps. In the absence of MVCs, the reaction of E(A-A) with indole becomes the rate-limiting step. In the presence of Na+ or K+, the conversion of E(Aex1) to E(A-A) is rate limiting, whereas some third process not subject to an isotope effect becomes rate determining for the NH4+-activated enzyme. The combined results from the preceding paper and from this study define the MVC effects, both for the reaction catalyzed by the beta-subunit and for the allosteric communication between the alpha- and beta-sites. Partial reaction-coordinate free energy diagrams and simulation studies of MVC effects on the proposed mechanism of the beta-reaction are presented.
Brief in-Home Assessments of Low-Income Mothers and Children using a New Affection Subscale of the HOME Inventory

Abstract Family services providers and researchers have a great need for efficient and valid assessment instruments. This secondary analysis explored whether the validity of a brief observational screener of mother-child interactions would be supported with self-report data concerning family functioning. A subset of participants in the Illinois Families Study (n = 193; 75% African American) was observed in interaction with their children (ages 0–5) in their homes. Parent-child relationship qualities were assessed with eight items from the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory-Infant/Toddler version, presented as a new Affection subscale of the HOME. Exploratory multivariate analyses indicate neighborhood disorder, mothers’ emotional disengagement, stress, and spanking were significant predictors of in-home observations. Implications for the utility of a brief screener for parent-child interactive behavior are discussed.
Especies de fusarium asociadas a la pudrición basal del ajo en el centro norte de México y su patogenicidad.

El ajo (Allium sativum L.) es originario de Asia Central, la llegada a America de esta hortaliza fue en el segundo viaje de Cristobal Colon (Heredia y Delgadillo, 2000). En Mexico, el ajo es considerado como uno de los cultivos mas rentables, con 5,539 ha sembradas (FAO, 2011), y con una produccion nacional para el ano 2012 de 54,015 ton. Los estados que reunen mas del 83% de la produccion son Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Sonora, Baja California, Puebla y Aguascalientes. Zacatecas en el 2012 contribuyo con una superficie cosechada de 1,948 ha y 24,820 ton, con un valor de 198’247, 250 pesos (SAGARPASIAP, 2012). La planta de ajo se reproduce asexualmente por lo que su unica via de propagacion es mediante bulbillos o dientes, lo cual la hace muy susceptible al ataque de plagas y enfermedades que provocan grandes perdidas en su rendimiento (Vazquez, 2012). Dentro de los hongos fitopatogenos que afectan al ajo podemos mencionar la pudricion blanca ocasionada por Sclerotium cepivorum, moho azul por Penicillium spp. y a Fusarium spp. Este ultimo afecta al ajo desde su estado de plantula (Quiroz et al., 2008;). Fusarium spp. ha sido reportado afectando a plantas de ajo en Mexico en los estados de Guanajuato, Zacatecas y Aguascalientes (Delgadillo, 2000; Velasquez y Medina, 2004a; Ochoa et al., 2012 y Ochoa et al., 2013).
Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue and Lipids in Blood in Growth Hormone Deficiency before and after Treatment with Human Growth Hormone

Extract: This study was undertaken to evaluate adipose cell size and number and subcutaneous fat and blood lipids composition in hypopituitary patients before and daring treatment with human growth hormone (HGH). The investigations were performed in 14 prepubertal children 6–17 11/12 years of age, with idiopathic hypopituitarism. Human growth hormone was administered successfully to 6 of these 14 patients for at least 1 year.Before HGH treatment there was a significant reduction of adipose tissue cell number according to chronologic age and to skeletal age. The average adipose cell size was significantly larger than normal. A significant correlation between subcutaneous adipose cell mean weight and tricipital and subscapular skin fold thickness, similar to that observed in normal children, was observed. The distribution of fatty acids in the subcutaneous fat and in the blood lipid composition was normal.During the 1st and 2nd year of HGH treatment, the total number of adipose cells increased rapidly. There was also a highly significant reduction of the average adipose cell size after the 1st year. A significant reduction of the fatty acids unsaturated fraction was observed after the 1st year without further changes after the 2nd year of treatment. The blood lipid composition did not change significantly after either 1 or 2 years of HGH treatment.Speculation: The striking increase in total number of adipose cells observed during HGH administration in hypopituitary patients tends to prove that the adipose tissue organogenesis is not limited to a finite period ending after the 1st year of life.The modifications in composition of adipose tissue triglycerides induced by long term treatment with HGH would mean that the several components of the fatty acid pool are differentially liberated.
Impact of cataract surgery on car driving: a population based study in Sweden

AIMS To investigate the outcome of cataract surgery on the patients’ self estimation of visual function while driving. Furthermore, the benefit of surgery to the car driving population was determined. METHODS A total of 208 consecutive patients (211 cases) with driving licences, who underwent cataract surgery with intraocular lenses, were studied prospectively using self administered questionnaires. Their self estimated degree of visual functional problems while driving were analysed before and after surgery. RESULTS Visual problems while driving declined from 82% preoperatively to 5% after surgery. Remaining visual problems with the operated eye were present in only seven patients. Problems in estimating distance while driving decreased from 37% before surgery to 6% after surgery. Twenty three per cent of the patients drove with a visual acuity below the requirements for driving in Sweden before surgery and only 4% after surgery. There was no correlation between the degree of visual problems while driving and visual acuity before surgery. CONCLUSION The car driving population greatly benefited from cataract surgery in terms of subjectively improved visual function and distance estimation while driving. Functional visual problems while driving should be considered as an indication for cataract surgery. These findings also indicated that the second eye should be operated on, if necessary, to achieve optimal ability to estimate distance and give best possible road safety.
Population genetics reveals origin and number of founders in a biological invasion

Propagule pressure is considered the main determinant of success of biological invasions: when a large number of individuals are introduced into an area, the species is more likely to establish and become invasive. Nevertheless, precise data on propagule pressure exist only for a small sample of invasive species, usually voluntarily introduced. We studied the invasion of the American bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, into Europe, a species that is considered a major cause of decline for native amphibians. For this major invader with scarce historical data, we used population genetics data (a partial sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene) to infer the invasion history and to estimate the number of founders of non‐native populations. Based on differences between populations, at least six independent introductions from the native range occurred in Europe, followed by secondary translocations. Genetic diversity was strongly reduced in non‐native populations, indicating a very strong bottleneck during colonization. We used simulations to estimate the precise number of founders and found that most non‐native populations derive from less than six females. This capability of invasion from a very small number of propagules challenges usual management strategies; species with such ability should be identified at an early stage of introduction.
Operating Room Utilization: The Need for Data

Keeping the OR scheduled to satisfy all the various constituents is a complex dynamic process. The health care environment needs to be carefully analyzed to ensure that the services the OR offers are appropriate. OR utilization is not simply ensuring that the greatest number of cases are done. The cost of doing these cases must be considered and, in order to do so, compromises must be made. Creating information systems that track all aspects of utilization, including costs and revenues, will be vital for the future management of operating rooms.
An unmodified wobble uridine in tRNAs specific for Glutamine, Lysine, and Glutamic acid from Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium results in nonviability—Due to increased missense errors?

In the wobble position of tRNAs specific for Gln, Lys, and Glu a universally conserved 5-methylene-2-thiouridine derivative (xm5s2U34, x denotes any of several chemical substituents and 34 denotes the wobble position) is present, which is 5-(carboxy)methylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine ((c)mnm5s2U34) in Bacteria and 5-methylcarboxymethyl-2-thiouridine (mcm5s2U34) in Eukarya. Here we show that mutants of the bacterium Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium LT2 lacking either the s2- or the (c)mnm5-group of (c)mnm5s2U34 grow poorly especially at low temperature and do not grow at all at 15°C in both rich and glucose minimal media. A double mutant of S. enterica lacking both the s2- and the (c)mnm5-groups, and that thus has an unmodified uridine as wobble nucleoside, is nonviable at different temperatures. Overexpression of tRNAcmnm5s2UUGGln lacking either the s2- or the (c)mnm5-group and of tRNAmnm5s2UUULys lacking the s2-group exaggerated the reduced growth induced by the modification deficiency, whereas overexpression of tRNAmnm5s2UUULys lacking the mnm5-group did not. From these results we suggest that the primary function of cmnm5s2U34 in bacterial tRNAcmnm5s2UUGGln and mnm5s2U34 in tRNAmnm5s2UUULys is to prevent missense errors, but the mnm5-group of tRNAmnm5s2UUULys does not. However, other translational errors causing the growth defect cannot be excluded. These results are in contrast to what is found in yeast, since overexpression of the corresponding hypomodified yeast tRNAs instead counteracts the modification deficient induced phenotypes. Accordingly, it was suggested that the primary function of mcm5s2U34 in these yeast tRNAs is to improve cognate codon reading rather than prevents missense errors. Thus, although the xm5s2U34 derivatives are universally conserved, their major functional impact on bacterial and eukaryotic tRNAs may be different.