Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recent developments in cardiovascular genetics and genomics.

The rapid pace of genetic and genomic discoveries in cardiovascular medicine remains unabated. During the past few years, several new causal genes and susceptibility variants for several cardiovascular disease have been identified.1–7 Likewise, genomic and epigenetic discoveries, encompassing noncoding RNAs, DNA methylation, and covalent histone modifications, have shed significant light onto the mechanisms that regulate expression of the cardiovascular phenotypes.5,8–13 Although the main impact of the genetic and genomic discoveries has been in elucidation of the molecular pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, recent findings, particularly in single gene discoveries, are also clinically impactful and are becoming increasingly incorporated into the practice of cardiovascular medicine.14–24 In addition, these discoveries have paved the way for genetic-based interventions and gene therapy.25–28 The discoveries have also enabled generation and mechanistic characterization of induced pluripotent stem cell models of genetic cardiovascular diseases.29–35 This progress has been driven in part by the technological advances, most notably the massively parallel nucleic acid sequencing techniques, which have enabled sequencing of the entire human exome, if not the genome, and the whole transcriptome of an individual within a reasonable cost.36,37 The ability to decode an individual exome has also posed a daunting challenge to clinicians and researchers as well as the patients in an accurate identification of the causal or risk variants from the myriad of variants that are present in each exome and in the population.38–40 The plethora of variants in each exome and genome underscores the necessity of incorporating family information in increasing the use of the genetic data and garnering clinically robust and meaningful genetic information. Approaches to the elucidation of genetic causes of cardiovascular diseases have evolved along with the technological advances. Conventional …
Expression of myofibroblast activation molecules in proliferative vitreoretinopathy epiretinal membranes

Purpose: Fibrotic disorders are associated with activation of fibroblasts into extracellular matrix‐secreting myofibroblasts expressing α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA). Myofibroblasts are the predominant cellular component of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) epiretinal membranes. We investigated the expression of molecules involved in myofibroblast activation, migration and proliferation in PVR epiretinal membranes.
Use of telepathology for routine surgical pathology review in a test bed in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

BACKGROUND Routine surgical pathology review by telepathology could be an important service component of multi-institutional pathology laboratory systems. Such service networks would increase access for rural hospitals without on-site pathologists to a broader range of pathology services on a daily basis. METHODS In this clinical trial, we analyzed the diagnostic accuracy, deferral rates, and viewing times of two generalist pathologists using a hybrid dynamic/store-and-forward (HDSF) telepathology (TP) system to render diagnoses in real time on 200 consecutive surgical cases. The objective was to assess the efficacy of TP in providing diagnostic surgical pathology services to a remote hospital without an onsite pathologist. Surgical pathology specimens underwent gross preparation by specially trained personnel. When appropriate, this was done under the video supervision of a telepathologist. For TP, glass slides were placed on the stage of a robotic microscope at the Iron Mountain (MI) Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) (remote site); control of the motorized microscope was then transferred to a pathologist located 220 miles away at the Milwaukee VAMC (host site). For each case, the telepathologist had the option of rendering a diagnosis or deferring the case for later analysis by conventional light microscopy (LM). After the slides were read by TP and a surgical pathology report had been generated, the slides were transported to Milwaukee, where they were reexamined by the telepathologist using LM and then by the pathology group practice or, when there was no consensus, by an outside consultant to establish a "truth" diagnosis. RESULTS Compared with the consensus ("truth") diagnosis, clinically important and overall concordance were 99.0% and 97.4%, respectively, by TP, and clinically important and overall concordance were 100.0% and 98.5%, respectively, by LM. The deferral rate was 2.5%. Examining glass slides by HDSF telepathology took an average of 4.43 minutes per slide and 12.09 minutes per case. CONCLUSION The high diagnostic accuracy and low rate of case deferral support the proposal that an offsite pathologist using HDSF telepathology can substitute effectively for an onsite pathologist as a service provider.
Overall Similar Infection Rates Reported in the Physician-reported Scoliosis Research Society Database and the Chart-abstracted American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database

Study Design. This is a retrospective cohort study. Objective. To compare the infection rates in the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) morbidity and mortality database to those in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. Summary of Background Data. Surgical databases have demonstrated value in orthopaedic surgery. However, few studies in the literature have used the SRS database relative to other available databases. To validate the surgeon-reported data of the SRS database, we compared the rate of postoperative infection in this database to that in the chart-abstracted ACS-NSQIP database. Methods. International Classification of Disease, ninth revision (ICD-9) codes were used to group patients from the 2012 and 2013 ACS-NSQIP database into groups corresponding to spinal deformity diagnoses delineated by SRS. Postoperative infection rates after surgical correction of these deformities compared with those reported in the 2012 and 2013 SRS database using &khgr;2 tests. Results. The overall rate of acute postoperative infection was slightly lower in the SRS database than in the ACS-NSQIP database (1.21% compared to 2.05% in ACS-NSQIP, a difference of only 0.84%, statistically significant, P < 0.001). The infection rates of most diagnoses did not differ; these included scoliosis (idiopathic <10 yr of age/congenital/neuromuscular/other scoliosis), spondylolisthesis (isthmic/dysplastic), and kyphosis (congenital and other). The only differences noted were in Scheuermann kyphosis (difference of 5.49%, P = 0.003), degenerative spondylolithesis (difference of 0.69%, P = 0.003), and idiopathic scoliosis in the age 10 to18 yr and adult age ranges (differences of 1.10% and 1.28%, P < 0.001 for both). Conclusion. Although some statistical differences were found in infection rates between the surgeon-reported SRS database and the chart-abstracted ACS-NSQIP database, these small differences likely reflect differences in surgical cases and data collection methods. This finding supports the validity of the surgeon-reported SRS morbidity and morality database. Level of Evidence: 3
FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PROTEIN BINDING OF BUMETANIDE USING AN EQUILIBRIUM DIALYSIS TECHNIQUE

Factors that influence the plasma protein binding of bumetanide were evaluated using equilibrium dialysis. It took approximately 12h of incubation to reach an equilibrium between plasma and isotonic phosphate buffer of pH 7·4 containing 3% dextran using a Spectrapor 2 membrane (mol. wt cut‐off= 12,000–14,000) in a water‐bath shaker kept at 37°C and at a rate of 50 oscillations per min. Bumetanide was fairly stable in both 4% human serum albumin (HSA) and in the isotonic phosphate buffer of pH 7·4 for up to 24h. The binding of bumetanide to 4% HSA was constant (87·5 ± 1·73%) at bumetanide concentrations ranging from 0·1 to 100 μg/ml. The extents of binding were 72·0, 83·3, 88·5, 90·2, 91·3 and 91·4% at albumin concentrations of 0·5, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5g/100 ml, respectively, and increased with a decrease in incubation temperature; the values bound were 94·6, 90·3 and 89·3% when incubated at 4, 22 and 37°C, respectively. The binding of bumetanide was independent of the buffer composition used, the quantities of AAG (up to 0·32%), heparin (up to 40 units/ml), sodium azide (up to 0·5%) and anticoagulants (EDTA, heparin and citrate). The free fraction of bumetanide in rabbit plasma (2·91%) was significantly higher than in humans (1·98%) or rats (1·85%).
Isolation, cultivation, low temperature preservation, and infectivity titration of Trichomonas vaginalis.

Thediagnosis ofTrichomonas vaginalis (Donne, 1837) infection bydirect recognition oftheparasite iscomparatively easyintheacute phase inthefemale, moredifficult inthemaleandinthefemale inthe non-acute phase.Because ofthisdifficulty conclusive epidemiological studies on T. vaginalis infection arefew.Burch, Rees, andReardon (1959) havecontributed aninformative study oftheprevalence andtransmission ofT.vaginalis amonggroups ofwomeninWashington, D.C.,U.S.A. , andtheir spouses, using culture fordiagnosis. Weconsidered thatimmunological studies mightimprovethe diagnosis ofT.vaginalis infection andfacilitate studies ontheepidemiology andclinical significance ofthis organism. KerrandRobertson, who published detailed immunological studies (conveniently summarized in Robertson, 1963, andKerr, 1964) onTrichomonas foetus (Riedmuller, 1928) intheox,established that theorganism occurred astwodifferent serological types. KottandAdler (1961), byagglutination and agglutinin-absorption tests, distinguished eight different serotypes amongnineteen strains ofT.vaginalisandtwoamongfivestrains ofT.hominis (Davaine, 1860). Theyfound, further, thattwo strains ofT.vaginalis ofdifferent antigenic types changed, bothtothesameothertype, after the cultures hadbeenbacterially contaminated andthen "cleaned" withantibiotics. Lindgren andIvey (1964), assessing virulence bytheresults ofintraperitoneal inoculation of mice,indicated that T.vaginalis strains mightlosetheir virulence on prolonged serial passage inculture. Theythought that virulence might beconserved byviable preservation oftheorganisms byfreezing. Itappeared, therefore, thatanessential preliminarytocomparative immunological studies on
Prevalence in the use of psychotropics and associated factors in primary health care

DOI http://dx.doi. org/10.1590/19820194201500058 1Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. 2Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, MG, Brazil. 3University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Conflict of interest: nothing to disclose. Abstract Objective: Investigating the prevalence in the use of psychotropics and associated factors in primary health care withsocio-demographic and pharmacotherapeutic factors, medical history, and Common Mental Disorders. Methods: A cross-section study which includes 430 primary health care patients. The research instruments were Self-reporting Questionnaires and medical records. A chi-squared test was used in the univariate analysis, and a logistic regression was used in the multivariate analysis. Results: The prevalence in the use of psychotropics was 25.8%. There was an association among the use of psychiatric drugs and common mental disorders, use of non-psychiatric drugs, number of medications prescribed,number of pills a day, clinical pathologies, age, and schooling. In the multivariate analysis, the predictors for the use of psychiatric drugs were: common mental disorders, clinical pathologies, and schooling. Conclusion: The prevalence in the use of psychiatric drugs and the associated factors varied according to the univariate or the multivariate analyses.
Immunopathological mechanisms in dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever

Purpose of reviewThe continued emergence of dengue virus infection and its severe disease manifestation, dengue hemorrhagic fever, is a growing public health problem. The majority of severe infections occur upon secondary encounters with heterologous dengue virus serotypes, suggesting an immune-mediated process. Recent findingsSignificant findings in the past year include a greater understanding of dengue virus interactions with target cells such as dendritic cells, hepatocytes and endothelial cells. Infection of these cells results in the production of immune mediators that then shape the adaptive humoral and cellular immune response. The circulation of high levels of secreted NS1 in the presence of pre-existing heterologous non-neutralizing antibody may mediate complement activation and trigger plasma leakage. The role of enhancing antibodies in disease pathogenesis remains unclear. Recent studies demonstrate low avidity crossreactive T cells, which may produce an altered profile of cytokines leading to plasma leakage. Ongoing prospective studies that include epidemiological, virological and immunological risk factors are crucial to our understanding of the mechanisms of immunopathogenesis of dengue hemorrhagic fever. SummaryThe immune mechanisms that lead to dengue hemorrhagic fever are complex and need to be elucidated further for the development of therapeutics as well as safe and efficacious dengue vaccines.
Procrastination and Motivation of Undergraduates with Learning Disabilities: A Mixed–Methods Inquiry

The purpose of this mixed–methods article was to report two studies exploring the relationships between academic procrastination and motivation in 208 undergraduates with (n= 101) and without (n= 107) learning disabilities (LD). In Study 1, the results from self–report surveys found that individuals with LD reported significantly higher levels of procrastination, coupled with lower levels of metacognitive self–regulation and self–efficacy for self–regulation than those without LD. Procrastination was most strongly (inversely) related to self–efficacy for self–regulation for both groups, and the set of motivation variables reliably predicted group membership with regard to LD status. In Study 2, individual interviews with 12 students with LD resulted in five themes: LD–related problems, self–beliefs and procrastination, outcomes of procrastination, antecedents of procrastination, and support systems. The article concludes with an integration of quantitative and qualitative results, with attention paid to implications for service providers working with undergraduates with LD.
Association between infant nutrition and anthropometry, and pre-pubertal body composition in urban South African children

Early life nutrition and growth are related to subsequent obesity risk in high-income countries. We investigated the association between nutrition and growth during infancy, and body composition at 10 years of age in 140 children selected from the Bone Health sub-study of the Birth-to-Twenty cohort from Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa. Infant feeding and dietary data were collected during the first 12 months, and weight and height were measured at 1 and 2 years of age. At 10 years, anthropometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived body composition were measured. Regression models were used to determine associations between independent and dependent variables at the 1% level of significance. A one z-score increase in birth weight was associated with a 1051 g increase in lean mass and a 0.22 increase in body mass index (BMI) z-score at the age of 10 years. After adjusting for confounders, stunting at age 1 year was associated with lower fat mass only at 10 years of age while at age 2 years, it was associated with lower lean mass only. Being underweight at one year of age was significantly associated with lower lean mass only. Weight-for-age (WAZ) change in the second year of infancy was a predictor of fat mass and BMI only. Body fatness at 10 years of age was positively associated with infant WAZ change rather than height-for-age change. There were no significant associations between infant dietary patterns, wasting and being underweight at age 2 years and pre-pubertal body composition. Further studies are needed to assess whether these associations continue during adolescence as pubertal development may be an important modifier of these associations.
Impact of Highly Compressive Interlayer-Dielectric-$ \hbox{SiN}_{x}$ Stressing Layer on $\hbox{1}/f$ Noise and Reliability of SiGe-Channel pMOSFETs

The 1/f noise and reliability of SiGe-channel pMOSFETs with a highly compressive contact-etching stop-layer (CESL) interlayer-dielectric-SiNx, stressing layer have been studied in this letter. The SiGe-channel devices with a highly compressive CESL layer have higher drain current and lower 1/f noise than the conventional SiGe-channel and bulk-Si devices. However, the device reliability is degraded while integrating with the highly compressive CESL layer. By examining the effective oxide-trap densities under hot-carrier instability stress, we find that the incorporated hydrogen in gate oxide during CESL layer deposition may play an important role on the 1/f noise and device reliability.
Interactive effects of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and soy protein extract (SPE) on oral cancer growth in vitro: evidence for potential functional relationships.

Background : Previous studies have found specific soy isoflavones (Genistein, Daidzein, Glycitein) demonstrate anti-tumor properties against several cancer types, including oral cancer. Few studies have evaluated whole soy extract, containing a combination of these isoflavones and other bioreactive compounds, which may function synergistically and more effectively against oral cancers. Preliminary work by this group has now demonstrated whole soy protein extract (SPE) inhibits oral cancer cell growth specifically and selectively, through independent cell-cycle and apoptotic pathways. However, more recent evidence now suggests that ingestion of vitamin D3, either in dietary foods or supplements may potentiate the activity of soy components and their anti-tumor effects. Objective : The primary goal of this study was to investigate the interactive and inter-connected effects of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 administration with the anti-proliferative effects of whole soy protein extract (SPE) on oral cancer and normal cell lines in vitro. Methods : Three oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (SCC15, SCC25, and CAL27) were treated with 1, 25-dihydroxy Vitamin D3 at physiological concentrations (10-125 nmol). Cell growth was then compared with cell treatment using soy protein extract (SPE) within the normal physiologic range (0 - 10 μM/L). Interactive effects were then evaluated using co-administration of SPE and 1, 25-dihydroxy Vitamin D3. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed at various time points to determine any changes in mRNA expression for key cell cycle and apoptotic signaling pathway regulators, including p53, c-myc, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), caspase-2, caspase-8, and bax. Results : Administration of 1, 25-dihydroxy Vitamin D3 induced distinct dose-dependent, growth-inhibitory effects in all three oral cancer cell lines examined. These inhibitory effects were comparable to the overall range of growth inhibition induced by SPE. However, the combined effects of co-administration were far greater, suggesting the presence of synergistic relationships between these components. In addition, these results indicate that either treatment alone appeared to modulate mRNA expression of oral cancer cell-cycle promoters c-myc and ODC, as well as the caspase-dependent apoptosis pathway, while only 1, 25-dihydroxy Vitamin D3 administration appeared to influence the bax pathway. Conclusion : These results suggest that co-administration with 1, 25-dihydroxy Vitamin D3 and SPE may enhance their anti-tumor effects. This study may help to explain, in part, why balanced diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and soy protein, are associated with protection against development and progression of oral cancers, although further study is needed to develop specific public health recommendations for oral cancer treatment and prevention. Key words : vitamin D, soy extract, whole soy protein, oral cancer, growth inhibition.
SOME MORPHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ACTIVE SODIUM TRANSPORT*

A method was experimentally tested which allows simultaneous morphological and bioelectrical studies of a tissue that performs active sodium transport, i.e., the isolated, surviving frog skin. In a four cell lucite chamber with four separate electric potential and current circuits, skin specimens for morphological observation (light and electron microscopy) were fixed in situ in well-defined functional states. The rate of active sodium transport through the epithelium of Rana temporaria skin was modified by changing the strength of the electric current passed through the specimens. A marked, reversible swelling of the outermost layer of the stratum granulosum was observed during short circuiting of the skin compared to the homogeneous appearance of the epithelium under open circuit conditions. Doubling the ingoing current led to an additional small increase of the swelling or the appearance of islets of cell necrosis in the same layer. There were signs of a slight shrinkage of the underlying cell layers. The observations are discussed in the light of previous bioelectrical and morphological observations.
What can critical medical anthropology contribute to global health? A health systems perspective.

The ﬂow of international aid from wealthier to poorer countries has increaseddramatically over the last decade. This is attributable in part to the efforts ofhealth activists, including medical anthropologists, who have rendered bare therealities of health disparities and human suffering. We are now facing an unprece-dented moment in the history of global health, in which infectious diseases such asHIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis are no longer peripheral concerns but primarytargetsofbilateralaidprograms,philanthropy,andresearch.Emergenthealthprob-lems range from antibiotic resistance to tobacco use to SARS and avian ﬂu to theﬂow of health professionals from developing to developed countries. These prob-lems demand global solutions, challenge the internal sovereignty of nation states,and involve new sets of actors, networks, partnerships, and transnational healthinitiatives.There have been dramatic increases in funding from the U.S. President’s Emer-gency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosisand Malaria; the Gates Foundation; the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; theClinton Foundation; and myriad other philanthropies dedicated to health problemsin the developing world, transforming the way in which high-priority health prob-lems are being addressed, in what has been termed the politics of the possible. Asengaged medical anthropologists, we have fought to keep the health and health careproblems of the world’s poor on the radar screen of wealthier nations by callingattention to issues involving both social justice and enlightened self-interest in theface of these mounting crises. We celebrate the recent emphasis on funding globalhealth initiatives, yet at the same time we remain alert to major concerns related togovernance, oversight, and the impact of high-proﬁle public health efforts on statehealth care systems.As social scientists, we are sensitive to deepening divisions in the global healthcommunity over the way forward, in addition to the manner in which injectingmassive resources into vertical health interventions deﬂects attention away fromthe management of other health problems. We are also sensitive to recent trendsthat threaten to undermine the remarkable potential of this historic moment. Weare concerned by reports of wasteful spending, poor planning, and uncoordinated