Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among US adults with self-reported osteoarthritis: data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among US adults with osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS Using survey data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we estimated the prevalence of selected CVD risk factors among a US OA and nonarthritic adult population. In additional analyses, we stratified the sample by gender and age (35-44, 45-64, and 65+ years) to further understand the CVD risk profile in an arthritic population and nonarthritic population. Relevant data on each survey participant's demographics, arthritis status, CVD risk factors, and sampling weights were obtained from the survey database. RESULTS Of the 115.9 million US adults aged > or = 35 years, 24.3 million (21%) have OA. Hypertension is prevalent in approximately 40% of OA patients; 20% of the patients smoke and 11% have diabetes. Prevalence of high total cholesterol is estimated to be 32%, while prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is estimated at 13%. Approximately 37% of OA patients are estimated to have renal impairment, but less than 1% suffer from renal failure. CONCLUSION National survey data suggest that, on average, US adults with OA have a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. These findings highlight the need to consider patients' comorbidites when selecting the appropriate treatment options.
Self-Reported Adherence in Patients with Asthma

Background: Not all patients with asthma adhere to their prescribed drug regimens. The Behavioral Model of Health Services Utilization, organized as predisposing, enabling, and need variables, may be useful in identifying variables related to adherent medication-taking behavior. Objective: To examine the relationship between predisposing, enabling, and need variables and self-reported adherence with asthma controller drugs. Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted from a cross-sectional study using survey and claims data obtained from adults with asthma enrolled in a managed care organization. Independent variables included predisposing (age, gender, race, years with asthma, number of comorbidities, health beliefs), enabling (income, number of metered-dose inhaler [MDI] instructors, inhaler technique, perceived physician access), and need (patient-perceived severity, symptom-derived severity, health-related quality of life). Adherence was measured using a 4 item questionnaire scored as the mean of the responses, with 5 denoting highest adherence. Multivariate regression analysis was used to identify variables with statistically significant relationships to self-reported adherence. Stepwise backward elimination was used, with the final model consisting of variables considered significant at p less than 0.05. Results: The 573 respondents (1270 packets sent; 45% response rate) were primarily white (89.5%) and female (71.0%), with an average age of 40.5 ± 12.4 years (mean ± SD) and average asthma duration of 18.3 ± 14.2 years. The mean adherence scale score was 3.7 ± 1.1, with 84.6% indicating some level of nonadherence (score < 5). The final model had an adjusted R2 of 0.26 and Included 6 independent variables. Better adherence was associated with stronger beliefs in the benefits of treatment and trigger avoidance, greater perceived asthma severity, longer asthma duration, more MDI Instructors, and higher scores on the Short-Form 36 mental component summary. Conclusions: Complex beliefs, perceptions, and experiences constitute the variables associated with adherent medication-taking behavior. Future longitudinal studies should include these variables to determine the predictive strength of the model.
Preliminary evaluation of field testing on Eco-Approach and Departure (EAD) application for actuated signals

Prior studies have shown that tangible environmental benefits can be gained by communicating the driver with the signal phase and timing (SPaT) information of the upcoming traffic signal with fixed time control. However, similar applications to actuated signals pose a significant challenge due to their randomness to some extent caused by vehicle actuation. Based on the framework previously developed by the authors, a preliminary real-world testing has been conducted to evaluate the system performance in terms of energy savings and emissions reduction. Four scenarios that covers most of traffic and signal conditions are evaluated. For each scenario, we vary the entry time and speed to thoroughly investigate the performance of the developed Eco-Approach and Departure (EAD) system. It turns out that the EAD system saves 5%-10% energy for high entry speed, and 7%-26% energy for low entry speed. That results is compatible with the simulation results and validate the previously developed EAD framework.
Ectonucleotidase NTPDase 3 is abundant in pancreatic β cells and regulates 1 glucose induced insulin secretion

Ectonucleotidase NTPDase3 is abundant in pancreatic β cells and regulates 1 glucose induced insulin secretion 2 Abbreviated title: NTPDase3 and insulin secretion 3 Samreen K. Syed, Audra L. Kauffman, Lisa S. Beavers, James T. Alston, Thomas B. Farb, James 4 Ficorilli, Marialuisa C. Marcelo, Martin B. Brenner, Krister Bokvist, David G. Barrett and 5 Alexander M. Efanov 6 7 Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, 355 E. Merrill St., 8 Indianapolis, IN 46285, USA 9 10 Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: Dr. Alexander M. Efanov, Lilly Research 11 Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana 46285, USA, tel: 317-651-9641, fax: 12 317-433-2815, e-mail: efanov_alexander@lilly.com. 13 14 15 AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS 16 A.M. E. conceived and designed the research; S.K. S. , A.L. K. , L.S. B. , J.T. A. , T.B. F. , J.F. and M.C. M. 17 performed the experiments; M.B. M. , K.B. , D.G. B. and A.M.E. analyzed the data and interpreted 18 the results of the experiments; A.M.E. and D.G. B. drafted the manuscript; S.K. S. , A.L. K, and K.B. 19 edited and revised the manuscript 20 21 DISCLOSURES 22 All authors are employed by Eli Lilly and Company. 23 24
Pharmacodynamic effects of cinacalcet after kidney transplantation: once- versus twice-daily dose.

BACKGROUND In the setting of kidney transplantation, cinacalcet has been given, mainly, once daily, but also twice daily. The aims of this prospective study were to assess the acute pharmacodynamic effect of cinacalcet administrated once or twice daily to kidney transplant patients with normal renal function and persisting hypercalcaemia due to hyperparathyroidism and to evaluate 1-year efficacy and tolerance of cinacalcet given at a dose of 30 mg b.i. d. METHODS Eleven patients, who received a transplant 6 (6-59) months previously, were included in the study. A first kinetic was done after administration of 60 mg of cinacalcet at 8 a.m. After a washout period of 1 week, the second kinetic was performed with cinacalcet given at 30 mg b.i. d within a 12-h period. RESULTS During both kinetics, serum calcium (sCa), ionized calcium (sCa(2+)), albumin-corrected Ca and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels decreased significantly. At 24 h after the second kinetic, sCa(2+) was significantly lower. After 1 year of cinacalcet treatment, given at the dose of 30 mg b.i. d. , there was a significant decrease in sCa, sCa(2+), PTH levels and calcium x phosphorus (Ph) product. In contrast, Ph levels increased significantly. There was no significant change in renal function. CONCLUSION Once- or twice-daily acute administration of cinacalcet to kidney-transplant patients has similar efficacy. One-year administration of cinacalcet, given as two daily doses, is safe and efficient.
Impaired coronary flow reserve evaluated by echocardiography is associated with increased aortic stiffness in patients with metabolic syndrome: an observational study.

OBJECTIVE Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events and coronary flow reserve (CFR), an indicator of microvascular function, has been found to be impaired in MetS. Aortic stiffness (AS) is a simple and effective method for assessing arterial elasticity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is an independent association of impaired coronary flow and aortic elasticity in patients with MetS. METHODS Forty-six patients (mean age 47.3 ± 6.6 years) with the diagnosis of MetS according to the ATP III update criteria and 44 age and gender matched controls (mean age 46.0 ± 6.1 years) were included into the cross-sectional observational study. Peak diastolic coronary flow velocities were measured in left anterior descending artery by pulsed wave Doppler at baseline and after adenosine infusion, and CFR was calculated as the ratio of hyperemic to baseline velocities. Aortic strain, distensibility and stiffness were calculated by M-mode echocardiography. Statistical analysis was performed by using Student t-test, Chi-square test, Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses. RESULTS CFR was significantly lower in patients with MetS than in controls (2.3 ± 0.2 vs 2.7 ± 0.2, p<0.001). In the MetS group, aortic distensibility (10.4 ± 3.5 cm².dyn⁻¹.10⁻⁶ vs. 12.7 ± 3.4 cm2.dyn⁻¹.10⁻⁶, p=0.002) was decreased and AS was significantly increased (6.5 ± 2.0 vs. 3.2 ± 0.8, p<0.001). In multivariate linear regression analysis, AS (β=-0.217, p=0.047), systolic blood pressure (β=-0.215, p=0.050) and waist circumference (β=-0.272, p=0.012) had an independent relationship with impaired CFR. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that coronary flow reserve is impaired in patients with MetS and there is an independent relationship between impaired CFR and increased aortic stiffness, systolic blood pressure or waist circumference.
Effect of Cadmium Pollution of Atmospheric Origin on Field-Grown Maize in Two Consecutive Years with Diverse Weather Conditions

The aim of the study was to analyse the effect of atmospheric cadmium (Cd) pollution of atmospheric origin in maize compared to a control without Cd pollution. The plant parameters investigated were the timing of phenological phases, leaf area index (LAI) and yield, while radiation and water regime parameters were represented by albedo (reflection grade) and evapotranspiration, respectively. In treatments with and without irrigation, Cd caused a significant reduction in LAI, accompanied by lower evapotranspiration. The mean annual albedo in the Cd-polluted treatment only rose to a moderate extent in 2011 (in 2010 there was hardly any change), but changes within the year were more pronounced in certain phases of development. Cd led to greater reflection of radiation by plants during the vegetative phase, so the radiation absorption of the canopy was reduced leading to a lower level of evapotranspiration. In the dry, hot year of 2011 maize plants in the non-irrigated treatments showed a substantial reduction in grain dry matter, but maize yield losses could be reduced by irrigation in areas exposed to Cd pollution.
Genetic determinants of adult hippocampal neurogenesis correlate with acquisition, but not probe trial performance, in the water maze task

A number of reports have indicated that adult neurogenesis might be involved in hippocampal function. While increases in adult neurogenesis are paralleled by improvements on learning tasks and learning itself can promote the survival of newly generated neurons in the hippocampus, a causal link between learning processes and adult hippocampal neurogenesis is difficult to prove. Here, we addressed the related question of whether the baseline level of adult neurogenesis is predictive of performance on the water maze task as a test of hippocampal function. We used ten strains of recombinant inbred mice, based on C57BL/6, which are good learners and show high baseline levels of neurogenesis, and DBA/2, which are known to be poor learners and which exhibit low levels of adult neurogenesis. Two of these strains, BXD‐2 and BXD‐8, showed a 26‐fold difference in the number of newly generated neurons per hippocampus. Over all strains, including the parental strains, there was a significant correlation between the number of new neurons generated in the dentate gyrus and parameters describing the acquisition of the water maze task (slope of the learning curves). Similar results were seen when the parental strains were not included in the analysis. There was no correlation between adult hippocampal neurogenesis and probe trial performance, performance on the rotarod, overall locomotor activity, and baseline serum corticosterone levels. This result supports the hypothesis that adult neurogenesis is involved in specific aspects of hippocampal function, particularly the acquisition of new information.
Outbreaks of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in Two Hospitals Initiated by a Single Patient in Daejeon, South Korea

Background A Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak in South Korea in 2015 started by a single imported case and was amplified by intra- and inter-hospital transmission. We describe two hospital outbreaks of MERS-CoV infection in Daejeon caused by a single patient who was infected by the first Korean case of MERS. Materials and Methods Demographic and clinical information involving MERS cases in the Daejeon cluster were retrospectively collected and potential contacts and exposures were assessed. The incubation periods and serial intervals were estimated. Viral RNAs were extracted from respiratory tract samples obtained from the index case, four secondary cases and one tertiary case from each hospital. The partial S2 domain of the MERS-CoV spike was sequenced. Results In Daejeon, a MERS patient (the index case) was hospitalized at Hospital A in the first week of illness and was transferred to Hospital B because of pneumonia progression in the second week of illness, where he received a bronchoscopic examination and nebulizer therapy. A total of 23 secondary cases (10 in Hospital A and 13 in Hospital B) were detected among patients and caregivers who stayed on the same ward with the index case. There were no secondary cases among healthcare workers. Among close hospital contacts, the secondary attack rate was 15.8% (12/76) in Hospital A and 14.3% (10/70) in Hospital B. However, considering the exposure duration, the incidence rate was higher in Hospital B (7.7/100 exposure-days) than Hospital A (3.4/100 exposure-days). In Hospital B, the median incubation period was shorter (4.6 days vs. 10.8 days), the median time to pneumonia development was faster (3 days vs. 6 days) and mortality was higher (70% vs. 30.8%) than in Hospital A. MERS-CoV isolates from 11 cases formed a single monophyletic clade, with the closest similarity to strains from Riyadh. Conclusion Exposure to the MERS case in the late stage (2nd week) of diseases appeared to increase the risk of transmission and was associated with shorter incubation periods and rapid disease progression among those infected. Early detection and isolation of cases is critical in preventing the spread of MERS in the hospital and decreasing the disease severity among those infected.
Adjunct Screening With Tomosynthesis or Ultrasound in Women With Mammography-Negative Dense Breasts: Interim Report of a Prospective Comparative Trial.

PURPOSE Debate on adjunct screening in women with dense breasts has followed legislation requiring that women be informed about their mammographic density and related adjunct imaging. Ultrasound or tomosynthesis can detect breast cancer (BC) in mammography-negative dense breasts, but these modalities have not been directly compared in prospective trials. We conducted a trial of adjunct screening to compare, within the same participants, incremental BC detection by tomosynthesis and ultrasound in mammography-negative dense breasts. PATIENTS AND METHODS Adjunct Screening With Tomosynthesis or Ultrasound in Women With Mammography-Negative Dense Breasts is a prospective multicenter study recruiting asymptomatic women with mammography-negative screens and dense breasts. Eligible women had tomosynthesis and physician-performed ultrasound with independent interpretation of adjunct imaging. Outcome measures included cancer detection rate (CDR), number of false-positive (FP) recalls, and incremental CDR for each modality; these were compared using McNemar's test for paired binary data in a preplanned interim analysis. RESULTS Among 3,231 mammography-negative screening participants (median age, 51 years; interquartile range, 44 to 78 years) with dense breasts, 24 additional BCs were detected (23 invasive): 13 tomosynthesis-detected BCs (incremental CDR, 4.0 per 1,000 screens; 95% CI, 1.8 to 6.2) versus 23 ultrasound-detected BCs (incremental CDR, 7.1 per 1,000 screens; 95% CI, 4.2 to 10.0), P = . 006. Incremental FP recall occurred in 107 participants (3.33%; 95% CI, 2.72% to 3.96%). FP recall (any testing) did not differ between tomosynthesis (FP = 53) and ultrasound (FP = 65), P = . 26; FP recall (biopsy) also did not differ between tomosynthesis (FP = 22) and ultrasound (FP = 24), P = . 86. CONCLUSION The Adjunct Screening With Tomosynthesis or Ultrasound in Women With Mammography-Negative Dense Breasts' interim analysis shows that ultrasound has better incremental BC detection than tomosynthesis in mammography-negative dense breasts at a similar FP-recall rate. However, future application of adjunct screening should consider that tomosynthesis detected more than 50% of the additional BCs in these women and could potentially be the primary screening modality.
A gene between polA and glnA retards growth of Escherichia coli when present in multiple copies: physiological effects of the gene for spot 42 RNA

We have isolated the single gene for spot 42 RNA of Escherichia coli on a 20-kilobase DNA fragment. Physical characterization of this cloned DNA fragment showed that it is homologous to a region at 86 min on the genetic map and extends from the 23S to 5S rRNA coding region of rrnA to the coding region of glnA, the gene for glutamine synthetase. Other genes included on this cloned DNA fragment are polA, ntrC (glnG), and ntrB (glnL). E coli cells transformed with a multicopy plasmid clone of the gene for spot 42 RNA had about a 10-fold increase in the amount of spot 42 RNA they contained. The amount of 6S RNA in these cells was increased about twofold, although the gene for 6S RNA was not located on this plasmid or on the larger 20-kilobase fragment. Presence of this multicopy plasmid also affected the growth of cells. The generation time was increased under a variety of growth conditions, especially when cells were grown in medium with succinate as the carbon source. In addition, some strains of E. coli which have multicopy plasmids carrying the gene for spot 42 RNA were unable to respond normally to a shift into richer medium: upon upshift from minimal glucose to LB broth or minimal glucose plus 1% Casamino Acids, there was a 3- to 4-h lag before the culture adapted to the new medium. More than 90% of the cells in such cultures stopped dividing, although they remained viable. The plating efficiency of minimal-glucose-grown cells was 100-fold less on rich media than on minimal glucose medium. One revertant was isolated which regained the phenotype of pBR322-transformed cells. Analysis of this strain showed that the plasmid it contained had an insertion of an IS1 element into the 5' end of the coding region for the gene for spot 42 RNA.
An integration of parents' and best friends' smoking, smoking-specific cognitions, and nicotine dependence in relation to readiness to quit smoking: a comparison between adolescents with and without asthma.

OBJECTIVE To study the impact of parents' and best friends' smoking, nicotine dependence, and craving on smoking-specific cognitions, and readiness to quit in adolescents with and without asthma. METHODS Structural equation analyses were applied to data from a sample of 1,120 daily smoking adolescents, 83 of whom had asthma. RESULTS Adolescents with asthma felt more ready to quit, and cognitions were more strongly related to readiness to quit among adolescents with asthma than among adolescents without asthma. Moreover, best friends' smoking seemed more relevant to the cognitions of adolescents with asthma. Nicotine dependence and craving were strongly related to cognitions, and to readiness to quit in both groups. The relation between craving and readiness to quit, however, was stronger among participants with asthma. CONCLUSIONS Reduction of nicotine dependence and craving is essential for both groups. Youth with asthma may benefit even more from cognitive-based cessation services than healthy youth. The finding that adolescents with asthma are relatively more ready to quit, and that their cognitions are more easily affected can be turned into advantages in asthma-specific cessation services.
Causes of failure in removing calcium in microcalcification-only lesions using 11-gauge stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to determine the causes and rate of failure in removing calcification in microcalcification-only lesions using 11-gauge stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS In total, 1365 microcalcification-only lesions were included in this study. The breast biopsy database was reviewed retrospectively. The biopsies were divided into two groups based on whether the specimen X-ray showed calcium within the cores. Breast composition, lesion size, calcification distribution, density on mammography, and the number of specimens were compared between the two groups. RESULTS In 11 (0.8%) biopsies, no calcium in the specimen radiography could be identified. Re-biopsy was performed in five cases. The initial biopsy result was unchanged at the second biopsy in three cases containing calcium, while in the other two cases, a benign biopsy result was upgraded to atypical ductal hyperplasia and ductal carcinoma in situ, respectively. In six cases, the biopsy was not repeated despite the absence of calcium in the specimen X-ray. In three of these cases, calcifications were reported histopathologically and deemed to be too small to be identified on specimen X-ray. In two of six patients, sufficient information was found in the cores without microcalcification to indicate the need for surgery. One patient refused re-biopsy. A statistically significant higher failure rate was observed in low-density calcification compared with intermediate or high-density calcification on mammography. CONCLUSION The failure to retrieve microcalcification is uncommon when an 11-gauge vacuum-assisted breast biopsy is used. Low-density calcifications have a higher rate of failure. In cases in which no calcium is observed in specimen radiography, repeated biopsy is recommended.