Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interrelations between Serum N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (Nt-Probnp) Levels and Early Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Echocardiographic Parameters in Obese Adolescents

Aim This study aimed to evaluate the associations between the NTerminal pro B-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and the metabolic, echocardiographic parameters, carotid Intima-Media Thickness (IMT) and Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness (EATT) in adolescent obesity. Materials and methods The study participants consisted of 138 obese adolescents in the study group and 63 non-obese adolescents as control subjects. All the subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiographic examination for determination of Left Ventricular (LV) systolic function and mass index, myocardial tissue rates, and myocardial performance index. EATT and carotid IMT were also measured during echocardiography. Serum NT-proBNP levels were measured at the time of the evaluation. Mehmet Boyraz1, Ozgur Pirgon2*, Bumin Dundar3, Bedir Akyol4 and Nezaket Eren5 1Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Faculty of Medicine, Fatih University, Ankara, Turkey 2Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey 3Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Faculty of Medicine, Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey 4Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey 5Department of Biochemistry, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey Interrelations between Serum N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (Nt-Probnp) Levels and Early Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Echocardiographic Parameters in Obese Adolescents Results The NT-proBNP values averaged 67.2 ± 64.4 pg/ml in mildlymoderately obese and 76.0 ± 49.7 pg/ml in the severely obese group and 44.3 ± 23.3 pg/ml in the control group (p:0.007, p:0.002, respectively). The average carotid IMT was 0.91 ± 0.23 and 0.88 ± 0.18 mm in the obesity groups and 0.52 ± 0.08 mm in the control group (p<0.001), but differences were not observed between obesity groups and the EATT measurements that averaged 7.38 ± 1.76 and 7.42 ± 1.55 mm in the obesity groups and 4.28 ± 0.79 mm in the control group (p<0.001). The serum NT-proBNP levels showed positive correlations with LV systolic and diastolic functions, carotid IMT and EATT values especially in severely obese adolescents. Conclusion The study showed that serum NT-proBNP levels were higher in mildly-moderately and severely obese adolescents than lean group. NT-proBNP measurement might be useful a marker for predicting atherosclerosis and cardiac dysfunction in obese adolescents.
Heparin Fails to Inhibit the Proliferation of Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in the Presence of Human Serum

The proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) plays a significant part in both the developing atherosclerotic lesion and in restenosis. Heparin has been widely reported to inhibit the growth of VSMC in culture and intimal VSMC in some animal models of vascular hyperplasia. Clinical trials with heparin, however, have failed to inhibit restenosis following angioplasty. Bovine serum is normally used as a growth supplement in in vitro VSMC growth assays. We have compared the effects of human serum with those of bovine serum on the cellular response to heparin in human VSMC culture. While heparin inhibited the proliferation of human VSMC in the presence of bovine serum, it was totally ineffective in the presence of human serum. These observations were consistent over a wide range of serum and VSMC samples. Experiments utilizing neutralizing antibodies to a number of growth factors showed that cells in either serum were similarly dependent on platelet-derived growth factor for proliferation. In contrast, proliferation in the presence of bovine serum was shown to be dependent on extracellular basic fibroblast growth factor, whereas that in human serum was not. Direct binding of [3H]-heparin to VSMC was significantly reduced in the presence of human serum compared with bovine serum, and the former contained twice the concentration of heparin-binding factors of the latter. Removal of heparin-binding factors from either serum type significantly reduced the proliferation potential. Fractionation of heparin-binding factors from human serum showed that the major growth-promoting activity, together with heparin resistance, was contained within a fraction excluded by a 100,000 molecular weight membrane. We conclude that the mechanism of resistance to heparin in human serum is likely to be due to a combination of differential growth factor binding and interference with heparin interaction with cellular receptors by a high molecular weight heparin-binding factor. This phenomenon may significantly contribute to the lack of success of heparin as an antirestenotic agent in clinical trials.
Filtration Markers, Cardiovascular Disease, Mortality, and Kidney Outcomes in Stable Kidney Transplant Recipients: The FAVORIT Trial

Cystatin C and beta‐2‐microglobulin (B2M) are filtration markers associated with adverse outcomes in nontransplant populations, sometimes with stronger associations than for creatinine. We evaluated associations of estimated glomerular filtration rate from cystatin C (eGFRcys), B2M (eGFRB2M), and creatinine (eGFRcr) with cardiovascular outcomes, mortality, and kidney failure in stable kidney transplant recipients using a case–cohort study nested within the Folic Acid for Vascular Outcome Reduction in Transplantation (FAVORIT) Trial. A random subcohort was selected (N = 508; mean age 51.6 years, median transplant vintage 4 years, 38% women, 23.6% nonwhite race) with enrichment for cardiovascular events (N = 306; 54 within the subcohort), mortality (N = 208; 68 within the subcohort), and kidney failure (N = 208; 52 within the subcohort). Mean eGFRcr, eGFRcys, and eGFRB2M were 46.0, 43.8, and 48.8 mL/min/1.73m2, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, hazard ratios for eGFRcys and eGFRB2M <30 versus 60+ were 2.02 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09–3.76; p = 0.03) and 2.56 (1.35–4.88; p = 0.004) for cardiovascular events; 3.92 (2.11–7.31) and 4.09 (2.21–7.54; both p < 0.001) for mortality; and 9.49 (4.28–21.00) and 15.53 (6.99–34.51; both p < 0.001) for kidney failure. Associations persisted with additional adjustment for baseline eGFRcr. We conclude that cystatin C and B2M are strongly associated with cardiovascular events, mortality, and kidney failure in stable kidney transplant recipients.
Introduction of Exogenous HSV-TK Suicide Gene Increases Safety of Keratinocyte-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells by Providing Genetic “Emergency Exit” Switch

Since their invention in 2006, induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells remain a great promise for regenerative medicine circumventing the ethical issues linked to Embryonic Stem (ES) cell research. iPS cells can be generated in a patient-specific manner as an unlimited source of various cell types for in vitro drug screening, developmental biology studies and regenerative use. Having the capacity of differentiating into the cells of all three primary germ layers, iPS cells have high potential to form teratoma tumors. This remains their main disadvantage and hazard which, until resolved, prevents utilization of iPS cells in clinic. Here, we present an approach for increasing iPS cells safety by introducing genetic modification—exogenous suicide gene Herpes Simplex Virus Thymidine Kinase (HSV-TK). Its expression results in specific vulnerability of genetically modified cells to prodrug—ganciclovir (GCV). We show that HSV-TK expressing cells can be eradicated both in vitro and in vivo with high specificity and efficiency with low doses of GCV. Described strategy increases iPS cells safety for future clinical applications by generating “emergency exit” switch allowing eradication of transplanted cells in case of their malfunction.
End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)after Bone Marrow Transplantation: Poor Survival Compar ed to Other Causes of ESRD

Chronic renal failure after successful bone marrow transplantation (BMT) may diminish the quality of life and may also evolve to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring chronic dialysis. Individual reports suggest poor survival of such patients. We evaluated the survival with ESRD after BMT by the case-control method. We found that patients who develop ESRD after BMT have a significantly decreased survival as compared with non-BMT patients. This was true for both diabetic and nondiabetic ESRD (both p < 0.03). These data demonstrate the poor outcome of ESRD after BMT which emphasizes the need for a better understanding of chronic renal failure after BMT.
Characteristics of Hospitalized Cancer Patients Referred for Inpatient Palliative Care Consultation.

BACKGROUND Palliative care is associated with improved patient and family outcomes and lower cost of care, but studies estimate that <50% of hospitalized adults in the United States who are appropriate for palliative care receive it. Few studies have addressed demographic and clinical factors associated with receipt of palliative care. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to identify characteristics of hospitalized advanced cancer patients that are associated with referral to an interdisciplinary hospital-based palliative care team. METHODS The data are from a prospective observational study of hospitalized advanced cancer patients in five hospitals. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate the relationship between patient characteristics and palliative care referral. RESULTS The sample includes 3096 patients; 81% received usual care and 19% were referred to palliative care. Advanced cancer patients were twice as likely to receive palliative care referral if, at admission, they needed assistance with transfer from bed (p = 0.002) and about 1.5 times as likely if they were taking medication for pain (p = 0.002), nausea (p = 0.04), or constipation (p = 0.04). Patients with more comorbidities (p = 0.001) and higher symptom burden (p = 0.001) were more likely to be referred. CONCLUSION Advanced cancer patients were more likely to be referred to the palliative care consultation team if they had high symptom burden at hospital admission. Overall a minority of advanced cancer patients were referred. Standardized screening for palliative care may be needed to ensure that advanced cancer patients receive the highest quality of evidence based care.
Sex Hormone Changes in Morbidly Obese Patients after Vertical Banded Gastroplasty

Serum sex hormone levels were measured preoperatively in 57 morbidly obese patients (19 men and 38 premenopausal women) and 12 months after vertical banded gastroplasty. In the male group, there was a significant decrease in estradiol and an increase in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone and sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Among female patients, a significant decrease in estradiol, total and free testosterone and an increase in FSH and SHBG was found. Irregular menses present preoperatively in 5 women were corrected after successful weight loss. In conclusion, altered sex hormonal levels and gynecologic abnormalities associated with morbid obesity are corrected with adequate weight loss following vertical banded gastroplasty.
New Negative Coupling Structure for ${K}$ -Band Substrate-Integrated Waveguide Resonator Filter With a Pair of Transmission Zeros

In this letter, we present a new negative coupling structure applicable to a substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) resonator filter structure. Unlike conventional negative coupling structure, the proposed coupling structure can achieve a negative coupling value without employing an additional substrate or slots on ground planes. To demonstrate the new negative coupling structure, we designed, fabricated, and measured a fourth-order <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${K}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-band SIW resonator filter with a pair of transmission zeros.
Development of an adoption model to assess user acceptance of e-service technology: E-Service Technology Acceptance Model

ABSTRACT With remarkable growth of ICT development and the Internet popularity, the widespread use of the electronic service is becoming inevitable. Furthermore, as the user adoption plays an important role for successful and effective implementation of any project, thus, there is a need to assess user acceptance of the e-service technology. This research developed the E-Service Technology Acceptance Model (ETAM) to assess the user acceptance of e-service technology. According to the literature review in the field of e-service technology and acceptance theories, this study identified the main factors influencing the acceptance of e-services, namely satisfaction, security and quality and then, dimensions of these factors were extracted from the previous studies. In order to categorise the dimensions, an exploratory survey was developed and conducted among the university students and then, the exploratory factor analysis was applied. Afterwards, a confirmatory survey was designed and conducted among the 427 Malaysians and tested in terms of validity (content and construct) and reliability and then used to evaluate the ETAM. Finally, the structural equation modelling was applied to validate the casual relations and to assess the goodness-of-fit. The results of this study revealed that quality, security and satisfaction significantly influenced the intention to use an e-service and consequently the acceptance of e-service technology. The ETAM can help evaluate and predict how users will respond to an e-service before starting the development of any e-service project. Additionally, ETAM can be used as a foundation for e-service providers to develop strategies to encourage people to use e-services and increase the usage and acceptance rate of e-services.
Validation of simulated hurricane drop size distributions using polarimetric radar

Recent upgrades to the U.S. radar network now allow for polarimetric measurements of landfalling hurricanes, providing a new data set to validate cloud microphysical parameterizations used in tropical cyclone simulations. Polarimetric radar reflectivity and differential reflectivity simulated by the Weather Research and Forecasting model were compared with real radar observations from 2014 in Hurricanes Arthur and Ana. Six different microphysics parameterizations were tested that were able to capture the major features of both hurricanes, including accurate tracks, precipitation asymmetry, and the approximate intensity of the storms. A high correlation between simulated intensity and rainfall across schemes suggests an intimate link between the latent heating produced by the microphysics and the storm dynamics. Most of the parameterizations produced a higher frequency of larger raindrops than observed. The Thompson aerosol‐aware bulk and explicit spectral bin microphysical schemes showed the best fidelity to the observations at a higher computational cost.
Augmenting treatment efficiency in exposure therapy for PTSD: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of yohimbine HCl

Abstract The alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist, yohimbine, can facilitate fear extinction in animals and humans. One potential mechanism is increased noradrenergic activity and associated arousal in the presence of conditioned stimuli. Accordingly, yohimbine might augment prolonged exposure (PE) therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where heightened exposure-oriented arousal is a theorized driver and empirical predictor of treatment success. A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial (NCT 01031979) piloted yohimbine augmentation in 26 males with combat-related PTSD. Participants were given one-time dose of yohimbine or placebo prior to the first imaginal exposure. Subsequently, both arms completed standard PE. The primary outcome was trauma-cued heart-rate reactivity a week after the drug/exposure visit, a highly specified, objective measure sensitive to incremental change. Secondary outcomes included arousal during the drug/exposure visit and slope of distress, PTSD, and depression over the course of PE. Consistent with hypothesis, yohimbine led to higher objective and subjective arousal during the drug/exposure visit and to lower trauma-cued heart-rate reactivity one-week later. One dose of yohimbine also led to greater between-session habituation and more rapid improvement on depression, but not PTSD, over the course of care. Results of this controlled pilot indicate support for continued investigation of yohimbine-augmented exposure therapy for PTSD.
Periodontal condition in relation to the adherence to nutrient recommendations in daily smokers

AIM To examine whether a healthy diet based on nutrient recommendations is associated with periodontal condition in smokers. MATERIAL AND METHODS Daily smokers from the cross-sectional Health 2000 Survey (BRIF 8901) in Finland were analysed in two age groups (30-49 and 50-79 years, n = 704 and 267) and according to the level of oral hygiene. Periodontal condition was measured as the number of sextants with gingival bleeding and teeth with ≥4 mm deepened periodontal pockets. Information on nutrition was collected by a validated food frequency questionnaire and measured using the Baltic Sea Diet Score (BSDS) and the Recommended Finnish Diet Score (RFDS). RESULTS In the total study population, no association between the scores and periodontal condition was observed. Among 30- to 49-year-old participants with good oral hygiene, diet scores associated inversely with the number of teeth with deepened periodontal pockets (p = .078 (BSDS) and p = . 027 (RFDS)). CONCLUSIONS In a representative sample of Finnish adults who smoke, a healthy diet was not associated with periodontal condition. Among a younger age group with good oral hygiene, a healthy diet associated with better periodontal condition. Age and oral hygiene appeared to modify the association between diet and periodontal condition.
Cognitive Alterations in Non-Demented CADASIL Patients

CADASIL is an inherited small-artery disease of the brain due to mutations of the Notch3 gene on chromosome 19. It is characterized by strokes, migraine with aura, and severe mood disturbances during mid adulthood and leads progressively to subcortical dementia. The precise onset of the cognitive decline in CADASIL remains unknown. We report here the cognitive evaluation of 8 non-demented symptomatic patients with CADASIL from 35 to 66 years of age. Altered performances were found in all subjects with the Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST), in 5/8 with the Trail-Making Test, and in 3/8 with copying of Rey’s figure. Altered performances with codes and similarities of the WAIS-R, the Wechsler Memory Scale, Raven’s Progressive Matrices, and the category and letter fluency task were observed less frequently (n ≤2). The score obtained with the WCST was not significantly correlated with the severity of the white-matter or basal ganglia signal abnormalities at MRI examination. Our data show that: (1) symptomatic CADASIL patients, although non-demented, can present with a subtle cognitive impairment; (2) tasks involving the frontal lobes are found most frequently altered, and (3) this subtle cognitive deficit can develop in the absence of major vascular events and does not appear to be correlated with the severity of brain lesions as seen at MRI examination.
Gentamicin bladder instillations decrease symptomatic urinary tract infections in neurogenic bladder patients on intermittent catheterization.

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to determine if gentamicin bladder instillations reduce the rate of symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) in neurogenic bladder (NGB) patients on intermittent self-catheterization (ISC) who have recurrent UTIs. Secondary aims were to examine the effects of intravesical gentamicin on the organism resistance patterns. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed our prospective NGB database. Inclusion criteria were NGB patients performing ISC exclusively for bladder drainage with clinical data available for six months before and six months after initiating prophylactic intravesical gentamicin instillations. Symptomatic UTIs were defined as symptoms consistent with UTI plus the need for antibiotic treatment. RESULTS Twenty-two patients met inclusion criteria; etiology of NGB was 63.6% spinal cord injury, 13.6% multiple sclerosis. Median time since injury/diagnosis was 14 years and 6/22 (27.3%) had undergone urological reconstruction. Patients had fewer symptomatic UTI's (median 4 vs. 1 episodes; p<0.004) and underwent fewer courses of oral antibiotics after initiating gentamicin (median 3.5 vs. 1; p<0.01). Days of oral antibiotic therapy decreased from 15 before to five after gentamicin, but this did not reach significance. There were fewer telephone encounters for UTI concerns per patient (median 3 vs. 0; p=0.03). The proportion of multi-drug-resistant organisms in urine cultures decreased from 58.3% to 47.1% (p=0.04) and the rate of gentamicin resistance did not increase. Adverse events were mild and rare. CONCLUSIONS Gentamicin bladder instillations decrease symptomatic UTI episodes and reduce oral antibiotics in patients with NGB on ISC who were suffering from recurrent UTIs. Antibiotic resistance decreased while on gentamicin instillations.
Molecular Mechanisms and Selective Influences That Shape the Kappa Gene Repertoire of IgM 1 B Cells

To analyze the human kappa chain repertoire and the influences that shape it, a single cell PCR technique was used that amplified V k J k rearrangements from genomic DNA of individual human B cells. More than 350 productive and 250 nonproductive V k J k rearrangements were sequenced. Nearly every functional V k gene segment was used in rearrangements, although six V k gene segments, A27, L2, L6, L12a, A17, and O12/O2 were used preferentially. Of these, A27, L2, L6, and L12a showed evidence of positive selection based on the variable region and not CDR3, whereas A17 was overrepresented because of a rearrangement bias based on molecular mechanisms. Utilization of J k segments was also nonrandom, with J k 1 and J k 2 being overrepresented and J k 3 and J k 5 underrepresented in the nonproductive repertoire, implying a molecular basis for the bias. In B cells with two V k J k rearrangements, marked differences were noted in the V k segments used for the initial and subsequent rearrangements, whereas J k segments were used comparably. Junctional diversity was generated by n-nucleotide addition in 60% and by exonuclease trimming in 75% of the V k J k rearrangements analyzed. Despite this large degree of diversity, a strict CDR3 length was maintained in both productive and nonproductive rearrangements. More than 23% of the productive rearrangements, but only 7% of the nonproductive rearrangements contained somatic hypermutations. Mutations were significantly more frequent in V k sequences derived from CD5 2 as compared with CD5 1 B cells. These results document that the gene segment utilization within the V k repertoire is biased by both intrinsic molecular processes as well as selection after light chain expression. Moreover, IgM 1 memory cells with highly mutated kappa genes reside within the CD5 2 but not the CD5 1 B cell compartment. ( J. Clin. Invest. 1997. 99:1614–1627.)