Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The suitability of sunglasses used by patients following ingestion of psoralen

We have investigated the types of eyewear which patients on photochemotherapy have obtained, and determined their suitability for providing adequate protection. Fifty‐eight pairs of sunglasses from 53 patients were assessed. Spectral transmission was measured between 200 nm and 800 nm at 10 nm intervals. Thirty‐eight pairs of glasses (66%) were found to be satisfactory. Particularly high UV transmission was recorded in 11 cases (19%), highlighting the need for increased awareness of the problem of ensuring that suitable protective eyewear is used.
Improved machine perfusion preservation of the non‐heart‐beating donor rat liver using polysol: A new machine perfusion preservation solution

Waiting lists for transplantation have stimulated interest in the use of non‐heart‐beating donor (NHBD) organs. Recent studies on organ preservation have shown advantages of machine perfusion (MP) over cold storage (CS). To supply the liver with specific nutrients during MP, the preservation solution Polysol was developed. The aim of our study was to compare CS in University of Wisconsin solution (UW) with MP using UW‐gluconate (UW‐G) or Polysol in an NHBD model. After 30 minutes of warm ischemia, livers were harvested from rats for preservation by either CS, MP‐UW‐G, or MP‐Polysol. After 24 hours of preservation, livers were reperfused with Krebs‐Henseleit buffer (KHB). Perfusate samples were analyzed for liver damage and function. Biopsies were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy. Liver damage was highest after CS compared with the MP groups. MP using Polysol compared with UW‐G resulted in less aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) release. Perfusate flow, bile production, and ammonia clearance were highest after MP‐Polysol compared with CS and MP‐UW‐G. Tissue edema was least after MP‐Polysol compared with CS and MP‐UW‐G. In conclusion, preservation of the NHBD rat liver by hypothermic MP is superior to CS. Furthermore, MP using Polysol results in better‐quality liver preservation compared with using UW‐G. (Liver Transpl 2005;11:1379–1388.)
Causes of the excessive rates of perinatal mortality and prematurity in pregnancies complicated by maternal urinary-tract infections.

The study was undertaken to determine the causes of the more frequent pre-term deliveries, fetal and neonatal deaths associated with maternal urinary-tract infections during pregnancy. The combined perinatal mortality rate for eight common placental and fetal disorders was 42 per thousand births in the infected vs. 21 per thousand in the noninfected, owing to a greater mortality from noninfectious placental and fetal disorders in the gestations with the urinary-tract infections (P less than 0.001). All the mortality excess took place when the urinary-tract infections occurred within 15 days of delivery. Death rates were highest when the urinary-tract infections coexisted with maternal hypertension and acetonuria.Hydramnios, amniotic-fluid bacterial infections and abruptio placentae were responsible for two thirds of the more frequent preterm deliveries in the pregnancies complicated by urinary-tract infections.
Can a single preterm ultrasound accurately predict birth weight in gestational diabetes?

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of the gestation-adjusted projection method of birth weight prediction, as compared to near delivery ultrasound estimated fetal weight, in a gestational diabetic population. Methods: A retrospective cohort was conducted including all women with gestational diabetes who had an ultrasound estimated fetal weight (EFW) between 340/7 and 366/7 weeks and an additional ultrasound EFW within 7 d of delivery at term. The gestation-adjusted projection (GAP) method was applied to the earlier sonogram, resulting in the GAP predicted birth weight. The GAP predicted weight and the term ultrasound EFW were compared to the actual birth weight. Absolute and percent birth weight errors were compared using paired t-tests. Results: The mean absolute percent errors and mean absolute errors for the GAP method and term ultrasound were 7.7 ± 5.6% versus 7.1 ± 5.1% and 256 ± 184 g versus 236 ± 169 g respectively (p = 0.22 and p = 0.29). The sensitivity of predicting birth weight ≥4000 g was 22% for the GAP method and 28% for term ultrasound, with specificity reaching 97% for both the methods. Conclusion: The GAP method is as accurate as term ultrasound in predicting birth weight in gestational diabetes.
Coordinate gene regulation by fimbriae‐induced signal transduction

Fimbriae are thread‐like polymers displayed in large amounts on the bacterial surface and used by many pathogens to attach to receptors on host tissue surfaces. Fimbriae contain disulfide bridges, contrary to many Escherichia coli surface proteins produced in bulk amounts. Here we investigate whether fimbriae expression can affect expression of other genes. Analysis of gene expression in two E.coli strains, differing in the fim locus, indicated the flu gene to be affected. The flu gene encodes the antigen 43 (Ag43) surface protein, specifically involved in bacterial aggregation, and microcolony and biofilm formation. Ag43 production is repressed by the global regulator OxyR, which monitors the cell's thiol–disulfide status. Only the thiol form of OxyR represses Ag43 production. We demonstrate that production of several different disulfide‐containing fimbriae results in the abolition of Ag43 production. No effect was observed in an oxyR mutant. We conclude that fimbriae expression per se constitutes a signal transduction mechanism that affects a number of unrelated genes via the thiol–disulfide status of OxyR. Thus, phase variation in fimbrial expression is coordinated with the expression of other disease‐ and colonization‐related genes.
Mortality of Epilepsy in Developed Countries: A Review

Summary: Mortality in people with epilepsy has been studied in many different populations. In population‐based incidence cohorts of epilepsy with 7–29 years follow‐up, there was up to a threefold increase in mortality, compared to the general population (standardized mortality ratios [SMR] ranged from 1.6 to 3.0). When studies include selected epilepsy populations where patients with frequent and severe seizures are more common, the mortality is even greater. Relative survivorship (RS) following the diagnosis of epilepsy was 91%, 85%, and 83% after 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. In a population with childhood‐onset epilepsy, RS was 94% and 88% after 10 and 20 years.
The Walnut Creek Contraceptive Drug Study. A prospective study of the side effects of oral contraceptives. Volume III, an interim report: A comparison of disease occurrence leading to hospitalization or death in users and nonusers of oral contraceptives.

A comprehensive report of the causes of death and major forms of disease in a group of 16638 women 18 through 54 years of age followed from 1969 through 1977 is presented. The occurrence of death and disease in the woman who used and in those who never used oral contraceptives (OC) was compared in order to assess some of the risks and benefits of these drugs. These events are also related to certain other characteristics of the women to identify factors that might predict which women would be at risk of suffering unfavorable side effects of OCs. The diseases covered are the following: infective and parasitic diseases; malignant and benign neoplasms; diseases of the endocrine system; nutritional and metabolic diseases and anemia; diseases of the nervous system and sense organs; diseases of the circulatory system; diseases of the respiratory and the digestive systems; diseases of the urinary system and the genital organs; diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissues; diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue; and accidents accidental poisoning and violence. Women became study subjects during December 1968 through February 1972 by having a general health checkup examination. There were 170 deaths among the 16638 women during the 1969 through 1977 period. The major causes of death were malignant neoplasms (45% of deaths) accidents or violence (19%) and cardiovascular disease (15%). There were no deaths due to complications of pregnancy childbirth or the puerperium. No significant differences were found in the mortality rates overall or cause-specific and between never and ever users of OCs. The study conclusions provide assurance that OC users are not at increased risk of cancer of the breast endometrium or ovary and they shed light on the controversial findings regarding the risk of carcinoma in situ of the cervix in OC users by focusing on the effects of personal characteristics such as sexual activity. The findings provide additional evidence that OCs reduce the occurrence of fibrocystic disease of the breasts and further substantiate the well-documented positive effect of cigarette smoking on the risks of cardiovascular diseases.
Intervention Effects on Dementia Caregiving Interaction

Objectives: Our purpose was to evaluate the adequacy of a stress adaptation framework for guiding intervention research on caregivers and patients coping with Alzheimer’s disease, and to test the effect of a cognitive stimulation intervention as an interactive outcome. Methods: Using a repeated measures design, 87 caregiverpatient dyads were randomized to one of three conditions: active cognitive stimulation, passive stimulation, or control. Assessments occurred at preintervention, postintervention (3 months), and 9 months. Results: The LISREL model was entirely satisfactory by the chi-square goodness-of-fit criteria. However, the coefficients associated with the paths between the mediating concepts and the dyadic interaction differed significantly at 3 months and 9 months. The intervention group caregivers were shown to be more satisfied with their interaction with the impaired member. Discussion: The improvement in caregiver satisfactionwas attributed to an attenuation of the behavioral stressor effects through increased use of a problem-focused coping strategy, namely, positive reappraisal of the stressful situation.
Delivered Dialysis Dose Is Suboptimal in Hospitalized Patients

Underdialyzed patients have high hospitalization and mortality rates. It is unclear if such patients receive adequate dialysis during hospitalization. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated single treatment delivered dialysis dose during hospitalization and compared this to the dosage received at the free-standing outpatient clinics in the same patients. Eighty-four patients (54% male) aged 23–63 years (means ± SD 55.5 ± 14.6) who have been on dialysis for at least 3 months were evaluated. Hypertension and diabetes were the most common diagnoses, while thrombosed graft or fistula accounted for 40% of admissions. The mean dialysis treatment time (Td) was 30 min longer in the outpatient (OP) setting than the hospital (H): 3.6 ± 0.3 vs. 3.1 ± 0.2 h (p < 0.0001). Attained blood flow (QB) was 15% greater in the OP than H: 394 ± 40 vs. 331 ± 54 ml/min (p < 0.0001). The Kt/V was analyzed in 49 of 84 patients; the OP Kt/V was 20% greater than the H Kt/V: 1.38 ± 0.2 vs. 1.11 ± 0.1 (p < 0.0001). A further breakdown of H Kt/V according to access and membrane types showed that patients with functional grafts/fistula had a higher Kt/V than those with temporary accesses 1.14 ± 0.1 vs. 1.07 ± 0.1 (p = 0.01). We conclude that hospitalized patients receive suboptimal dialysis dose, this could have a negative impact on survival if hospitalization is recurrent and prolonged. Kinetic modeling should be routinely performed in such patients and Td should be increased in patients with temporary accesses.
Fibronectin Fragments Modulate Human Retinal Capillary Cell Proliferation and Migration

Capillary morphogenesis involves cell-cell and cellmatrix interactions. Proteases elaborated by capillary cells modify the extracellular matrix (ECM) to facilitate capillary tube formation. Previously, we detected the presence of fibronectin fragments (Fn-f) associated with the proform of matrix metalloprotease-2 (MMP-2) in conditioned medium of human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs). Association of this fragment to latent MMP-2 prevented autocatalytic activation of MMP-2, suggesting a modulatory role of Fn-f in MMP-2 activation. In this report, we examined the potential role of Fn-f on two processes involved in angiogenesis, proliferation and migration of vascular cells. The effects of Fn-f on proliferation were determined by DNA synthesis and cell counts. Their effects on migration were assessed using modified Boyden chambers. Seven Fn-f were tested on vascular cell migration and/or proliferation. Three Fn-f induced migration. Fn-f of 30-kDa and 120-kDa size positively affected proliferation of microvascular cells but not macrovascular cells. A 45-kDa gelatin binding fragment of Fn inhibited HREC proliferation but stimulated pericyte and smooth muscle cell proliferation. The potency of these fragments exceeded that of the known angiogenic growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), on HREC migration. ECM components such as fibronectin may influence capillary morphogenesis by the generation of fragments that can modulate proliferation, migration, and protease activation. In the setting of diabetes, excess Fn is generated and is available for degradation. Thus, the production of Fn-f may be specifically relevant to the angiogenesis observed in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
The Financial Intermediation Premium

This paper documents a significant risk premium for financial intermediation risk in the cross section of equity returns. Firms that borrow from highly levered financial intermediaries have on average 4% higher expected returns relative to firms with low-leverage lenders. This difference cannot be attributed to differences in firm characteristics and is driven by firms' exposure to the financial sector. The dispersion in the leverage of financial intermediaries in the debt market forecasts the growth of macroeconomic aggregates. To shed light on the underlying mechanism behind the intermediation risk, I provide a tractable model with state-dependent borrowing costs.
Surfboard‐riding injuries

The results of a study aimed at determining the nature, rate, and cause of traumatic surfing injuries by gathering injury data directly from surfers rather than by retrospective analysis of hospital or first‐aid station records are reported. Three hundred and forty‐ six surfers of varying ages, experience, and competence reported 337 injuries sustained over a two‐year period. The most common injuries requiring medical attention or resulting in inability to surf were lacerations (41%) and soft‐tissue injuries (35%). The high incidence of back and shoulder sprains and strains has not previously been reported. As the rate of moderate and severe injuries among the sample was calculated to be 3.5 injuries per 1000 surfing days, and because more than 25% of the lacerations were caused by the sharp fin, or by the tail, or by the nose of the surfboard, some safety modifications in board design or structure may be necessary.
Human myeloma cells express the CD38 ligand CD31

Multiple myeloma (MM) plasma cells (PC) are CD38+. A ligand for CD38 is the adhesion molecule CD31. By flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry we have investigated whether malignant PC co‐express CD38 and CD31. All 68 patients studied were CD38+. 14/14 monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance (MGUS) and 39/39 plasmacytic MM patients co‐expressed CD38 and CD31 at high density. Only 1/11 plasmablastic MM and 1/4 plasma cell leukaemias (PCL) expressed CD31. These data indicated that PC malignancies co‐expressed high levels of both CD38 and its ligand CD31, with the exception of plasmablastic MM and PCL.
Rapid global spread of two aggressive strains of a wheat rust fungus

Rust fungi can overcome the effect of host resistance genes rapidly, and spores can disperse long distance by wind. Here we demonstrate a foreign incursion of similar strains of the wheat yellow rust fungus, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, in North America, Australia and Europe in less than 3 years. One strain defined by identity at 15 virulence loci and 130 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fragments was exclusive to North America (present since 2000) and Australia (since 2002). Another strain of the same virulence phenotype, but differing in two AFLP fragments, was exclusive to Europe (present since 2000–2001) as well as Western and Central Asia and the Red Sea Area (first appearance unknown). This may be the most rapid spread of an important crop pathogen on the global scale. The limited divergence between the two strains and their derivatives, and the temporal–spatial occurrence pattern confirmed a recent spread. The data gave evidence for additional intercontinental dispersal events in the past, that is, many isolates sampled before 2000 in Europe, North America and Australia had similar AFLP fingerprints, and isolates from South Africa, which showed no divergence in AFLP, differed by only two fragments from particular isolates from Central Asia, West Asia and South Europe, respectively. Previous research has demonstrated that isolates of the two new strains produced up to two to three times more spores per day than strains found in USA and Europe before 2000, suggesting that increased aggressiveness at this level may accelerate global spread of crop pathogens.
Protein Meal‐Stimulated Pancreatic Polypeptide Secretion in Prader–Willi Syndrome of Adults

Children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) are characterized by obesity, hyperphagia, hypogonadism, and mental retardation with underlying hypothalamic dysfunction and are known to have blunted or absent pancreatic polypeptide (PP) secretion in response to protein meals. In this communication, adults (26 ± 3 years of age) with PWS were compared with age-matched normal obese and normal weight controls in regards to plasma glucose, insulin, PP, cholecystokinin (CCK), cholesterol, and triglyceride after a high protein meal. Compared with normal weight controls, adults with PWS showed a smaller and delayed rise in plasma insulin, and relatively smaller and delayed PP elevation whereas obese controls revealed hyperglycemia, markedly higher insulin, and moderately higher PP, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels than those with PWS. There was a small increment of CCK levels after a protein meal in all groups of adults. After a protein meal, the molar ratio of PP to CCK doubled in normal weight and PWS groups, and this ratio tripled in the normal obese group, suggesting no reduced PP secretion in PWS in response to CCK stimulation. PP hyposecretion in PWS thus appears to be a part of multiple endocrinopathy associated with hypothalamic dysfunction.
Autoradiographic distribution of [3H]YM‐09151‐2, a high‐affinity and selective antagonist ligand for the dopamine D2 receptor group, in the rat brain and spinal cord

We determined the regional distribution of the dopamine D2 receptor group in the rat central nervous system by quantitative receptor autoradiography with a high‐affinity and selective antagonist, [3H]YM‐09151‐2. Saturation and competition experiments demonstrated that the binding of [3H]YM‐09151‐2 to striatal sections was saturable (Bmax=37.3 fmol/section), of high affinity (Kd=0.315 nM), and was inhibited selectively by prototypic D2 ligands.
Ictal visual hallucinations of numerals

We studied three children with benign primary occipital epilepsy who had ictal numerical visual hallucinations. This unusual ictal event may occur in patients with left-sided, right-sided, or bilateral interictal spikes, and such attacks may begin in either occipital lobe. This event seems to be occipital, without limbic participation, although the ictal discharge may spread to limbic structures as the seizure evolves.
Guidelines for preventing infectious complications among hematopoietic cell transplant recipients: a global perspective.

Recommendations of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR®), the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), the European Blood and Marrow Transplant Group (EBMT), the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT), the Canadian Blood and Marrow Transplant Group (CBMTG), the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Canada (AMMI), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Marcie Tomblyn, Tom Chiller, Hermann Einsele, Ronald Gress, Kent Sepkowitz, Jan Storek, John R Wingard, Jo-Anne H Young, and Michael A Boeckh
Graph Mining: Laws, Tools, and Case Studies

What does the Web look like? How can we find patterns, communities, outliers, in a social network? Which are the most central nodes in a network? These are the questions that motivate this work. Networks and graphs appear in many diverse settings, for example in social networks, computer-communication networks (intrusion detection, traffic management), protein-protein interaction networks in biology, document-text bipartite graphs in text retrieval, person-account graphs in financial fraud detection, and others. In this work, first we list several surprising patterns that real graphs tend to follow. Then we give a detailed list of generators that try to mirror these patterns. Generators are important, because they can help with "what if" scenarios, extrapolations, and anonymization. Then we provide a list of powerful tools for graph analysis, and specifically spectral methods (Singular Value Decomposition (SVD)), tensors, and case studies like the famous "pageRank" algorithm and the "HITS" algorithm for ranking web search results. Finally, we conclude with a survey of tools and observations from related fields like sociology, which provide complementary viewpoints. Table of Contents: Introduction / Patterns in Static Graphs / Patterns in Evolving Graphs / Patterns in Weighted Graphs / Discussion: The Structure of Specific Graphs / Discussion: Power Laws and Deviations / Summary of Patterns / Graph Generators / Preferential Attachment and Variants / Incorporating Geographical Information / The RMat / Graph Generation by Kronecker Multiplication / Summary and Practitioner's Guide / SVD, Random Walks, and Tensors / Tensors / Community Detection / Influence/Virus Propagation and Immunization / Case Studies / Social Networks / Other Related Work / Conclusions
Keeping the Ball in the Air: Contact in Long-Distance Friendships

ABSTRACT As people continue to be more mobile, maintenance behaviors for long-distance friendships will continue to be a part of the relocation experience. In this qualitative study, 25 women age 45 and over, who had relocated a number of times, were asked to talk about how their friendships had transitioned to being long-distance relationships and what current maintenance behaviors entailed. Communication was a major theme involving electronic mail (e-mail), Christmas cards, telephone calls, and visits. Results from the current study suggest that maintaining the perception of the existence of a well-connected social support system could be accomplished with a single, annual contact. Further, the long-distance friendship biographies explored in this study provided characteristics of friendship maintenance behavior that could be grouped into three main categories forming a proposed typology of long-distance friendship maintenance.