Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prediction of work resumption and sustainability up to 1 year after mild traumatic brain injury

Objective: To study return to work (RTW) after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) at several intervals after injury and to predict RTW on the basis of occupational factors in addition to demographic, personality, and injury-related factors at 6 and 12 months after injury. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study (UPFRONT study, n = 1,151) of patients with mTBI admitted to the emergency department. Patients received questionnaires at 2 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months after injury. RTW was divided into 3 levels: complete (cRTW), partial (pRTW), and no RTW. Results: Rates of cRTW increased from 34% at 2 weeks to 77% at 12 months after injury, pRTW varied from 8% to 16% throughout the year. Logistic regression (complete vs incomplete RTW) demonstrated that apart from previously identified predictors such as demographics (e.g., age and education) and injury characteristics (e.g., cause and severity of injury) and indicators of psychological distress, occupational factors were of influence on work resumption after 6 months (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.82), At 12 months, however, the model was based solely on the presence of extracranial injuries and indicators of maladaptation after injury (AUC = 0.81). Conclusions: RTW after mTBI is a gradual process, with varying levels of RTW throughout the first year after injury. Different predictors were relevant for short- vs long-term work resumption, with occupational factors influencing short-term RTW. However, for both short- and long-term RTW, posttraumatic complaints and signs of psychological distress early after injury were relevant predictors, allowing early identification of patients at risk for problematic work resumption.
Nucleotide sequencing of the Proteus mirabilis calcium-independent hemolysin genes (hpmA and hpmB) reveals sequence similarity with the Serratia marcescens hemolysin genes (shlA and shlB)

We cloned a 13.5-kilobase EcoRI fragment containing the calcium-independent hemolysin determinant (pWPM110) from a clinical isolate of Proteus mirabilis (477-12). The DNA sequence of a 7,191-base-pair region of pWPM110 was determined. Two polypeptides are encoded in this region, HpmB and HpmA (in that transcriptional order), with predicted molecular masses of 63,204 and 165,868 daltons, respectively. A putative Fur-binding site was identified upstream of hpmB overlapping the -35 region of the proposed hpm promoter. In vitro transcription-translation of pWPM110 DNA and other subclones confirmed the assignment of molecular masses for the predicted polypeptides. These polypeptides are predicted to have NH2-terminal leader peptides of 17 and 29 amino acids, respectively. NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of purified extracellular hemolysin (HpmA) confirmed the cleavage of the 29-amino-acid leader peptide in the secreted form of HpmA. Hemolysis assays and immunoblot analysis of Escherichia coli containing subclones expressing hpmA, hpmB, or both indicated that HpmB is necessary for the extracellular secretion and activation of HpmA. Significant nucleotide identity (52.1%) was seen between hpm and the shl hemolysin gene sequences of Serratia marcescens despite differences in the G+C contents of these genes (hpm, 38%; shl, 65%). The predicted amino acid sequences of HpmB and HpmA are also similar to those of ShlB and ShlA, the respective sequence identities being 55.4 and 46.7%. Predicted cysteine residues and major hydrophobic and amphipathic domains have been strongly conserved in both proteins. Thus, we have identified a new hemolysin gene family among gram-negative opportunistic pathogens.
Cyclooxygenase Isozymes Involved in Adaptive Functional Responses in Rat Stomach after Barrier Disruption

We investigated the preferential role of cyclooxygenase (COX) isozymes in various functional changes of the rat stomach after exposure to taurocholate (TC) as a mild irritant. Under urethane anesthesia, a rat stomach mounted in an ex vivo chamber was perfused with saline or acid (50 mM HCl), and transmucosal potential difference (PD), gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF), and acid secretion were measured before and after exposure of the stomach to 20 mM TC for 30 min. Indomethacin, 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-trifluoromethylpyrazole (SC-560) (a selective COX-1 inhibitor), or rofecoxib (a selective COX-2 inhibitor) was given intraduodenally 30 min before the TC treatment. Mucosal application of TC caused a marked reduction in PD, followed by a decrease of acid secretion and an increase of GMBF. Previous administration of indomethacin did not affect the reduction in PD but significantly mitigated the two other responses induced by TC, resulting in a delay in the recovery in PD. These effects were mimicked by SC-560 but not rofecoxib, although neither of these drugs had any effect on the reduction in PD. Perfusion of TC-treated stomachs with 50 mM HCl caused only minimal damage, yet this treatment produced gross lesions in the presence of indomethacin or SC-560. Mucosal exposure to TC increased prostaglandin E2 production, but the response was inhibited by both indomethacin and SC-560 but not rofecoxib. These results suggested that COX-1 but not COX-2 is a key enzyme for regulating the functional alterations of the stomach and for maintaining the mucosal integrity after barrier disruption.
The role of ultrasonography in primary congenital hypothyroidism

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the usefulness of ultrasonography and scintigraphy in diagnosing the etiology of primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH). METHODS: The newborns that were examined by both thyroid scintigraphy and ultrasonography during CH screening program in Isfahan were included in this study. The ultrasonographic findings were compared with the scintigraphic findings and the sensitivity and specificity of the ultrasonography was determined. RESULTS: During this study, 102 CH newborns were studied. According to the ultrasonographic results, 61.8%, 26.5%, 2.9% and 8.8% of them had normal thyroid gland, agenesia, ectopia and hypoplasia, respectively, and according to scintigraphic results, 55.9%, 35.3% and 8.8% of them had normal thyroid gland, agenesia and ectopia, respectively. Ultrasound detected sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and positive and negative likelihood ratio were 77%, 92%, 89%, 84%, 9.6 and 0.25, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography compared with thyroid scintigraphy in diagnosis of thyroid gland ectopia was 33% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Though thyroid ultrasonography failed to diagnose 67% of ectopic cases and nonfunctioning thyroid gland, it had the ability to determine the anatomy of thyroid gland. So, considering some limitations of scintigraphy, we concluded that ultrasonography is a relatively appropriate imaging tool for diagnosing CH etiologies, especially in the initial phase of CH screening.
Recent advances in dentin hypersensitivity: clinically proven treatments for instant and lasting sensitivity relief.

PURPOSE To provide a brief overview of the diagnosis, epidemiology, etiology and clinical management of dentin hypersensitivity, to discuss technical approaches to relieve sensitivity, with special emphasis on dentin tubule occlusion and the clinical evidence for efficacy of desensitizing toothpastes based upon this approach, and to summarize the science behind a new dentifrice technology, based upon arginine and calcium carbonate, and the clinical evidence which proves that it delivers both instant and lasting relief of dentin hypersensitivity. RESULTS Clinical studies have shown that a new toothpaste, containing arginine and calcium carbonate (known as Pro-Argin technology) with 1450 ppm fluoride, offers clinically proven instant and lasting relief of dentin hypersensitivity. Three 8-week clinical studies have shown that this new toothpaste provides statistically significantly superior efficacy in reducing sensitivity to market leading desensitizing toothpastes containing 2% potassium ion. Importantly, three further clinical studies have shown that a single direct topical application of toothpaste to sensitive teeth, using a fingertip or cotton swab followed by 1 minute of massage, resulted in instant relief of dentin hypersensitivity and that the relief was maintained with subsequent twice-daily brushing. Mechanism of action studies have shown that this technology physically seals dentin tubules with a plug that contains arginine, calcium carbonate and phosphate. This plug, which is resistant to normal pulpal pressures and to acid challenge, effectively reduces dentin fluid flow and thereby relieves sensitivity. A new whitening variant of this desensitizing toothpaste, containing the Pro-Argin technology, fluoride and a high cleaning calcium carbonate system, has now been clinically and scientifically validated. This toothpaste works by the same mechanism of action as its non-whitening counterpart and is clinically proven to provide both instant and lasting relief of sensitivity, while providing proven efficacy in removal of extrinsic stains. No difference in desensitizing efficacy was observed between the whitening and non-whitening versions.
Failure to find behavioural differences between lean and obese Zucker rats exposed to novel environments.

Past studies have evidenced a key role for hypercorticism in the obesity syndrome of the Zucker (fa/fa) rat. Here, the hypothesis that obesity-related hypercorticism is associated with increased anxiety/emotionality was tested in the elevated plus-maze, the black/white box, and the open field. In the elevated plus-maze, none of the parameters examined (open arm entries, time in open arms, total number of entries) differed between lean (Fa/? ) and obese (fa/fa) rats. In addition, neither the behaviours measured in the black/white box (latency to enter the black compartment, number of transitions, time spent in the white compartment, locomotion, rearing) nor those measured in the open field (locomotion, rearing, grooming, defecation) were affected by obesity. This study suggests that obesity-related hypercorticism in fa/fa rats is not associated with indices of emotionality and anxiety, at least those analysed by means of the tests used here.
Results of renal transplantation using kidneys harvested from living donors at the University of Heidelberg.

BACKGROUND Although a majority of patients undergoing renal transplantation currently receive a cadaver kidney, living donors continue to be an important source of transplanted kidneys. Recipients of living donor kidneys demonstrate improved graft survival. To expand the pool of suitable organ donors an organ procurement programme of living donors has been developed over the past 35 years. We have reviewed our living donor nephrectomy experience over this period to analyse the donor and recipient peri- and postoperative morbidity and mortality rate. METHODS We reviewed the operative complications and the long-term outcome of 219 living donated kidney transplantations before and after introduction of cyclosporine A. Donor and graft complications as well as recipient complications and survival rate were investigated. Additionally, the findings of 16 laparoscopically operated living donors were compared to a group of 20 patients who underwent a conventional surgery. RESULTS The overall recipient 3 and 5 year survival rates in the cyclosporine A era were 95 and 94%, respectively. Prior to the introduction of cyclosporine A, the overall recipient survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 84 and 84%, respectively. The overall graft survival rates were 92 and 85% for the cyclosporine A era compared to 68 and 60% before introduction of cyclosporine A, at 3 and 5 years, respectively. The patient and graft survival rate in the cyclosporine group were significantly higher than in the pre-cyclosporine group (log-rank: P = 0.0107 and P = 0.0003, respectively). Donor complications included pain at the incision site (35%), mild hypertension (27%), proteinuria (19%), urinary tract infections (11%), pneumothorax (5%), blood transfusion (3.5%) and wound infection (3%), with no mortalities. Our results showed a longer duration of operation, and longer warm ischaemia and cold ischaemia times in laparoscopically operated living donors than those that were seen in the conventional approach. There was no statistically significant difference in complications between both techniques. However, the hospitalization days and usage of analgesic medication in laparoscopy donors were lower than in the conventional approach. CONCLUSIONS Similar to previous studies the results of the present analysis confirm an increase in patient and graft survival rates in the cyclosporine era compared to before its usage. Living donor nephrectomy, done through a conventional or laparoscopic approach, remains a valuable source of kidneys for transplantation with low complication rates.
Postoperative morbidity associated with cesarean delivery among human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive women.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the complication rates associated with cesarean delivery between human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive women with those among a matched group of human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative subjects. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a case-control study of 86 human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive women undergoing cesarean delivery between the years 1992 and 2000 at a large, urban teaching institution and a control group of 86 human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative women matched for age, race, year of delivery, and delivery indications. Data were analyzed with the chi2 test and odds ratios. Among human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive women, complications were further stratified according to maternal disease status and use of antiretroviral therapy. RESULTS Human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive women were significantly more likely than control women to have minor postoperative complications (66.3% vs 41.8%; odds ratio, 2.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.40-6.10), of which febrile morbidity was the most common (62.8% vs 42.7%; P =.003). There was no difference between the groups in the rate of major complications (9.3% vs 3.4%; odds ratio, 2.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-14.06). Zidovudine use was associated with a decrease in the maternal morbidity rate (odds ratio, 0.31; 95% confidence interval, 0.07-1.03). CONCLUSION Postoperative morbidity among human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive women undergoing cesarean delivery was not different from that in a matched control population.
Pathogenesis of disease caused by Aleutian mink disease parvovirus.

A review of the pathogenesis of Aleutian mink disease parvovirus (ADV) infection based on recent knowledge gained by the author and collaborators is given. The review focuses mainly on the following topics. 1) Development of an easy, sensitive and fast assay for detection of ADV antigens and antibodies directed against these antigens. A highly sensitive rocket line immunoelectrophoretic assay (RLIE) was developed. This assay turned out to be 32 times more sensitive than the counter current electrophoresis assay routinely used to detect anti-ADV antibodies in ADV eradication programs, and moreover, ADV associated antigens could simultaneously be quantitatively detected in the same electrophoretic run. Later, the assay was improved to make it more economical and easy to use and finally the assay, now termed the counter current line absorption immunoelectrophoresis (CCLAIE) assay, was slightly modified to adapt the test to screening programs. 2) Examination of surface properties of the virus and the antigens expressed during in vivo infection. In this chapter studies on the surface charge properties of ADV are described. Using charge-shift crossed immunoelectrophoresis the occurrence of amphiphilic proteins associated with ADV is shown and the significance of these findings in regard to biological properties are discussed. The first demonstration of intact ADV structural and nonstructural proteins in mink tissues is described and it is shown that the structural proteins of the cell culture adapted strain of ADV (ADV-G) also in vivo is 2-3000 dalton smaller than those of other ADVs, i.e. 75,000 and 85,000 dalton in ADV-G as opposed to 78,000 and 88,000 dalton in the other ADVs. 3) Studies on the pathogenesis of interstitial pneumonia caused by ADV in newborn mink kits. The features of ADV-induced interstitial pneumonia are described. Using Southern blot and in situ hybridization techniques it is shown that ADV replicates to high levels in alveolar type II cells and it is suggested that the permissive replication of the virus in these cells causes direct cytopathology, followed by decreased surfactant production and development of the characteristic clinical and pathological features of respiratory distress and hyaline membrane disease. 4) Comparison of the pathogenesis of acute versus chronic disease caused by ADV infection. The data obtained by in situ hybridization analysis of ADV infected adult mink, mink kits, and mink kits treated with anti-ADV antibodies are compared. The accumulated data suggested that the development of severe acute ADV-induced disease is linked to low or absent antibody titers paired with high levels of viral replication. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The acquisition of perfective and imperfective passive constructions in Russian

This paper is concerned with the acquisition of passive constructions in Russian. First, we present previously unreported spontaneous speech data from Russian children and demonstrate the existence of an asymmetry in the acquisition of imperfective and perfective passives. We then provide an explanation for this asymmetry that relies on the maturation of the (subject; object) A-chains account (Borer and Wexler, 1987, 1992; Babyonyshev et al., 2001). Finally, we describe the properties of long passive forms in these child data and show that the lack of long passives in child speech in conjunction with the reported aspectual asymmetry can be best accounted for within the framework of (subject; object) A-chain maturation rather than the 8-role transmission theories (e.g., Fox and Grodzinsky, 1998).
Recruitment in a heterogeneous population of motor neurons that innervates the depressor muscle of the crayfish walking leg muscle

SUMMARY According to the size principle the fine control of muscle tension depends on the orderly recruitment of motor neurons from a heterogeneous pool. We took advantage of the small number of excitatory motor neurons (about 12) that innervate the depressor muscle of the crayfish walking leg to determine if the size principle applies to this muscle. We found that in accordance with the size principle, when stimulated by proprioceptive input, neurons with small extracellular spikes were recruited before neurons with medium or large spikes. Because only a small fraction of the motor neurons responded strongly enough to sensory input to be recruited in this way, we extended our analysis to all neurons by characterizing properties that have classically been associated with recruitment order such as speed of axonal conduction and extracellular spike amplitude. Through a combination of physiological and anatomical criteria we were able to identify seven classes of excitatory depressor motor neurons. The majority of these classes responded to proprioceptive input with a resistance reflex, while a few responded with an assistance reflex, and yet others did not respond. Our results are in general agreement with the size principle. However, we found qualitative differences between neuronal classes in terms of synaptic input and neuronal structure that would in theory be unnecessary, according to a strict interpretation of the size principle. We speculate that the qualitative heterogeneity observed may be due to the fact that the depressor is a complex muscle, consisting of two muscle bundles that share a single insertion but have multiple origins.
Rise and Fall of Agonist-Evoked Platelet Ca2+ in Hypertensive Rats

We previously reported an enhanced peak response of intracellular free Ca2+ to thrombin in platelets of spontaneously hypertensive rats in comparison with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. In the present study, we compared the platelet intracellular Ca2+ response to the receptor-linked agonist thrombin with the response to the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin. Basal intracellular Ca2+ was higher in hypertensive platelets as was leakage of fura-2. We confirmed the previous finding that the thrombin-induced intracellular Ca2+ peak is greater in platelets of hypertensive rats and noted that the rate of recovery from peak intracellular Ca2+ is significantly greater in this model. In contrast, the peak platelet intracellular Ca2+ response to ionomycin (50 nM and 5 μM) was not different between the two strains, and the rate of recovery from the peak response was only slightly depressed in hypertensive rats after the low dose of ionomycin. Internal Ca2+ discharge capacity, assessed by the intracellular Ca2+ response to a maximal dose of ionomycin in Ca2+-free medium, was not different between platelets of the two strains. Thus, activated platelet intracellular Ca2+ is not altered in the hypertensive rat when the nonphysiological ionophore ionomycin is used as agonist. However, a heightened intracellular Ca2+ response is observed when the receptor-mediated agonist thrombin is used. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that differences in receptor-linked second messenger pathways underlie the altered intracellular Ca2+ response in platelets of genetically hypertensive rats and may contribute to differences both in the mobilization of Ca2+ and in its fall.
Bilateral Simultaneous Fasciotomy for Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome

Background: Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) occurs bilaterally in approximately 60% of patients. Fasciotomy is the primary corrective treatment. We hypothesized that bilateral fasciotomy can be done during the same operative procedure with early return to sports and low complication rates. Method: Sixteen patients had simultaneous bilateral lower extremity fasciotomies for CECS confirmed by compartment pressure testing before and after exercise. Ten patients had concomitant superficial peroneal neurolysis for associated numbness. All patients who were athletes (six runners; nine ball sports) (average age 25 years) had sports related pain limiting participation. Results: Patients were followed for an average of 16.4 (range 6 to 48) months. Full return to sports participation occurred at an average of 10.7 weeks. Three patients continued to have mild, but much improved, pain with active sports participation, while 13 were pain free. All 11 patients with exertional related numbness had resolution after operative release. All patients were satisfied and all patients stated that they would have simultaneous fasciotomies again if required. As a nonmatched comparison, three patients who had staged fasciotomies for bilateral CECS were also evaluated, but because of the small number no statistical comparison was made. All three also returned to their previous levels of sports participation, however, at an average of 22.7 months as compared to 10.7 weeks in patients with simultaneous bilateral releases. Conclusion: Bilateral simultaneous fasciotomies for CECS can be done safely and effectively with early return to sports participation and low complication rates.