Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonrelated Living-Donor Kidney Transplantation: Medical and Ethical Aspects

Several patients with end-stage renal disease went to Bombay for renal transplantation from nonrelated living donors and then returned to Turkey for posttransplantation follow-up. The aims of this study are to evaluate the long-term results of renal transplantation from nonrelated living donors in Turkish patients with end-stage renal disease and to discuss the ethical and social aspects of nonrelated kidney donation. One hundred and twenty-seven patients (89 males, 38 females; mean age 38.1, range 17–63 years) were investigated retrospectively. None of the patients went to Bombay on our advice. All transplantations were performed between 1991 and 1995. The mean follow-up period after transplantation was 34.2 (range 1–68) months. Graft survival rates were 85, 83, and 57% after 3 months and 1 and 5 years, respectively. Patient survival rates were 94, 93, and 92% after 3 months and 1 and 5 years, respectively. Seven patients died within the first 3 months after the transplantation. Surgical problems, infections, acute rejection, ciclosporin nephrotoxicity, and hepatic problems were common complications. We conclude that medical and surgical complications occur frequently in paid kidney transplantation, but most of these complications can be prevented by adequate preoperative management, and precautionary measures should be taken to prevent commercialization of renal transplantation before the spread of emotionally related living kidney donation.
Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis and Survival of Resected Distal Bile Duct Cancer

The aim of the study was the definition of the clinical features and survival of 27 resected cases of distal bile duct carcinoma. This neoplasm accounted for 14% of all periampullary malignancies treated by pancreaticoduodenectomy between 1990 and 1996. Jaundice was present in 96% of patients, but was the first symptom only in 78%. Preoperative investigations allowed to recognize distal bile duct cancer in a minority of patients (41%). Operative mortality and morbidity were 3.7 and 44%, respectively. Most patients (88%) were assigned to UICC stage IV-A. Postoperative survival was not significantly better than survival of 101 patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal carcinoma; median survival was 22 months, with a 13% 5-year survival rate. Determinants of a better prognosis were UICC stage <IV-A (p = 0.05) and absence of lymphatic invasion (p < 0.01); prognostic significance of nodal involvement, tumor grading, perineural invasion, tumor size, pylorus preservation and adjuvant therapies could not be proven. Lymphatic invasion was the strongest determinant of survival on multivariate analysis (p < 0.01).
Predictors for the development of microalbuminuria and interaction with renal function

Aim: It is important to know which factors predict the development of microalbuminuria in patients with diabetes mellitus type II. Material: Data from the Randomized Olmesartan and Diabetes Microalbuminuria Prevention Study were used to identify predictors for the new onset of microalbuminuria. Furthermore, the interaction of baseline albuminuria and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the effects of treatment with olmesartan were investigated. Results: A total of 4447 patients were randomized to receive 40-mg olmesartan or placebo for a median of 3.2 years. Baseline urinary albumin–creatinine ratio (UACR) was the most important predictor of microalbuminuria, followed by age, weight, glycosylated hemoglobin type A1C, blood glucose, total cholesterol, SBP number of antihypertensive drugs and heart rate. The development of microalbuminuria was not affected by hemodynamic factors. The incidence of microalbuminuria increased from the lower to the higher UACR tertile at all baseline eGFR tertiles. The effects of olmesartan on prevention of new onset microalbuminuria were more obvious in those with the highest baseline UACR at all baseline eGFR tertiles. The eGFR declined more significantly in the olmesartan group (from 85.0 to 80.1 ml/min per 1.73 m2), whereas the decrease in the placebo group was smaller (from 84.7 to 83.7 ml/min per 1.73 m2). The highest rate of eGFR decline in the olmesartan group was in patients with the highest baseline eGFR (>95 ml/min per 1.73 m2) at all baseline UACR tertiles. The transition from normoalbuminuria to microalbuminuria in the olmesartan treated patients was not accompanied by preservation of renal function. Conclusion: Predictors of new onset microalbuminuria are the classical cardiovascular risk factors. Microalbuminuria development was associated with baseline UACR but not baseline eGFR, whereas eGFR decrease after introduction of olmesartan was dependent on baseline eGFR but not on baseline UACR. The effects of olmesartan on microalbuminuria development and on eGFR decrease are probably mediated by different mechanisms. Clinical Trials.gov number, NCT00185159.
Programmed cell death ligand 1 as a biomarker in head and neck cancer

The role of immune checkpoint pathways in various cancers, including those of the head and neck, has recently become a major focus of interest in the field of medicine because of their demonstrated clinical benefit for a subset of patients. The study of immune checkpoint pathways is already affecting the practice of pathology, in which the results of immunohistochemical testing from companion diagnostics are being applied to formulate customized therapies (personalized medicine). Given the use of fine-needle aspiration, often the first way and sometimes the only way in which a tumor sample is obtained, cytopathologists may soon have a role to play in the application of special tests related to immune pathway detection in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, in direct smear slides, or in other cytological preparations. The immune system is our first line of defense against cancer cells and is often able to detect and recognize a transformed cell as foreign, and a number of stimulatory and inhibitory immune pathways are involved in this antitumor response. One way in which tumors can evade attack by the immune system is the exploitation of inhibitory checkpoint pathways that suppress the activity of antitumor T cells. Many recent studies have focused on blocking these immune checkpoint molecules, and one of the most popular approaches has been the blockade of the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway. The anti–PD-1 agents nivolumab and pembrolizumab have been demonstrated to be clinically useful and are approved for select indications, including melanoma, non–small cell lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, renal cell carcinoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma. The purpose of this commentary is to introduce the reader to a prominent immune marker, PD-L1, and its role in the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors for select cancers of the head and neck. PD-L1, also known as B7-H1 and CD274, belongs to the B7 superfamily of molecules, which also includes B7-1 (CD80), B7-2 (CD86), B7-H2, B7-H3, B7-H4, and B7-H6. PD-L1 binds to PD-1 and can be expressed by T cells, B cells, myeloid-derived dendritic cells, and macrophages located in various tissues. As described previously, the PD-1:PD-L1 axis has gained much attention over the past several years because of reports demonstrating that the blockade of PD-1 or PD-L1 by specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can enhance antitumor immunity.
Low-Dose Aspirin Use Does Not Increase Survival in 2 Independent Population-Based Cohorts of Patients With Esophageal or Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Preclinical studies have shown aspirin to have anticancer properties and epidemiologic studies have associated aspirin use with longer survival times of patients with cancer. We studied 2 large cohorts to determine the association between aspirin use and cancer-specific mortality in patients with esophageal or gastric cancer. METHODS We performed a population-based study using cohorts of patients newly diagnosed with esophageal or gastric cancer, identified from cancer registries in England from 1998 through 2012 and the Scottish Cancer Registry from 2009 through 2012. Low-dose aspirin prescriptions were identified from linkages to the United Kingdom Clinical Research Practice Datalink in England and the Prescribing Information System in Scotland. Deaths were identified from linkage to national mortality records, with follow-up until September 2015 in England and January 2015 in Scotland. Time-dependent Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cancer-specific mortality by low-dose aspirin use after adjusting for potential confounders. Meta-analysis was used to pool results across the 2 cohorts. RESULTS The combined English and Scottish cohorts contained 4654 patients with esophageal cancer and 3833 patients with gastric cancer, including 3240 and 2392 cancer-specific deaths, respectively. The proportions surviving 1 year, based on cancer-specific mortality, were similar in aspirin users vs non-users after diagnosis with esophageal cancer (48% vs 50% in England and 49% vs 46% in Scotland, respectively) or gastric cancer (58% vs 57% in England and 59% vs 55% in Scotland, respectively). There was no association between postdiagnosis use of low-dose aspirin and cancer-specific mortality among patients with esophageal cancer (pooled adjusted HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.89-1.09) or gastric cancer (pooled adjusted HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.85-1.08). Long-term aspirin use was not associated with cancer-specific mortality after diagnosis of esophageal cancer (pooled adjusted HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.85-1.25) or gastric cancer (pooled adjusted HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.85-1.32). CONCLUSIONS In analyses of 2 large independent cohorts in the United Kingdom, low-dose aspirin usage was not associated with increased survival of patients diagnosed with esophageal or gastric cancer.
The macrophage activation marker sCD163 is associated with morphological disease stages in patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease

Macrophage activation plays a key pathogenic role in experimental non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and contributes to the progression of steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis. We studied macrophage activation in human NAFLD by measuring soluble (s)CD163, a specific macrophage activation marker, hypothesizing that sCD163 would be associated with the patients’ morphological disease grade. Furthermore, we investigated an association between sCD163 and the apoptosis marker cytokeratin‐18 (CK‐18) to explore a link between macrophage activation and apoptosis.
The Experience of Chronic Insomnia in Chinese Adults: A Study Using Focus Groups and Insomnia Experience Diaries

The subjective experience in 43 Chinese adults with chronic primary insomnia was assessed using focus groups and insomnia experience diaries. Participants recruited from the community and a sleep clinic were diagnosed with DSM-IV-TR insomnia disorder and had sleep difficulties on 3 or more nights per week for at least 6 months. Six focus groups, of 6–8 participants each, were conducted; it was stopped as thematic saturation emerged in the last 2 groups. Using grounded theory approach, we identified 4 themes and 16 subthemes, covering beliefs about the nature and treatment of insomnia, behavioral responses to insomnia, cognitive-emotional and physiological arousal, and emotional experiences associated with insomnia. The findings are in general compatible with qualitative studies in the West, but some subthemes are influenced by Chinese cultural beliefs and values, in particular, use of the traditional Chinese medicine concept, being modest in sleep expectation, and a letting go attitude. Strategies for cultural adaptation of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia in a Chinese society using patients’ subjective experience are discussed.
Protective and anti-inflammatory effects of hydroalcoholic leaf extract of Origanum vulgare on oxidative stress, TNF-α gene expression and liver histological changes in paraquat-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Abstract Context: Toxicity with paraquat can lead to serious damages to the liver. Objective: The study investigates the protective effects of Origanum vulgare leaf extract against paraquat liver damage. Material and methods: Rats were divided into six groups. Group 1, the control group; group 2, rats that received paraquat only; group 3, rats that received paraquat plus silymarin; and groups 4, 5, and 6 were treated with paraquat and O. vulgare leaf extract. Then, the serum and tissue parameters of the oxidative stress were examined. Results: In group 2, paraquat caused a remarkable increase in the level of serum ALT, AST, ALP, lipid profiles, and liver TNF-α gene expression compared to group 1. The groups which received O. vulgare leaf extract exhibited significant ameliorations in abnormalities of paraquat-induced liver damage and serum biochemical parameters. Conclusion: O. vulgare leaf extract has inhibitory effects on paraquat-induced liver damage due to its antioxidant properties.
Group-Linear Empirical Bayes Estimates for a Heteroscedastic Normal Mean

ABSTRACT The problem of estimating the mean of a normal vector with known but unequal variances introduces substantial difficulties that impair the adequacy of traditional empirical Bayes estimators. By taking a different approach that treats the known variances as part of the random observations, we restore symmetry and thus the effectiveness of such methods. We suggest a group-linear empirical Bayes estimator, which collects observations with similar variances and applies a spherically symmetric estimator to each group separately. The proposed estimator is motivated by a new oracle rule which is stronger than the best linear rule, and thus provides a more ambitious benchmark than that considered in the previous literature. Our estimator asymptotically achieves the new oracle risk (under appropriate conditions) and at the same time is minimax. The group-linear estimator is particularly advantageous in situations where the true means and observed variances are empirically dependent. To demonstrate the merits of the proposed methods in real applications, we analyze the baseball data used by Brown (2008), where the group-linear methods achieved the prediction error of the best nonparametric estimates that have been applied to the dataset, and significantly lower error than other parametric and semiparametric empirical Bayes estimators.
Spontaneous Intracranial Hemorrhage Caused by Pheochromocytoma in a Child

We report a 6-year-old boy who presented with left occipital spontaneous lobar hematoma and hypertension. Cerebral angiography failed to demonstrate a vascular malformation. Subsequently, a left adrenal tumor was found that proved to be a pheochromocytoma. This is the first report in the literature of a lobar hematoma in a child caused by a concomitant pheochromocytoma. In children with hypertension and resulting intracerebral hematoma, a pheochromocytoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
Prevalence of atopy and pollinosis in the adult population of Switzerland (SAPALDIA study). Swiss Study on Air Pollution and Lung Diseases in Adults.

The Swiss SAPALDIA study is a large multicenter cross-sectional study initiated in 1991 to evaluate the relationship between environment and respiratory symptoms and diseases in adults, and included subjects from eight areas in Switzerland with distinctive environmental characteristics. We present here prevalence data for atopy, pollinosis and atopic asthma obtained from a random sample of 8,357 adults (18-60 years) assessed by standardized computer-based interview as well as by allergy skin prick tests (SPTs) (performed with Phazet) to grass, birch and Parietaria pollen, house dust mite, cat and dog epithelia and the moulds Alternaria and Cladosporium and by an in vitro allergy screen test (Phadiatop CAP FEIA system). On the basis of a positive Phadiatop (total 28.9%; males 32.9%, females 25.0%; p < 0.001) and/or a positive SPT (total 23%; males 25.0%, females 20.8%; p < 0.001), 32.3% of the study population were considered atopic (males 35.7%, females 28.8%; p < 0.001). Concerning the prevalence of skin sensitization (SPT wheal > or = 3 mm), the highest rate was observed for grass (12.7%), followed by house dust mite (8.9%), silver birch (7.9%), cat (3.8%) and dog (2.8%), whereas moulds and Parietaria elicited less than 1% positive SPTs. The prevalence of atopic rhinitis (rhinitis symptoms associated with atopy) was 13.5% (males 14.3%, females 12.6%; p < 0.05) and the prevalence of current hay fever varied between 9.1% (questionnaire answer and a positive SPT to at least one pollen), 11.2% (questionnaire answer and presence of atopy) to 14.2% (questionnaire answer only) with no significant difference by sex. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Anticancer efficacy of tannic acid is dependent on the stiffness of the underlying matrix

Abstract Tannic acid (TA) has been previously shown to have anticancer potential for breast cancer but its effects on melanoma have not yet been investigated. Similarly, stiffness of the tumor microenvironment is known to have a profound effect on breast cancer metastasis, but little is known about its role on melanoma. The goal of the current study is to investigate the synergistic effects of TA and matrix stiffness on melanoma progression. A375 melanoma cells with metastatic potential were cultured on TA crosslinked uncompacted (UC; soft) and electrochemically compacted (ECC; stiff) collagen gels and the effects of TA on gel morphology, mechanical properties, and cellular response (i.e. morphology and proliferation) were evaluated. SEM results showed that TA crosslinking induced merging of collagen fibrils that resulted in decrease in pore size of both UC and ECC collagen gels. Tensile testing showed that TA crosslinking significantly (p < 0.05) improved the mechanical properties of ECC collagen gels. Results from Alamar blue assay showed that TA preferentially inhibited the proliferation of A375 melanoma cells compared to the non-cancerous NIH 3T3 fibroblasts on UC collagen gels. However, on ECC collagen gels, preferential effect of TA was not prevalent as proliferation of both cell types was inhibited to a similar extent. When comparing the two gel types, inhibition of A375 melanoma cell proliferation was more pronounced on TA crosslinked UC collagen gels compared to TA crosslinked ECC collagen gels. Overall, these results suggest that TA incorporated into UC collagen gels may more selectively inhibit the proliferation of melanoma cells, and that matrix stiffness is an important driver of tumor proliferation and progression.
"Lost in the noise": DIY amateur music practice in a digital age

A fast expanding network of DIY music communities in the UK see digital technologies transforming ways in which part-time amateur musicians are able to collaborate creatively and form alliances, touring and distributing their music to an international audience and expanding the possibilities of a DIY approach to music making beyond its subcultural, micro-cultural past. Creative autonomy and control is sought to be retained and celebrated in shared non- commercial spaces run by the artists themselves. With an interview based approach, this thesis explores the continued importance of gaining a local audience in a digital age, exploring amateur music activities in two very distinct cities. These reveal how local traditions of amateur practice continue to influence musicians and their shared venues, both in their revival and reinvention. How DIY is defined in a digital age is also explored with both observation and interview data revealing the continued legacy of Punk and how this plays a part in DIY’s expanding definition. The approaches and motivations behind amateur musicians seeking out and establishing shared places for their DIY practice reveals a collective striving for creative control and the creative reimagining of disused urban spaces. Whilst there is a commitment to the upkeep of these spaces, there are also essential online activities shared by the amateur musicians that assist their own personal music promotion alongside the networking and expanding of the local DIY communities. This discussion also reveals how the musicians tackle periods of isolation from their peers, as increased opportunities to collaborate remotely with others changes the dynamics of bands and music scenes. In a combining of interview and observational data, the thesis also explores in depth the handcrafting and DIY activities practiced and celebrated in the shared DIY spaces. There is then further discussion as to how the musicians manage their peer networks and how they stay connected to other musicians in their local areas. This reveals more relaxed, open networking tactics widely adopted by amateur musicians in a digital age. There is a continued discussion then as to how the musicians are able to sustain their DIY practices on a part- time basis, with a focus on the co-operative strategies for creating a sense of community, shared values and ambitions amongst the musicians. In conclusion, I draw upon the themes of material, digital, local and global practices, revealing how amateurs seek to protect both a micro-scale, exclusive aspect to their music and opportunities for face-to-face live performance for real engagement with their peers and audiences.
Dynamical Event-Triggered Consensus Control for Second-Order Multi-Agent Systems

In this paper, the consensus problem of second-order multi-agent systems is investigated. Distributed static event-triggered control and dynamic event-triggered control are developed for the agents to reduce the frequency of actuator updating thus save the onboard energy and communication bandwidth. We have proved that all agents can achieve consensus with the proposed controllers by using the Lyapunov method. The results of simulation show that the controllers can effectively drive the agents to be agreement.
The Impact of Arab American Culture on Diabetes Self-management Education

Purpose The purpose of this study was to better understand barriers and facilitators of diabetes self-management education (DSME) among Arab American patients with diabetes. Little is known about the impact of Arab culture on DSME. Methods Arab American adults (N = 23) with medically managed diabetes participated in 1 of 3 focus groups. An Arabic-speaking, trained moderator conducted video-recorded sessions. Verbatim Arabic transcripts were translated into English. Transcripts underwent a qualitative content analysis approach. Results Arab American cultural traditions such as food sharing, religious beliefs, and gender roles both facilitated and at times impeded DSME. Patients also held conflicting views about their interactions with their providers; some participants praised the authoritative patient-physician relationship style while others perceived the gaps in communication to be a product of Arab culture. Participants expressed that lack of available educational and supportive resources are key barriers to DSME. Conclusion Arab American culture affects DSM activities, and culturally sensitive educational resources are lacking. Development of DSME programs tailored to address relevant aspects of Arab culture might improve DSME outcomes in Arab American population.