Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Clinical Symptoms and Signs Predict Reduced Renal Function Among Hospitalized Adults?

Background: Reduced renal function manifests as reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which is estimated using the serum creatinine levels. This condition is frequently encountered among hospitalized adults. Renal dysfunction remains clinically asymptomatic, until late in the course of disease, and its symptoms and screening strategies are poorly defined. Aim: We conducted this study to understand if the presence of renal dysfunction related clinical symptom and signs (either alone or in combination) can predict reduced GFR. Further, we aimed to determine if the combination of symptoms and signs are useful for prediction of different levels of reduced GFR. Subjects and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional clinical prediction study and included all consecutive patients admitted to the medical wards of the hospital. We used a renal dysfunction related clinical predictors as index tests and low estimated GFR ([eGFR] < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2) as a reference standard. We identified symptoms with a high likelihood ratio (LR) for prediction of low eGFR and constructed different risk score models. We plotted receiver operating curves for each score and used area under the curve (AUC) for comparison. The score with the highest AUC was considered as most discriminant. All statistical analysis was performed using the statistical software STATA (version 11.0, lake drive, Texas, USA). Results: A total of 341 patients participated in the study. None of the predictor variables had statistically significant LRs for eGFR less than 60 ml/min or eGFR less than 30 ml/min. Positive LRs were significant for prediction of eGFR < 15 ml/min for the presence of hypertension, vomiting pruritis, peripheral edema, hyperpigmentation, peripheral neuropathy and severe anemia. The best predictive model for eGFR less than 15 ml/min/1.73 m2, included Age > 45 years, the presence of hypertension, vomiting, peripheral edema, hyperpigmentation, and severe anemia and had AUC of 0.82. Conclusion: Clinical symptoms and signs are poorly predictive of reduced renal function, except for very low eGFR of less than 15 ml/min/1.73 m2.
The Fibular Incisure of the Tibia on CT Scan: A Cadaver Study

Twenty cadaver lower limbs were used for CT assessment of the fibular incisure of the tibia. The length of the syndesmotic facet is shorter in the anterior (11.20 ± 1.90 mm) than in the posterior (14.89 ± 2.72 mm) (P < 0.001). The angle between anterior and posterior facets is 135.18 ± 9.27°. The depth of the fibular incisure of the tibia is 4.29 ± 1.26 mm. The vertical distance of tibiofibular overlapping is 7.81 ± 1.93 mm. The distance between anterior margin of the tibia and anterior margin of the fibula is 17.40 ± 3.61 mm. The distance between the medial fibular border and the lateral border of the posterior tibia is 2.01 ± 0.49 mm. The syndesmotic notch could be divided into two groups: significant concave surface and shallow concave surface. The position of the fibula in the incisural notch may depend on the depth of the fibular incisure of the tibia during traumatic forces applied on the syndesmosis. CT can display the tibial tubercles and clearly demonstrates the fibular incisure of the tibia and the interior of the tibiofibular space.
Experimental and numerical results on three-dimensional instabilities in a rotating disk―tall cylinder flow

The three-dimensional axisymmetry-breaking instability of axisymmetric flow between a rotating lid and a stationary cylinder is analyzed both numerically and experimentally for the case of tall cylinders with the height/radius aspect ratio between 3.3 and 5.5. A complete stability diagram for the primary three-dimensional instability is obtained experimentally and computed numerically. The instability sets in due to different three-dimensional disturbance modes that are characterized by different azimuthal wavenumbers. The critical Reynolds numbers and associated frequencies are identified for each mode. The onset of three-dimensional flow behavior is measured by combining the high spatial resolution of particle image velocimetry and the temporal accuracy of laser Doppler anemometry. The results are compared to the numerical stability analysis. The measured onset of three dimensionality is in a good agreement with the numerical results. Disagreements observed in supercritical regimes can be explained by s.
Overexpression of p53: A rare event in a large series of white patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Mutant p53 has been found in a wide variety of human malignancies including carcinomas of the lung, breast and colon. Because of the controversial mutational rate of the p53 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma, a large series of liver tumors from white patients with different risk factors was examined immunohistochemically for expression of the p53 mutant to assess its prevalence and the relationships between p53 overexpression and clinicopathological data. Nine of 58 specimens were found to have detectable evidence of p53 gene mutation by virtue of the immunohistochemical detection of mutant p53 protein. The p53 mutation was more frequent in patients with serological hepatitis B and C markers than in patients without these markers (p = 0.046). The prevalence of p53‐positive tumors was also significantly higher in the group of tumors with invaded portal branches than in the group without (p = 0.02). Our results showed that p53‐positive hepatocellular carcinoma is a rare finding in patients exposed to a low dietary aflatoxin intake and that p53 mutation seems to occur at a late stage of the tumoral process and could contribute to an aggressive tumoral phenotype. (HEPATOLOGY 1992;16:1171–1175.)
Effect of in vivo administered 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin on DNA‐binding activities of nuclear transcription factors in liver of guinea pigs

To study the long‐term effect of 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p ‐dioxin (TCDD) on the DNA‐binding activity of nuclear transcription factors; a single dose of TCDD was injected intraperitoneally to male guinea pigs (1 g/kg i.p.). The animals were killed after 1, 2, 10, 20, 28, and 40 days, and DNA‐binding activities in liver nuclear fraction were assessed through electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay (EMSA). As expected, the nuclear protein binding to dioxin or xenobiotic response element (DRE or XRE) increased as a result of TCDD's action (1–20 days). In addition, protein binding to 32P‐labeled activator protein‐1 (AP‐1) response element (RE) (1–28 days) and activator protein‐2 (AP‐2) RE (1–28 days) were all increased by the action of TCDD. On the other hand, TCDD treatment significantly lowered the nuclear protein binding to both specific protein‐1 (Sp‐1) RE and c‐MycRE at all time points (1–40 days). In the case of protein binding to 32P‐labeled cAMP response element (CRE), we found two groups of binding bands being affected by TCDD. The intensity of the upper band group decreased, and that of the lower band group increased. As for AP‐1 proteins, judging by the results of the Western blotting assay, the level of c‐Fos increased while that of c‐Jun decreased with TCDD treatment both at day 1 and 28. It is known that the rise in AP‐1 and AP‐2 activities often results in lowering certain cell differentiation signaling messengers in the nucleus. In agreement with this scenario, binding of C/EBP (CCAAT enhancer binding protein) to its response element site was found to be suppressed for 1 through 28 days. Among hormone receptors, TCDD treatment decreased the binding to retinoic acid RE but increased the binding to thyroid hormone RE. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biochem Toxicol 12: 191–204, 1998
Atorvastatin Treatment Improves Myocardial and Peripheral Blood Flow in Familial Hypercholesterolemia Subjects without Evidence of Coronary Atherosclerosis

Background: Hypercholesterolemia induces early microcirculatory functional and structural alterations that are reversible by cholesterol reduction. Real time myocardial contrast echocardiography (RTMCE) and vascular ultrasound evaluate the effects of hyperlipidemia on peripheral and central blood flow reserve. This study investigated the effects of lipid‐lowering therapy on coronary and peripheral artery circulation in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Methods: RTMCE and vascular ultrasound were performed in 10 healthy volunteers (validation group) at baseline and after 12‐week clinical observation, and in 16 age‐ and sex‐matched FH patients without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) by computed tomography angiography at baseline and after 12‐week atorvastatin treatment. Indexes of relative myocardial blood flow (MBF) were obtained at rest and during adenosine infusion. Results: In validation group, there was no significant difference between flow‐mediated dilation (FMD) at baseline and after 12 weeks (0.15 ± 0.02 vs. 0.14 ± 0.03; P = 0.39). Similarly, no differences were observed in MBF reserve at baseline and after 12 weeks (3.31 ± 0.63 vs. 3.48 ± 0.89; P = 0.89). FMD was blunted in FH patients, at baseline, as compared with validation group (0.08 ± 0.04 vs. 0.15 ± 0.02; P < 0.001) and became similar to that group (0.13 ± 0.05 vs. 0.14 ± 0.03; P = 0.07) after treatment. MBF reserve was blunted at baseline in FH patients in comparison with the validation group (2.78 ± 0.71 vs. 3.31 ± 0.63; P = 0.003). After treatment, MBF reserve values were no longer different (3.43 ± 0.66 and 3.48 ± 0.89; P = 0.84, respectively, for FH and validation groups). Conclusion: Patients with FH and no obstructive CAD have blunted MBF reserve and lower FMD values as compared with healthy volunteers. Both FMD and MBF reserve were normalized after atorvastatin treatment.
Decreased availability of GDP‐l‐fucose in a patient with LAD II with normal GDP‐d‐mannose dehydratase and FX protein activities

Leukocyte adhesion deficiency type II (LAD II) is caused by a disorder in the metabolism of GDP‐l‐fucose, which causes hypofucosylation of glycoconjugates. This study analyzes a newly identified LAD II patient who shows the same severe hypofucosylation of glycoconjugates as the other described patients. However, in vitro assays of cytosolic extracts from leukocytes and fibroblasts of the patient demonstrated a normal GDP‐l‐fucose biosynthesis from GDP‐d‐mannose. Analysis of the two enzymes involved in the pathway, GDP‐d‐mannose 4,6‐dehydratase and FX protein, revealed normal numbers of transcripts without any detectable mutations within the coding regions of either gene. In contrast to previously published observations [Sturla et al. (1998) FEBS Lett. 429, 274–278], the major pathway of GDP‐l‐fucose synthesis can be normal in LAD II. J. Leukoc. Biol. 66: 95–98; 1999.
Examining Visual Measures of Coat and Body Condition in Wild Ring-Tailed Lemurs at the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar

Coat and body mass status provide a potential noninvasive way to assess primate health status as well as the effects of seasonality, resource use and reproductive state. Coat and body condition were scored visually for 36 wild Lemur catta at the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar, from July 2012 to March 2013. Coat quality generally increased during the wet season when resource availability increased, in contrast to that observed during the resource-depleted dry season. Alopecia frequency increased from June to December and declined between January and March. Sex differences for coat condition were only observed in January, when males had superior coat scores. Body condition did not vary by month or sex except in February, when males were larger than females. Females that birthed infants were of lower body size than individuals who did not for November and from January to March. Our results indicate visual methods effectively detect variability in coat and body condition related to seasonality and reproductive status. Such methods present a noninvasive means for assessing the impact of seasonal resource availability, stresses of infant care and reproductive state on ring-tailed lemurs, and may be useful for assessing the impacts of these factors on general health status.
Variations in emm Type among Group A Streptococcal Isolates Causing Invasive or Noninvasive Infections in a Nationwide Study

ABSTRACT Since the late 1980s several studies have described the increased incidence and severity of invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) infections. However, most studies on GAS pathogenesis have focused on information obtained during outbreaks. We analyzed isolate distribution and host susceptibility as part of a nationwide prospective surveillance study performed between January 2001 and August 2002. GAS isolates collected from 201 patients with invasive infections, 335 patients with noninvasive infections, and 17 asymptomatic carriers were characterized with respect to their emm types and superantigen genotypes. The superantigen-neutralizing capacity and levels of antibodies against streptolysin O and DNAse B were determined for isolates from the sera from 36 invasive cases and 91 noninvasive cases. emm type 1 (emm-1) isolates were significantly more common among invasive cases, whereas emm-4, emm-6, and emm-12 dominated among the noninvasive cases. The distributions of the phage-associated superantigen genes (speA, speC, speH, speI, ssa) differed among invasive and noninvasive isolates, mainly due to their linkage to certain emm types. No significant differences in serum superantigen-neutralizing capacities were observed. The levels of anti-streptolysin O and anti-DNAse B antibodies were highest in the sera from invasive cases. Our study emphasizes the importance of obtaining data during years with stable incidences, which will enable evaluation of future outbreak data.
Predicted global warming scenarios impact on the mother plant to alter seed dormancy and germination behaviour in Arabidopsis.

Seed characteristics are key components of plant fitness that are influenced by temperature in their maternal environment, and temperature will change with global warming. To study the effect of such temperature changes, Arabidopsis thaliana plants were grown to produce seeds along a uniquely designed polyethylene tunnel having a thermal gradient reflecting local global warming predictions. Plants therefore experienced the same variations in temperature and light conditions but different mean temperatures. A range of seed-related plant fitness estimates were measured. There were dramatic non-linear temperature effects on the germination behaviour in two contrasting ecotypes. Maternal temperatures lower than 15-16 °C resulted in significantly greater primary dormancy. In addition, the impact of nitrate in the growing media on dormancy was shown only by seeds produced below 15-16 °C. However, there were no consistent effects on seed yield, number, or size. Effects on germination behaviour were shown to be a species characteristic responding to temperature and not time of year. Elevating temperature above this critical value during seed development has the potential to dramatically alter the timing of subsequent seed germination and the proportion entering the soil seed bank. This has potential consequences for the whole plant life cycle and species fitness.
Hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension: A report of the multicenter liver transplant database

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) and portopulmonary hypertension (PortoPH) are pulmonary vascular consequences of advanced liver disease associated with significant mortality after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Data from 10 liver transplant centers were collected from 1996 to 2001 that characterized the outcome of patients with either HPS (n = 40) or PortoPH (n = 66) referred for OLT. Key variables (PaO2 for HPS, mean pulmonary artery pressure [MPAP], pulmonary vascular resistance [PVR], and cardiac output [CO] for PortoPH) were analyzed with respect to 3 definitive outcomes (those denied OLT, transplant hospitalization survivors, and transplant hospitalization nonsurvivors). OLT was denied in 8 of 40 patients (20%) with HPS and 30 of 66 patients (45%) with PortoPH. Patients with HPS who were denied OLT had significantly worse PaO2 compared with patients who underwent transplantation (47 vs. 52 mm Hg, P < .005). Transplant hospitalization survival was associated with higher pre‐OLT PaO2 (55 vs. 37 mm Hg; P < .005). MPAP was significantly higher (53 vs. 45 mm Hg; P < .015) and PVR was significantly worse (614 vs. 335 dynes · s · cm−5; P < .05) in patients with PortoPH who were denied OLT compared with patients who underwent transplantation. Transplant hospitalization mortality was 16% (5/32) in patients with HPS and 36% (13/36) in patients with PortoPH. All of the deaths in patients with PortoPH occurred within 18 days of OLT; 5 of the 13 deaths in patients with PortoPH occurred intraoperatively. We concluded that patients with HPS (based on a combination of low PaO2 and nonpulmonary factors) and patients with PortoPH (based on pulmonary hemodynamics) were frequently denied OLT because of pre‐OLT test results and comorbidities. For patients who subsequently underwent OLT, transplant hospitalization mortality remained significant for both those with HPS (16%) and PortoPH (36%). (Liver Transpl 2004;182:10.)
A Clinical Trial of Phenelzine in Anxiety Depressive and Phobic Neuroses

A double-blind clinical trial of phenelzine and diazepam against placebo and diazepam in neurotic patients over a four-week period showed phenelzine to be superior to placebo on three rating scales in some groups of patients who completed the trial. The findings suggest that phenelzine may exert a beneficial effect on some as yet undefined features of anxiety and depression which were not revealed by a multiple regression analysis of clinical symptomatology or premorbid personality.
Perceiving Intelligibility and Accentedness in Non-Native Speech: A Look at Proficiency Levels

This paper presents a study on how German and Spanish learners of English at different proficiency levels (as defined in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages – CEFR) perceive accentedness and intelligibility of Spanish non‐native accents in English. The study is based on rating tasks, structured interviews and transcriptions in response to short narratives, and aims to find out what kind of influence listeners’ first language (L1) backgrounds (i.e. German and Spanish) and their levels of proficiency in the second language (L2; i.e. English) have on how accentedness and intelligibility are perceived. Results suggest that L2 proficiency levels and L1 background significantly influence how intelligibility and accentedness are rated. In addition, our results suggest that perceived intelligibility is influenced by factors such as familiarity with the relevant accent while actual comprehensibility seems to be less affected by this aspect.
Chronic urticaria with multiple NSAID intolerance: is tramadol always a safe alternative analgesic?

BACKGROUND Mechanisms underlying multiple intolerance to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) in patients with chronic urticaria (CU) are unclear. One hypothesis is that COX-1 inhibition may play a relevant pathogenic role. If so, drugs that are not active on COX-1 would be expected to be well tolerated by CU patients. OBJECTIVE This study aimed at assessing the tolerability of a central analgesic (tramadol) in a group of patients with CU and a history of intolerance to several NSAIDs, asking for a safe, alternative compound. METHODS Twenty-eight patients with CU exacerbated by several, distinct NSAIDs underwent single-blind, placebo-controlled, oral challenges with increasing doses of tramadol (50 mg total dose). Most of them underwent oral challenges with rofecoxib, paracetamol, and/or nimesulide as well. RESULTS Twenty-three patients tolerated tramadol, whereas, surprisingly, in 5 (18%) patients tramadol induced urticaria, in one case with laryngeal edema. A similar proportion of CU patients did not tolerate rofecoxib, and higher proportions of patients did not tolerate acetaminophen and nimesulide. CONCLUSIONS Mechanisms other than COX inhibition may also play a role in drug intolerance in patients with CU. In CU patients intolerant to NSAID, the tolerability of tramadol, as well as of other "alternative" drugs, should be assessed by oral challenge tests.
Robust L∞ convex optimisation for monocular visual odometry trajectory estimation

SUMMARY The most important applications of many computer vision systems are based on robust features extraction, matching and tracking. Due to their extraction techniques, image features locations accuracy is heavily dependent on the variation in intensity within their neighbourhoods, from which their uncertainties are estimated. In the present work, a robust L∞ optimisation solution for monocular motion estimation systems has been presented. The uncertainty estimation techniques based on SIFT derivative approach and its propagation through the eight-point algorithm, singular value decomposition SVD and the triangulation algorithm have proved an improvement to the global motion estimation. Using monocular systems makes the motion estimation challenging due to the absolute scale ambiguity caused by projective effects. For this, we propose robust tools to estimate both the trajectory of a moving object and the unknown absolute scale ratio between consecutive image pairs. Experimental evaluations showed that robust convex optimisation with the L∞ norm under uncertain data and the Robust Least Squares clearly outperform classical methods based on Least Squares and Levenberg-Marquardt algorithms.
A Language and Program for Complex Bayesian Modelling

Gibbs sampling has enormous potential for analysing complex data sets. However, routine use of Gibbs sampling has been hampered by the lack of general purpose software for its implementation. Until now all applications have involved writing one-off computer code in low or intermediate level languages such as C or Fortran. We describe some general purpose software that we are currently developing for implementing Gibbs sampling: BUGS (Bayesian inference using Gibbs sampling). The BUGS system comprises three components: first, a natural language for specifying complex models; second, an 'expert system' for deciding appropriate methods for obtaining samples required by the Gibbs sampler; third, a sampling module containing numerical routines to perform the sampling. S objects are used for data input and output. BUGS is written in Modula-2 and runs under both DOS and UNIX.