Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cardiac Function after Eight Hour Storage by Using Polyethylene Glycol Hemoglobin Versus Crystalloid Perfusion

Efforts to extend myocardial preservation for transplantation by crystalloid perfusion have been limited by edema and compromised function. We hypothesized that hypothermic perfusion preservation with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated hemoglobin solution may extend preservation times. The purpose of this study was to compare cardiac function after continuous perfusion by using a hypocalcemic, normokalemic crystalloid perfusate with and without the addition of PEG-hemoglobin (Hb). The hearts of 20 anesthetized and ventilated New Zealand White rabbits were harvested after cold cardioplegic arrest. Group I (n = 10) hearts were continuously perfused with a hypocalcemic, normokalemic 3% bovine PEG-Hb solution at 20°C and 30 mm Hg for 8 hours. Group II (n = 10) hearts were continuously perfused with an identical crystalloid solution without PEG-Hb for 8 hours under the same conditions as group I hearts. Cardiac function was measured with a left ventricular force transducer after transfer to a standard crystalloid Langendorff circuit at 37°C and an aortic root pressure of 59 mm Hg. After 8 hours of perfusion preservation, heart rate was similar for groups I and II (p = not significant [NS]). Coronary blood flow after and during preservation was similar between PEG-Hb and crystalloid preserved hearts (p = NS). Left ventricular developed pressure, peak dP/d t, and peak −dP/d t were superior in hearts preserved with PEG-Hb. Percent water of total ventricular weight was 82.0% for group I and 81.6% for group II (p = NS). Continuous perfusion preservation of rabbit hearts for 8 hours with a hypocalcemic normokalemic PEG-Hb based solution at 30 mm Hg and 20°C yields left ventricular function that is superior to perfusion with a similar crystalloid solution without PEG-Hb, despite similar myocardial edema and coronary flow. Extended cardiac perfusion preservation with this PEG-Hb based solution deserves further study, including comparison with traditional cardioplegic preservation solutions.
Experimental studies of the life cycle of Leucocytozoon simondi in ducks in Norway.

SYNOPSIS. Pekin ducks were infected naturally and experimentally. The life cycle of Leucocytozoon simondi was followed in the ducks and the vector, a new species of Simulium, close to Simulium dogieli. The prepatent period in the ducks was 4–5 days and developing megaloschizonts appeared in 6–7 days. Schizonts were found in liver, spleen, brain, and kidney. In the kidneys they were located in the glomeruli. Sporogony in some individuals was completed in 7 days at 13–14 C, other individuals developed more slowly, as ookinetes were found in flies 8 days after feeding. The rapid asexual cycle combined with a sporogonic cycle, in which some ookinetes develop rapidly and others more slowly, favors the maintenance of the parasite in an environment with relatively low daily temperatures. This and the size of the megaloschizonts indicate differences between this strain of the parasite and the one occurring in North America.
Antidiabetic effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Phyllanthus amarus in alloxan induced diabetic mice

Phyllanthus amarus Schum. Thonn. is an indigenous medicinal plant, which has a folk reputation in central and southern India as hypoglycemic agent. The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the antidiabetic effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Phyllanthus amarus in alloxan induced diabetic mice. Blood glucose levels and body weights of control and diabetic mice were monitored. In the present study activities of liver enzymes such as glucokinase, glucose -6- phosphatase and fructose -1- 6-diphosphatase were also determined. Glibenclamide an antidiabetic oral drug was used as reference in the present investigation. Oral administration of ethanolic leaf extract (400 mg/kg body weight) for 45 days resulted in a significant (P<0.05) decline in blood glucose from 310.20 to 141.0 mg/dl and significant recovery in body weight of diabetic mice. There was also a significant (P<0.05) reduction in the activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1-6-disphosphatase in liver, further there was significant (P<0.05) increase in the activity of glucokinase in liver of diabetic mice when compared with that of diabetic control. The study clearly shows that the ethanolic leaf extract of Phyllanthus amarus possesses potent antidiabetic activity.
Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome without Detectable Autoantibodies and Response to Immunotherapy: A Case Series and Discussion of Epileptogenesis in FIRES

Abstract Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is a severe postinfectious epileptic encephalopathy in previously healthy children and has three phases: the initial phase with a simple febrile infection, a few days later the acute phase characterized by a peracute onset of highly recurrent seizures or refractory status epilepticus often with no more fever and generally without additional neurological features (the classical pure seizure phenotype), and last, the chronic phase with a drug-resistant epilepsy and neuropsychological impairments. FIRES seems to be sporadic and very rare: we estimated the annual incidence in children and adolescents by a prospective hospital-based German-wide surveillance as 1 in 1,000,000. Because of the preceding infection and lacking evidence of infectious encephalitis, an immune-mediated pathomechanism and, therefore, a response to immunotherapies may be involved. To test the hypothesis that antibodies against neuronal structures cause FIRES, we analyzed sera of 12 patients aged 2 to 12 years (median 6 years) and cerebral spinal fluids (CSFs) of 3 of these 12 patients with acute or chronic FIRES. We studied six patients (two including CSF) 1 to 14 weeks (median 3 weeks) and six patients 1 to 6 years (median 3.5 years) after seizure onset. All samples were analyzed for antibodies against glutamate receptors of type N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and type α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproprionic acid (AMPA), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)B-receptors, voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC)-associated proteins leucin-rich glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1) and contactin-associated protein like 2 (CASPR2), and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) by a multiparametric recombinant immunofluorescence assay employing human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells transfected with cDNAs for the antigens. In addition, indirect immunohistochemistry using rat whole-brain sections was done in three patients. Finally, sera of 10 patients were tested for VGKC complex antibodies by radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIA). None of the antibody tests were positive in any of the patients. Moreover, steroids, immunoglobulins, and plasmapheresis had no clear effect in the seven patients receiving immunotherapy. The failure of antibody-detection against the known neuronal antigens as well as the ineffectiveness of immunotherapy questions a role for autoantibodies in the epileptogenesis of classical FIRES. As we discuss, other underlying causes need to be considered including the possibility of a mitochondrial encephalopathy.
The Psychopharmacology of Aggressive Behavior: A Translational Approach Part 2 Clinical Studies Using Atypical Antipsychotics, Anticonvulsants, and Lithium

Abstract Patients experiencing mental disorders are at an elevated risk for developing aggressive behavior. In the past 10 years, the psychopharmacological treatment of aggression has changed dramatically owing to the introduction of atypical antipsychotics on the market and the increased use of anticonvulsants and lithium in the treatment of aggressive patients. This review (second of 2 parts) uses a translational medicine approach to examine the neurobiology of aggression, discussing the major neurotransmitter systems implicated in its pathogenesis (serotonin, glutamate, norepinephrine, dopamine, and &ggr;-aminobutyric acid) and the neuropharmacological rationale for using atypical antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and lithium in the therapeutics of aggressive behavior. A critical review of all clinical trials using atypical antipsychotics (aripiprazole, clozapine, loxapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, ziprasidone, and amisulpride), anticonvulsants (topiramate, valproate, lamotrigine, and gabapentin), and lithium are presented. Given the complex, multifaceted nature of aggression, a multifunctional combined therapy, targeting different receptors, seems to be the best strategy for treating aggressive behavior. This therapeutic strategy is supported by translational studies and a few human studies, even if additional randomized, double-blind, clinical trials are needed to confirm the clinical efficacy of this framework.
Violence in daily hospital nursing work

OBJETIVO: Describir la frecuencia de las violencias verbal, fisica y sexual referidas y factores asociados a la violencia verbal en el trabajo de los equipos de enfermeria de hospitales publicos. METODOS: Se trata de um estudio seccional realizado con 1509 trabajadores de tres hospitales publicos del Municipio de Rio de Janeiro - (RJ). Se realizaron analisis bivariados y regresion logistica adoptandose niveles del 5% de significancia. RESULTADOS: Las frecuencias de violencia verbal, fisica y sexual fueron respectivamente 982 (65,1%), 46 (3%) y 87 (5,7%). Despues del analisis multivariado, fueron observadas oportunidades mas elevadas de referir violencia verbal entre as mujeres, los mas jovenes, de escolaridad mas alta, enfermeros, los contratados y bajo apoyo social en el trabajo. CONCLUSION: La violencia verbal es frecuente en el ambiente de trabajo hospitalario asociado a diferentes caracteristicas. La construccion de un ambiente menos hostil para el trabajador de enfermeria se vuelve necesaria.
A Prospective Examination of the Association of Stimulant Medication History and Drug Use Outcomes among Community Samples of ADHD Youths

A continuing debate in the child psychopathology literature is the extent to which pharmacotherapy for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in particular stimulant treatment, confers a risk of subsequent drug abuse. If stimulant treatment for ADHD contributes to drug abuse, then the risk versus therapeutic benefits of such treatment is greatly affected. We have prospectively followed an ADHD sample (N = 149; 81% males) for approximately 15 years, beginning at childhood (ages 8 to 10 years) and continuing until the sample has reached young adulthood (ages 22 to 24 years). The sample was originally recruited via an epidemiologically derived community procedure, and all youths were diagnosed with ADHD during childhood. We report on the association of childhood psychostimulant medication and subsequent substance use disorders and tobacco use. The substance use outcomes were based on data collected at three time points when the sample was in late adolescence and young adulthood (age range approximately 18 to 22 years old). We did not find evidence to support that childhood treatment with stimulant medication, including the course of stimulant medication, was associated with any change in risk for adolescent or young adulthood substance use disorders and tobacco use. These results from a community-based sample extend the growing body of literature based on clinically derived samples indicating that stimulant treatment does not create a significant risk for subsequent substance use disorders.
How to identify randomized controlled trials in MEDLINE: ten years on.

OBJECTIVE The researchers sought to assess whether the widely used 1994 Cochrane Highly Sensitive Search Strategy (HSSS) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in MEDLINE could be improved in terms of sensitivity, precision, or parsimony. METHODS A gold standard of 1,347 RCT records and a comparison group of 2,400 non-trials were randomly selected from MEDLINE. Terms occurring in at least 1% of RCT records were identified. Fifty percent of the RCT and comparison group records were randomly selected, and the ability of the terms to discriminate RCTs from non-trial records was determined using logistic regression. The best performing combinations of terms were tested on the remaining records and in MEDLINE. RESULTS The best discriminating term was "Clinical Trial" (Publication Type). In years where the Cochrane assessment of MEDLINE records had taken place, the strategies identified few additional unindexed records of trials. In years where Cochrane assessment has yet to take place, "Randomized Controlled Trial" (Publication Type) proved highly sensitive and precise. Adding six more search terms identified further, unindexed trials at reasonable levels of precision and with sensitivity almost equal to the Cochrane HSSS. CONCLUSIONS Most reports of RCTs in MEDLINE can now be identified easily using "Randomized Controlled Trial" (Publication Type). More sensitive searches can be achieved by a brief strategy, the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination/Cochrane Highly Sensitive Search Strategy (2005 revision).
Low nuclear proliferative activity is associated with nonmetastatic islet cell tumors.

CONTEXT Traditional morphologic features of tumor aggression are of limited value in predicting the malignant behavior of endocrine neoplasms. We explored the potential value of nuclear proliferative activity (using Ki-67 immunostaining with semiquantitative scoring) in predicting the clinical behavior of pancreatic islet cell tumors (ICTs), and we correlated this characteristic with hormone expression. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether Ki-67 immunostaining using a semiquantitative scoring system has value in predicting the clinical behavior of pancreatic ICTs. DESIGN We studied 39 pancreatic ICTs from 39 patients. Twenty-two ICTs did not metastasize in a median follow-up period of 91 months. The remaining 17 neoplasms did produce metastases (8 in liver, 7 in regional lymph nodes, and 2 in peritoneum). Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies to Ki-67 and pancreatic hormones (insulin, glucagon, gastrin, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and corticotropin). A semiquantitative Ki-67 grading system was followed. The nuclear proliferative activity, as determined by a positive reaction for Ki-67, was considered low (<5% of cells staining positively), intermediate (5%-25% of cells staining positively), or high (>25% of cells staining positively). RESULTS The majority of the nonmetastatic ICTs (16 cases, 73%) demonstrated either negative or low staining for Ki-67 (P <.001). Conversely, all metastatic ICTs expressed at least an intermediate-grade reaction. High nuclear proliferative activity was only seen in metastatic neoplasms (3 cases, 17%). There was no relationship between immunoexpression of pancreatic hormones and nuclear proliferative activity by either group of tumors. CONCLUSION An ICT with low nuclear proliferative activity is unlikely to metastasize, whereas high proliferative activity is associated with a metastatic phenotype. Immunohistochemical assessment of Ki-67 using a semiquantitative scoring system is a simple and reliable detection method of cellular proliferative activity in ICTs of the pancreas.
Stem-ming the Tide: Predicting STEM attrition using student transcript data

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields play growing roles in national and international economies by driving innovation and generating high salary jobs. Yet, the US is lagging behind other highly industrialized nations in terms of STEM education and training. Furthermore, many economic forecasts predict a rising shortage of domestic STEM-trained professions in the US for years to come. One potential solution to this deficit is to decrease the rates at which students leave STEM-related fields in higher education, as currently over half of all students intending to graduate with a STEM degree eventually attrite. However, little quantitative research at scale has looked at causes of STEM attrition, let alone the use of machine learning to examine how well this phenomenon can be predicted. In this paper, we detail our efforts to model and predict dropout from STEM fields using one of the largest known datasets used for research on students at a traditional campus setting. Our results suggest that attrition from STEM fields can be accurately predicted with data that is routinely collected at universities using only information on students' first academic year. We also propose a method to model student STEM intentions for each academic term to better understand the timing of STEM attrition events. We believe these results show great promise in using machine learning to improve STEM retention in traditional and non-traditional campus settings.
A SPECT Study of Sleep Disturbance and Alzheimer’s Disease

Background/Aims: This study aimed to investigate the possible association of regional cerebral perfusion and sleep loss in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: 55 AD patients were characterized as having (SL) or not having (NSL) nocturnal sleep loss based on standard AD scales assessing sleep over the previous 4 weeks. 99mTc-ethylcysteinate dimer SPECT scans were performed in a relaxed, wakeful state. Whole-brain analysis using Statistical Parametrical Mapping (SPM5) was performed to compare perfusion across groups. In addition, the AD groups were compared to normal control (NC) subjects of comparable age and gender to provide a context for interpretation of findings. Results: SPM analysis showed increased perfusion in the right middle frontal gyrus (R-MFG, Brodman area 9, p = 0.016, familywise-error-corrected) in SL versus NSL patients. Comparison with NC subjects confirmed that perfusion in the R-MFG among SL patients did not exceed that found in NCs (relative rather than absolute hyperperfusion). Conclusions: In this sample of mild-to-moderate AD patients, relative hyperperfusion in the R-MFG is associated with reports of SL. This region may play a role in regulating sleep.
Randomized Trial of the Effect of Pharmacist Prescribing on Improving Blood Pressure in the Community: The Alberta Clinical Trial in Optimizing Hypertension (RxACTION)

Background— Hypertension control rates remain suboptimal. Pharmacists’ scope of practice is evolving, and their position in the community may be ideal for improving hypertension care. We aimed to study the impact of pharmacist prescribing on blood pressure (BP) control in community-dwelling patients. Methods and Results— We designed a patient-level, randomized, controlled trial, enrolling adults with above-target BP (as defined by Canadian guidelines) through community pharmacies, hospitals, or primary care teams in 23 communities in Alberta. Intervention group patients received an assessment of BP and cardiovascular risk, education on hypertension, prescribing of antihypertensive medications, laboratory monitoring, and monthly follow-up visits for 6 months (all by their pharmacist). Control group patients received a wallet card for BP recording, written hypertension information, and usual care from their pharmacist and physician. Primary outcome was the change in systolic BP at 6 months. A total of 248 patients (mean age, 64 years; 49% male) were enrolled. Baseline mean±SD systolic/diastolic BP was 150±14/84±11 mm Hg. The intervention group had a mean±SE reduction in systolic BP at 6 months of 18.3±1.2 compared with 11.8±1.9 mm Hg in the control group, an adjusted difference of 6.6±1.9 mm Hg (P=0.0006). The adjusted odds of patients achieving BP targets was 2.32 (95% confidence interval, 1.17–4.15 in favor of the intervention). Conclusions— Pharmacist prescribing for patients with hypertension resulted in a clinically important and statistically significant reduction in BP. Policy makers should consider an expanded role for pharmacists, including prescribing, to address the burden of hypertension. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT00878566.
Clinicopathological features of patients with breast cancer aged 70 years or over.

PURPOSE The risk of breast cancer (BC) increases in parallel with increasing age. Despite the increased disease burden in elderly patients, there is still a great uncertainty regarding "how to manage" BC in aging-population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological features and treatment approaches of patients with BC aged 70 years or over. METHODS The medical records of 4413 patients with BC followed between 1994-2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 4413 patients, 238 with stage I to III disease aged 70 years or over at BC diagnosis were enrolled into this study. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the age as group 1 (70-79 years, N=192) and group 2 (80 or over, N=46). Clinicopathological features of patients including tumor histology, grade, estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) status, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, tumor size, lymph node involvement (LNI), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion (PNI), clinical stage, type of surgery, treatments and comorbid diseases were evaluated. RESULTS The median age was 74 for group 1 (range 70-79) and 82 for group 2 (range 80-92). Excluding tumor size and grade, no statictically significant difference was found between the two groups according to histopathological characteristics. Patients in group 2 had more commonly larger T stage (T4), and less frequently presented with grade I tumor (p=0.014 and p=0.044, respectively). Modified radical mastectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy were more commonly performed in group 1 (p=0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). In contrast, neoadjuvant treatment was more frequently applied in group 2 (p=0.003). There was no difference in disease-free survival (DFS) between the groups (p=0.012), however, median overall survival (OS) was significantly higher in group 1 (p=0.03). CONCLUSION Excluding the tumor grade and tumor size, both groups had similar histopathological features. However, patients aged between 70-79 years were likely to receive more agressive treatments for BC, indicating that treatment choice in patients over the age of 80 years was likely to be based on age-related factors rather than tumor characteristics.
Optoacoustic monitoring of cerebral venous blood oxygenation though intact scalp in large animals

Monitoring (currently invasive) of cerebral venous blood oxygenation is a key to avoiding hypoxia-induced brain injury resulting in death or severe disability. Noninvasive, optoacoustic monitoring of cerebral venous blood oxygenation can potentially replace existing invasive methods. To the best of our knowledge, we report for the first time noninvasive monitoring of cerebral venous blood oxygenation through intact scalp that was validated with invasive, “gold standard” measurements. We performed an in vivo study in the sheep superior sagittal sinus (SSS), a large midline cerebral vein, using our novel, multi-wavelength optoacoustic system. The study results demonstrated that: 1) the optoacoustic signal from the sheep SSS is detectable through the thick, intact scalp and skull; 2) the SSS signal amplitude correlated well with wavelength and actual SSS blood oxygenation measured invasively using SSS catheterization, blood sampling, and measurement with “gold standard” CO-Oximeter; 3) the optoacoustically predicted oxygenation strongly correlated with that measured with the CO-Oximeter. Our results indicate that monitoring of cerebral venous blood oxygenation may be performed in humans noninvasively and accurately through the intact scalp using optoacoustic systems because the sheep scalp and skull thickness is comparable to that of humans whereas the sheep SSS is much smaller than that of humans.