Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Post-cataract surgery diplopia: etiology and treatment].

PURPOSE To know the causes and treatment of diplopia observed after cataract surgery. METHODS We make a descriptive retrospective study on 19 cases with persistent binocular diplopia following cataract surgery. RESULTS They were classified by aetiology in four groups: myotoxic effects in surgery act (47.4%), alteration in binocular vision (amblyopia, previous strabismus or long sensory deprivation) (47.4%), refractive alterations (5.2%) and previous disease. Initially, treatment with prisms, was tolerated on 47.4%; surgery was required on 36.8%, botulinicum toxin on 5.3% and penalty on 10.5% to avoid diplopia. Eventually, 36.8% of patients went on with diplopia, just only one lay equal, disappearing on 63.2% because binocular vision was recovered or suppressed by themselves or by penalty. CONCLUSIONS Diplopia after cataracts surgery, is a serious complication that surgeons must take into account. In spite of the different treatments used, it is not easy to get its disappearance.
Multicenter trial of one HLA-DR-matched or mismatched blood transfusion prior to cadaveric renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND The beneficial effect of blood transfusions before cadaveric renal transplantation on allograft survival, although previously well documented, has become controversial in light of their adverse effects. Recently, it has been suggested that their clinical benefits are due to HLA-DR sharing between the blood donor and recipient. METHODS In this prospective study, 144 naive patients were randomly assigned to receive one unit of blood matched for one-HLA-DR antigen (N = 49), or one unit of mismatched blood (N = 48), or to remain untransfused (N = 47). Graft survival and acute rejection rate were analyzed in 106 cadaveric renal allograft recipients receiving the same immunosuppressive protocol. RESULTS Graft survival was similar in the three groups at one and five years: 91.7 and 80% in untransfused patients, 90.3 and 79.3% in patients transfused with one DR-antigen-matched unit, and 92.3 and 83.7% in patients transfused with HLA-mismatched blood. The difference in the incidence of six-month post-transplant acute rejections was not statistically significant in the three groups: 12 out of 36, 33.3% in nontransfused patients; 6 out of 31, 19.4% in patients transfused with one DR-matched blood; and 13 out of 39, 33.3% in patients transfused with mismatched blood. CONCLUSION The results of our prospective randomized trial showed that in a population of naive patients, one transfusion mismatched or matched for one HLA-DR antigen given prior to renal transplantation had no significant effect on the incidence and severity of acute rejection, and did not influence overall long-term graft outcome. Considering the potentially deleterious adverse effects of blood transfusions, the costs, and the considerable logistical efforts required to select and type blood donors, such a procedure cannot be recommended in a routine practice for patients awaiting cadaveric kidney transplantation.
Implication de la niche écologique et des indices environnementaux liés à la localisation de la ressource dans le succès invasif du ravageur Drosophila suzukii : des pistes pour le développement du piégeage massif

Ces dernieres annees ont vu le developpement du commerce international entrainant une acceleration des mouvements intercontinentaux d'especes. Ces multiples introductions sont a l'origine de nombreux cas d'invasion, ou les especes s'etablissent et se dispersent. Dans le nouvel environnement, etudier les facteurs lies a la niche ecologique permet de comprendre comment se deroule l'etablissement des especes introduites au sein de la communaute d'especes residentes. L'hypothese de la niche vide, qui predit que l'invasion est possible car un espace vide existe au sein des niches ecologiques de la communaute residente, est un des facteurs facilitants de nombreux cas d'invasion. Par ailleurs, la strategie d'exploitation de la ressource par l'espece invasive au sein de la niche ecologique peut aussi expliquer la propension d'une espece a envahir ou non le nouvel environnement. L'objectif de cette these est d'explorer l'importance de ces hypotheses dans le succes invasif, au travers de l'exemple de Drosophila suzukii. Introduite en 2008 en Europe et aux Etats-Unis, cette espece a envahi chacun des continents en moins de 7 ans. Elle est la seule espece europeenne de drosophiles capable de pondre a l'interieur de fruits sains omnipresents, au sein d'une niche ecologique vide de tout competiteur. Elle est a l'origine de gros problemes pour la culture de fruits cultives et se retrouve etre l'un des ravageurs majeurs en production de fruits rouges. Mieux comprendre son invasion, sa niche ecologique et sa strategie de selection d'habitat permet de mieux lutter contre l'insecte, notamment par des methodes permettant de perturber la localisation des fruits dans l'environnement. Cet aspect applique est aussi un objectif important de cette these CIFRE, financee pour optimiser la lutte par piegeage massif
An Efficient Method of Parameter and Quantile Estimation for the Three-Parameter Weibull Distribution Based on Statistics Invariant to Unknown Location Parameter

The three-parameter Weibull distribution is widely used in life testing and reliability analysis. In this article, we propose an efficient method for the estimation of parameters and quantiles of the three-parameter Weibull distribution, which avoids the problem of unbounded likelihood, by using statistics invariant to unknown location. Through a Monte Carlo simulation study, we show that the proposed method performs well compared to other prominent methods based on bias and MSE. Finally, we present two illustrative examples.
Increased survival, limb preservation, and prognostic factors for osteosarcoma

Preoperative intraarterial (IA) cisplatin (CDP) was administered to 92 patients with nonmetastatic osteosarcoma. The ages of the patients ranged from 4 to 28 years. Sixty‐four patients (70%) received 2 or 3 preoperative courses and 28 (30%) received 4 or more. Sixty‐two specimens were available for pathologic examination to assess the degree of tumor necrosis. More than 90% tumor destruction was observed in 16 of 42 patients (38%) who received 1 to 3 preoperative courses as opposed to 17 of 20 (85%) who received 4 or more courses. Patients who received 4 or more courses had a 2‐fold probability of achieving more than 90% tumor necrosis, and 68% underwent conservative surgery. Of those who received 3 or less courses, 23% underwent conservative surgery. Postoperatively, patients were treated with intravenous (IV) CDP alternating with doxorubicin (ADR) (Adriamycin, Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH). Pulmonary metastases developed in 36 patients, bone metastases in 2, and local recurrence in 6. Two patients died of cardiac failure without evidence of disease. Thus, 46 patients (50%) were continuously free of disease 18 to 78 months after diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that male sex, low grade preoperative chemotherapy‐induced necrosis, and nonosteoblastic histologic condition were prognostic factors predictive of recurrence, while male sex and large tumor size were prognostic factors predictive of death. These results are comparable with those reported by other centers and are superior to our previous experiences that yielded survival rates of 5% to 10%. A substantial number of patients also had the opportunity to achieve tumor removal with conservative surgery.
Perceived control, academic performance and well-being of Ghanaian college students with disability

Background Empirical evidence abounds showing the impact of perceived control on subjective well-being in several spheres of functioning, including academic performance. At tertiary institutions, such as the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, little is known about the needs of students with disabilities, as very few persons with disabilities attend institutions of higher learning. Objectives This study examined the relationship between perceptions of control and the academic and subjective well-being of students with disabilities. Method A total of 69 students with disabilities participated in this cross-sectional descriptive study. Using trusted control and subjective well-being scales, data were subject to descriptive analyses. Results Consistent with previous works, perceived control increased with increased subjective well-being, moderated by gender. In addition, forms of secondary control appeared to aid primary control in the tenacious pursuit of goals. However, neither perceived control nor self-esteem was predictive of academic performance. Conclusion Limitations of sample size notwithstanding, the findings of the study can be considered provocative. Implications for clinical utility in facilitating context-specific interventions for this marginalised group are discussed. Replication with a larger sample size in other tertiary institutions is suggested for future work.
M protein‐mediated plasminogen binding is essential for the virulence of an invasive Streptococcus pyogenes isolate

The human protease plasmin plays a crucial role in the capacity of the group A streptococcus (GAS; Streptococus pyogenes) to initiate invasive disease. The GAS strain NS88.2 was isolated from a case of bacteremia from the Northern Territory of Australia, a region with high rates of GAS invasive disease. Mutagenesis of the NS88.2 plasminogen binding M protein Prp was undertaken to examine the contribution of plasminogen binding and cell surface plasmin acquisition to virulence. The isogenic mutant NS88.2prp was engineered whereby four amino acid residues critical for plasminogen binding were converted to alanine codons in the GAS genome sequence. The mutated residues were reverse complemented to the wild‐type sequence to construct GAS strain NS88.2prpRC. In comparison to NS88.2 and NS88.2prpRC, the NS88.2prp mutant exhibited significantly reduced ability to bind human plasminogen and accumulate cell surface plasmin activity during growth in human plasma. Utilizing a humanized plasminogen mouse model of invasive infection, we demonstrate that the capacity to bind plasminogen and accumulate surface plasmin activity plays an essential role in GAS virulence. —Sanderson‐Smith, M. L. , Dinkla, K. , Cole, J. N. , Cork, A. J., Maamary, P. G. , McArthur, J. D. , Chhatwal, G. S. , Walker, M. J. M protein‐mediated plasminogen binding is essential for the virulence of an invasive Streptococcus pyogenes isolate. FASEB J. 22, 2715–2722 (2008)
Implementing Evidence-Based Substance Use Prevention Curricula with Fidelity: The Role of Teacher Training

It is widely recognized that teacher training affects the fidelity with which evidence-based substance use prevention curricula are implemented. We present the results of a 2005 survey of teachers from a nationally representative sample of 1721 public middle schools in the U.S. (78.1% response rate). We measured fidelity along two dimensions (adherence and dose) and also assessed the number of hours, recency, and perceived effectiveness of teachers' training, as well as the degree to which adherence was emphasized during training. Among teachers using evidence-based curricula, 35.3% reported following their curriculum guide very closely. The average proportion of lessons taught was 64.9%, and only 30.2% of teachers taught all the lessons in their curriculum. Analyses revealed that teachers whose training emphasized adherence were 5 times as likely to be more adherent. We present recommendations for training-related factors that may increase fidelity of implementation.
Homocysteine and lipid levels in young patients with coronary artery disease.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Indians are more prone to premature coronary artery disease (CAD). The importance of homocysteine as a risk factor for CAD in Indian patients needs to be recognized. The aim of this study was to note the independent association of this novel risk factor with traditional ones in young CAD patients. METHODOLOGY This study included 51 patients, < 45 years of age, with proven CAD. They were further divided into two subgroups based on their lipid profile. Group A (n = 30) hyperlipidemic CAD patients and Group B (n = 21) normolipidemic CAD patients. They were compared with 15 age and sex matched healthy controls. Plasma homocysteine was assayed using high pressure liquid chromatography, fasting lipid profile and other risk factors were compared. RESULTS The mean level of homocysteine in patient group was 27.8 +/- 13.11 nmol/ml. In subgroup A it was 28.86 +/- 13.02 while in subgroup B it was 26.46 +/- 13.44. In the patient group (n = 51), 37 (72.55%) had homocysteine levels greater than 18 nmol/ml. In the control group mean homocysteine was 13.22 nmol/ml +/- 7.36 and only 4 (26.77%) had homocysteine levels greater than the cut-off. CONCLUSIONS Thus in spite of some baseline variations, plasma homocysteine emerged as a significant (p = 0.0009, OR 6.05) independent risk factor for young CAD patients and was not altered by the baseline lipid profile of the patient. Therefore it should be evaluated in all young patients of CAD in the absence of traditional risk factors.
Background radiation, electrical work, and some other exposures associated with acute myeloid leukemia in a case-referent study.

The effect of potential risk factors for acute myeloid leukemia was evaluated in a case-referent study encompassing 59 cases and 354 referents, all of whom were alive. Information on exposure was obtained through a questionnaire mailed to the subjects. The possible effect of background radiation was evaluated by means of a gamma radiation index, which accounted for the differences between cases and referents in this respect, i.e., in time spent in concrete buildings both at home and at work places. In the 20-54 yr old age group, there was an association between leukemia morbidity and index of background radiation. X-ray treatment and electrical work were also associated with increased rate ratios. With regard to solvents, only styrene appeared as a risk factor, but the number of exposed subjects was small. Other exposures were less clearly associated with increased risks.
Vascular Markers CD31, CD34, Actin, VEGFB, and VEGFR2, are Prognostic Markers for Malignant Development in Benign Endometrial Polyps

Intention of the study: The prevalence of endometrial polyps has been demonstrated in between 10% and 35% of all women, but knowledge regarding malignant potential within polyps is limited. Even though premalignant and malignant changes have been reported in up to 24% of all cases, no objective tissue markers have ever been developed for routine diagnostics to select high risk cases. As vascular changes and activation of endometrial angiogenesis has been demonstrated in former studies, our main objective was to evaluate different members of the angiogenic pathway as potential risk factors for cancer development. Patients and methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 15 women with benign endometrial polyps, and 16 women diagnosed with endometrial cancer were included. Immunohistochemical investigation with antibodies against VEGF, VEGF-B, VEGFR2, VEGFR3, CD31, CD34, actin, and factorVIII was performed, followed by evaluation of staining intensity of microvessels, evaluation of H-score in glands (cell membrane, cytoplasm) and stroma, and measurement of micro vessel density. Results: Expression of CD31 in microvessels was significantly stronger in cancers compared to endometrial polyps (P = 0.006 for arterioles, P = 0.038, for venyles, and P = 0.002 for capillaries, respectively), whereas, a reverse change was shown for CD34. Expression of actin in capillary walls was also significantly increased in cancers compared to polyps (P = 0.002). No significant difference was found for staining intensity in microvessels (arterioles, venyles or capillaries) in endometrial benign polyps compared with endometrial cancers for VEGF, VEGFB, VEGFR2, VEGFR3, or Factor VIII. Also no difference in H-score values between benign polyps and endometrial cancers could be detected in glandular epithelium, in epithelial cell membrane or in stroma for VEGFR3, CD31 or Factor VIII. Conclusions: The present study strongly indicates that activation of angiogenesis differs in benign endometrial polyps and endometrial cancers. Thus, immunohistochemical expression of specific angiogenic markers may be of great importance as prognostic factors in the routine diagnostics of this lesion. The ratio between stromal expression of CD34 and actin might be of particular interest to select polyps with increased malignant potential.
AUTOGENIC DEVELOPMENT OF PHLEBOTOMUS PAPATASI (SCOPOLI) FROM EGYPT.

The early literature on Phlebotomus sandflies contains several references to the necessity of a blood meal for ovarian development and oviposition. Smith (1925) and Christophers et al (1926) working with P. argentipes, Adler & Theodor (1935) working with P. perniciosus, and Ashner (1927), Theodor (1934) and Unsworth & Gordon (1946) rearing P. papatasi, all observed egglaying only after prior ingestion of blood. Autogeny in sandflies was first reported by Dolmatova (1946). She found that P. papatasi from eastern Georgia, U.S.S.R. , possessed the autogenic trait, but that specimens of the same species from Tadijikistan did not. Subsequently, Hertig et al (1960) and Johnson (1961) demonstrated autogenic development of Panamanian P. gomezi, P. panamensis and P. sanguinarius .
Education and the Intergenerational Transmission of Advantage in the US

This paper examines mobility of income and occupational status for men and women using the GSS and the NLS surveys. The intergenerational reproduction of occupational status is stronger for men than women; it is largely mediated by educational attainment, and appears not to have changed over time. The intergenerational income association is much stronger than occupational status, equally strong across genders, and education plays a weaker mediating role. This suggests that mechanisms other than educational and occupational resources play an important role in intergenerational reproduction of advantage. The intergenerational reproduction declines among college graduates but reemerges among advanced degree holders, questioning the meritocratic character of labor markets for skilled workers. Quantile regression analysis of income mobility suggest a “fanning in” pattern of intergenerational association with stronger persistence at the top than at the bottom -- children of wealthy parents are more homogeneously wealthy than children of poor parents are homogeneously poor.
Parental Risk Attitudes and Children's Academic Test Scores: Evidence from the US Panel Study of Income Dynamics

Using a sequence of questions from the 1996 US Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), we explore the implications of interpersonal differences in parent's attitudes towards risk for the academic test scores of their children focusing on information drawn from the 1997 Child Development Supplement of the PSID. In addition, we explore whether parental risk preference influences whether the child subsequently attends college. Our findings suggest that a parent's degree of risk aversion is inversely related to the academic test scores of their children as well as being inversely related to the probability of attending college post high school.
Does Supervision by a Lifeguard Make a Difference in Rule Violations? Effects of Lifeguards' Scanning

Systematic observations were made of five lifeguards at indoor public swimming pools. Scanning by lifeguards was associated with lower incidences of rule violations by swimmers. Greater numbers of lifeguards patrolling the pool areas tended to reduce violations. Rules violations tended to be fewer when adult-to-child ratios were low, suggesting that monitoring by a parent or an adult may encourage rule compliance.
MicroRNA-155 Promotes Myocardial Infarction-Induced Apoptosis by Targeting RNA-Binding Protein QKI

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the leading cause of sudden death worldwide. MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) has been reported to target antiapoptotic genes in various diseases models, but the functional role of miR-155 in response to MI injury needs further investigations. This study investigated the role of miR-155 in myocardial ischemia injury. TUNEL and flow cytometry were performed to measure cell apoptosis. Western blot analysis was employed to detect protein expressions of Bcl-2, XIAP, Bax, and caspase-3. qRT-PCR was used to quantify miRNA levels. We showed that miR-155 was dynamically elevated in murine hearts subjected to MI and in neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocyte (NRVM) injury induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In response to H2O2, the silencing of miR-155 using AMO-155 (antisense inhibitor oligodeoxyribonucleotides) significantly increased cell viability and reduced cell apoptosis. Moreover, AMO-155 reversed the H2O2-induced downregulation of Bcl-2 and XIAP and upregulation of Bax and cleaved-caspase-3. Further study revealed that AMO-155 resulted in a decrease of H2O2-induced JC-1-labelled monomeric cell number. In addition, AMO-155 markedly decreased infarct size, ameliorated impaired cardiac function, and significantly reduced apoptotic cell percentages in MI mice heart. The RNA-binding protein Quaking (QKI) was predicted as a target gene of miR-155 through bioinformatic analysis, and AMO-155 attenuated the downregulation of QKI in H2O2-treated cardiomyocytes and MI mice heart. Knockdown of QKI by siRNA abolished the antiapoptotic effects of AMO-155. Taken together, miR-155 is upregulated in the MI heart and NRVMs in response to H2O2 stress, and downregulating of miR-155 protects cardiomyocytes against apoptosis. Mechanistically, it is probably due to the repression of QKI signaling pathway.
High connectivity among habitats precludes the relationship between dispersal and range size in tropical reef fishes

Th e hypothesis that pelagic larval duration (PLD) infl uences range size in marine species with a benthic adult stage and a pelagic larval period is intuitively attractive; yet, studies conducted to date have failed to support it. A possibility for the lack of a relationship between PLD and range size may stem from the failure of past studies to account for the eff ect of species evolutionary ages, which may add to the dispersal capabilities of species. However, if dispersal over ecological (i.e. PLD) and across evolutionary (i.e. species evolutionary age) time scales continues to show no eff ect on range size then an outstanding question is why? Here we collected data on PLD, evolutionary ages and range sizes of seven tropical fi sh families (fi ve families were reef-associated and two have dwell demersal habitats) to explore the independent and interactive eff ects of PLD and evolutionary age on range size. Separate analyses on each family showed that even after controlling for evolutionary age, PLD has an insignifi cant or a very small eff ect on range size. To shed light on why dispersal has such a limited eff ect on range size, we developed a global ocean circulation model to quantify the connectivity among tropical reefs relative to the potential dispersal conferred by PLD. We found that although there are several areas of great isolation in the tropical oceans, most reef habitats are within the reach of most species given their PLDs. Th ese results suggest that the lack of habitat isolation can potentially render the constraining eff ect of dispersal on range size insignifi cant and explain why dispersal does not relate to range size in reef fi shes.