Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of bisoprolol on perioperative mortality and myocardial infarction in high-risk patients undergoing vascular surgery. Dutch Echocardiographic Cardiac Risk Evaluation Applying Stress Echocardiography Study Group.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular complications are the most important causes of perioperative morbidity and mortality among patients undergoing major vascular surgery. METHODS We performed a randomized, multicenter trial to assess the effect of perioperative blockade of beta-adrenergic receptors on the incidence of death from cardiac causes and nonfatal myocardial infarction within 30 days after major vascular surgery in patients at high risk for these events. High-risk patients were identified by the presence of both clinical risk factors and positive results on dobutamine echocardiography. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive standard perioperative care or standard care plus perioperative beta-blockade with bisoprolol. RESULTS A total of 1351 patients were screened, and 846 were found to have one or more cardiac risk factors. Of these 846 patients, 173 had positive results on dobutamine echocardiography. Fifty-nine patients were randomly assigned to receive bisoprolol, and 53 to receive standard care. Fifty-three patients were excluded from randomization because they were already taking a beta-blocker, and eight were excluded because they had extensive wall-motion abnormalities either at rest or during stress testing. Two patients in the bisoprolol group died of cardiac causes (3.4 percent), as compared with nine patients in the standard-care group (17 percent, P=0.02). Nonfatal myocardial infarction occurred in nine patients given standard care only (17 percent) and in none of those given standard care plus bisoprolol (P<0.001). Thus, the primary study end point of death from cardiac causes or nonfatal myocardial infarction occurred in 2 patients in the bisoprolol group (3.4 percent) and 18 patients in the standard-care group (34 percent, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Bisoprolol reduces the perioperative incidence of death from cardiac causes and nonfatal myocardial infarction in high-risk patients who are undergoing major vascular surgery.
The respiratory health effects of geogenic (earth derived) PM10

Abstract Inhalation of particulate matter less than 10 µm in diameter (PM10) has a range of implications for respiratory health. In order to mitigate these effects regulatory bodies have set ambient air quality guidelines based on the known dose–response relationships between PM10 exposure and health outcomes. However, these data are based almost entirely on PM10 from urban regions, which are typically dominated by particulates from combustion sources. In contrast, there are limited data on the respiratory health effects of particles from nonurban regions that often contain a high geogenic (earth derived) component. In this narrative review, we summarize the existing evidence for the respiratory health effects of inhalation of geogenic PM10. We outline the impact of physicochemical properties on the lung response, with a view to identifying gaps in the field.
The utility of cold-preserved human hepatocytes in studies on cytochrome P450 induction and hepatic drug transport

Abstract 1. Human hepatocytes that had been cold-preserved in SureTranTM matrix (Abcellute Ltd, Cardiff, UK) were used for studies on cell viability, cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4, 2B6 and 1A2 induction and hepatic drug transporters. It has recently been shown that basal CYP activities are maintained in cold-preserved hepatocytes (Palmgren et al., 2012). 2. After 5 d of cold preservation, the viability was still more than 70%, and after 8 d it was around 60%. In hepatocytes that had been cold-preserved for 3 d, the activity of CYP3A4 was induced around 15-fold upon treatment with 8 µM rifampicin for 72 h. For CYP2B6, the activity was induced 4- to 16-fold in hepatocytes that had been cold-preserved for 3 d and thereafter treated with 1 mM phenobarbital for 72 h. The activity of CYP1A2 was low and close to the limit of detection in non-treated cells that had been cold-preserved for up to 3 d, while the activity increased in cells treated with 0.3–25 µM β-naphthoflavone for 72 h. CYP3A4, 2B6 and 1A2 mRNA levels were only determined with hepatocytes from one donor and increased upon treatment with the inducers. 3. Hepatic uptakes of estrone-3-sulfate, taurocholate, ipratropium and rosuvastatin were stable in human hepatocytes that had been cold-preserved for up to 2 d. 4. In summary, cold-preserved human hepatocytes demonstrate retained viability and can advantageously be used for in vitro induction studies and for studies of hepatic uptake transporters.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Neural Tissue Organization: Correlations between Radiologic and Histologic Parameters

This study examined the relationship between histological variables and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) values in a normal canine brain. We hypothesized that radial diffusivity (RD) would correlate with myelin density and fractional anisotropy (FA) would correlate with white matter fiber coherence. We acquired DTI maps of a normal canine brain post mortem on a 7T MR scanner (TR = 100 ms, TE = 18.1 ms, NEX = 1, width [d] = 4 ms, separation [D] = 8.9 ms, gradient amplitude = 600 mT/m, b=1,565 s/mm2) and generated maps of FA, RD, and axial diffusivity. The brain was subsequently sectioned and stained for myelin with gold chloride, which also allowed for measurement of fiber coherence. DTI metrics were then directly compared with the optical density of the myelin stain and the coherence of stained fibers. Multivariate linear regression demonstrated that RD, but not FA, significantly correlated with both myelin stain intensity (p = 0.031) and fiber coherence (p = 0.035). The Pearson correlation coefficient between these two histological variables and FA was 0.122; and was 0.607 for the histological variables and RD. We found that RD significantly correlated with both optical density of myelinated fibers and fiber coherence, but FA correlated with neither histological finding. Factors other than degree of myelination and fiber coherence should be considered to fully account for regional variation in FA.
DNA-repair protein hHR23a alters its protein structure upon binding proteasomal subunit S5a

The Rad23 family of proteins, including the human homologs hHR23a and hHR23b, stimulates nucleotide excision repair and has been shown to provide a novel link between proteasome-mediated protein degradation and DNA repair. In this work, we illustrate how the proteasomal subunit S5a regulates hHR23a protein structure. By using NMR spectroscopy, we have elucidated the structure and dynamic properties of the 40-kDa hHR23a protein and show it to contain four structured domains connected by flexible linker regions. In addition, we reveal that these domains interact in an intramolecular fashion, and by using residual dipolar coupling data in combination with chemical shift perturbation analysis, we present the hHR23a structure. By itself, hHR23a adopts a closed conformation defined by the interaction of an N-terminal ubiquitin-like domain with two ubiquitin-associated domains. Interestingly, binding of the proteasomal subunit S5a disrupts the hHR23a interdomain interactions and thereby causes it to adopt an opened conformation.
The CDKN2A/CDKN2B/CDK4/CCND1 pathway is pivotal in well‐differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcoma oncogenesis. An analysis of 104 tumors

The MDM2 and CDK4 genes are the main targets of chromosome 12 amplification in well‐differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcomas. Nevertheless, around 10% of these tumors do not amplify CDK4. To find substitutive alterations of CDK4 amplification, we analyzed a large series of liposarcomas by array‐CGH, real‐time genomic PCR, gene expression array, and real‐time RT‐PCR. We demonstrate that an alteration in the CDKN2A/CDKN2B/CDK4/CCND1 pathway is present in almost all cases without CDK4 amplification, thereby confirming the pivotal role of this pathway in liposarcoma oncogenesis. Moreover, we show that cell cycle and differentiation are driven by a subtle and complex balance between members of this pathway. Finally, we demonstrate that in tumors without amplification/overexpression of CDK4, the chromosome 1q21‐1q23 region is a preferential partner of chromosome 12 amplicon, suggesting that the mechanism of amplification is slightly different in this group of tumors. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prevention of complications and successful rescue of patients with serious complications: characteristics of high-performing trauma centers.

BACKGROUND "Failure to rescue" patients with complications is a factor contributing to high mortality rates after elective surgery. In trauma, where early deaths are the primary contributors to a trauma center's mortality rate, the rescue of patients with complications might not be related to overall trauma center mortality. We assessed the extent to which trauma center mortality was reflected by the center's ability to rescue patients with major complications. METHODS Data were derived from the National Trauma Databank, and limited to adults with an Injury Severity Score ≥9 and to centers with adequate complication reporting. Regression models were used to produce center-level adjusted rates for mortality and complications. Centers were ranked on their adjusted mortality rate and divided into quintiles. RESULTS Of 76,048 patients, 9.6% had a major complication and 7.9% died. The mean complication rate in the quintile of centers with the highest mortality rates was 11.1%, compared with 7.7% in the quintile of centers with the lowest mortality rates (p=0.03). In addition, mortality among patients with complications differed significantly across quintiles. The mean mortality among patients with complications was 20.3% in the quintile of centers with the highest overall mortality rates, compared with 11.1% in the quintile of centers with the lowest overall mortality rates (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Unlike reports from elective surgery, complication rates after severe injury differ across centers and parallel mortality rates. Centers with low overall mortality are more successful at rescuing patients who experience complications. A lower risk of complications and better care of those with complications are both at play in high-performing trauma centers.
Personality trait and quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To explore the association between quality of life (QOL) and type D personality, which is characterized by the traits of negative affectivity and social inhibition, and to further identify impacts of these traits after controlling for biophysical and psychological factors in colorectal cancer survivors. DESIGN Cross-sectional and correlational. SETTING Oncology and surgical outpatient clinics of a medical center in Taiwan. SAMPLE 124 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer who had completed active treatment. METHODS Data were collected using a set of structured questionnaires to explore type D personality, biophysical and psychological factors, and QOL. Their associations were verified with Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rho correlation. Significant factors associated with QOL were identified with generalized estimating equations. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Type D personality and QOL. FINDINGS Patients with type D personality experienced higher physical and psychological distress than those with non-type D personality. Social inhibition remained an important factor leading to impairment in the mental component of QOL after controlling for other associated factors. Negative affectivity was associated with fatigue intensity and interference of fatigue with life activities. CONCLUSIONS Personality trait was found to be an important factor associated with QOL. The trait of social inhibition was a significant factor influencing mental aspects of QOL, whereas negative affectivity was associated with fatigue. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Assessing patients' personality, including negative affectivity and social inhibition, could help nurses to develop supportive groups or social networks for these patients and thereby improve QOL for cancer survivors.
Semantic bounds for everyday language

We consider the notion of everyday language. We claim that everyday language is semantically bounded by the properties expressible in the existential fragment of second-order logic. Two arguments for this thesis are formulated. First, we show that Barwise's so-called test of negation normality works properly only when assuming our main thesis. Second, we discuss the argument from practical computability for finite universes. Everyday language sentences are directly or indirectly verifiable. We show that in both cases they are bounded by second-order existential properties. Moreover, there are known examples of everyday language sentences that are the most difficult in this class (NPTIME-complete).
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with blood pressure in hypertensive and nonhypertensive individuals from the general population with normal levels of alanine aminotransferase

Objective Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been associated with hypertension in specific population groups and in cases with elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). This study aimed to determine the strength of the association between NAFLD with prevalent hypertension and with high-normal blood pressure (BP) in nonhypertensive individuals from the general population regardless of ALT levels. Methods The observational study included 454 participants selected randomly from the general population aged 50–75 years old. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of NAFLD with hypertension were calculated by binary multivariate regression analysis controlling for traditional risk factors and ALT levels. Similar calculations were performed to assess the independent association of NAFLD with high-normal systolic (130–139 mmHg) and diastolic (85–89 mmHg) BP in the subgroup of nonhypertensive participants. Results The prevalence of NAFLD was 38.5% (95% CI, 34.0–43.0) in the entire sample and 49.5% (95% CI, 44.9–54.1) in hypertensive participants. The percentage of cases with hypertension was 21.2% greater in individuals with NAFLD than those without NAFLD (95% CI, 11.8–30.6, P<0.0005). NAFLD was independently associated with prevalent hypertension with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.71 (95% CI, 1.10–2.65, P=0.017). Among nonhypertensive participants, NAFLD was also independently associated with high-normal systolic BP (adjusted odds ratio 2.13, 95% CI, 1.08–4.20, P=0.029) but not with high-normal diastolic BP. Conclusion In middle-aged and old adults from the general population, NAFLD is associated with an independent risk of identifying hypertension and high-normal systolic BP. Detection of NAFLD, even with normal ALT levels, should serve as an opportunity to identify metabolic and BP abnormalities and intensify lifestyle modification.
Second stems in Hungarian nouns

In this paper we present a unified account of irregular noun stems (second stems) ) in Hungarian ; these stems are selected just in those cases where the noun combines with suffixes that have an initial non-moraic vowel (type III suffixes), regardless of the derivational or inflectional status of the suffix. The observed stem-suffix combinations turn out to be optimal under the assumption that underlyingly, the second stems have an unlinked mora and type III suffixes lack any moraic structure. The candidates that are evaluated by an ordered set of constraints are exclusively formed by the concatenation of stems and suffixes; all possible alternations result from options to be taken at the morpheme boundaries
Connective Tissue Disorders with Spontaneous Spinal Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks and Intracranial Hypotension: A Prospective Study

OBJECTIVEIntracranial hypotension attributable to a spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is an increasingly recognized cause of postural headaches. The cause of these leaks is poorly understood, but it is likely multifactorial and may involve a primary connective tissue disorder. We undertook a study to estimate the contribution of systemic connective tissue disorders to the development of spontaneous spinal CSF leaks. METHODSWe examined a group of 18 consecutive patients with spontaneous spinal CSF leaks for features of a connective tissue disorder. RESULTSThe mean age of the 15 female patients and 3 male patients was 38 years (range, 22–55 yr). Seven patients (38%) demonstrated stigmata of a systemic connective tissue disorder, and three distinct types of disorders could be identified, as follows. 1) The association of spontaneous spinal CSF leaks and minor skeletal features of Marfan syndrome was noted for three patients. 2) Ehlers-Danlos syndrome Type II was noted for two patients. 3) Joint hypermobility associated with marked attenuation of the dorsal muscular fascia, precluding proper wound closure, was noted for two patients. In addition, isolated small-joint hypermobility was observed for five patients (28%). Slit-lamp ocular examinations, echocardiographic evaluations, histopathological examinations of skin biopsy specimens, and renal scanning did not reveal any other features of a systemic connective tissue disorder. CONCLUSIONFindings suggesting connective tissue disorders are common among patients with spontaneous spinal CSF leaks, and manifestations may be subtle. A variety of disorders can be identified, probably reflecting genetic heterogeneity. Problems with wound healing may occur as a result of the systemic nature of the underlying connective tissue disorder.
Autism in flux: a history of the concept from Leo Kanner to DSM-5

In this paper, I argue that a new relation between past and present – a supposed historical continuity in the meaning of autism – is created by the histories written by the discipline itself. In histories of autism written by ‘practitioner-historians’, a sense of scientific progress and an essentialist understanding of autism legitimize and reinforce current understandings and research directions in the field of autism. Conceptual discontinuities and earlier complexities and disputes concerning classifying and delineating autism are usually left out of the positivist narrative of autism. In an alternative history of the concept of autism, I demonstrate that there have been major shifts in the type of symptoms, signs and impairments that were – and are – thought to be essential and specific for autism.
Analyse numérique de vibrations avec contraintes unilatérales

Cette etude porte sur un modele general de vibrations avec contraintes unilaterales. Nous modelisons le phenomene dans le cas d'un systeme a nombre fini de degres de libertes, sujet a des contraintes convexes, en incluant la possibilite d'une perte d'energie cinetique au cours des impacts: quand le point representatif du systeme heurte le bord du convexe des contraintes, la composante normale de la vitesse est renversee et multipliee par un coefficient de restitution alors que la composante tangentielle est conservee. Des resultats genereux d'existence, pour ce modele, sont demontres par penalisation. Une etude numerique simple, dans un cas a un seul degre de liberte, permet de mettre en evidence certaines proprietes qualitatives du comportement de tels systemes dynamiques. Un schema numerique original, permettant de traiter rapidement la contrainte, est ensuite propose. Divers resultats, obtenus sur le cas a un degre de liberte precedent, sont presentes avant de demontrer la convergence de ce schema vers une solution du probleme continu. Enfin, on compare des resultats experimentaux aux resultats numeriques pour une structure plus elaboree
Electrocoagulation Diathermy for Cervical Dysplasia and Carcinoma In Situ: A 15-Year Survey

The present report assesses 15 years' experience with electrocoagulation diathermy in the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Selection is based on the ability to visualize the boundaries of the lesion colposcopically. Visualization, together with cytology and target biopsy, should exclude invasive carcinoma. Histologically confirmed CIN of varying severity (almost two thirds were CIN III) was treated by diathermy in 1864 patients. The size of the lesion varied, and at times the lesion extended into the endocervical canal. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia was eradicated in 97.3% of patients by a single diathermy treatment. Ninety-three percent of all patients under the age of 30 with CIN were treated by this method. Progression to invasive carcinoma after diathermy has not been demonstrated. A single treatment with electrocoagulation diathermy has proved consistently to be the most effective superficial ablative method for primary eradication of CIN whether deep, extensive, or of major severity. (Obstet Gynecol 61:673, 1983)
The use of a laboratory school protocol to evaluate concepts about efficacy and side effects of new formulations of stimulant medications

Recently, new long-acting formulations of racemic methylphenidate (MPH: Ritalin® LA, Metadate® CD and Concerta®) and amphetamine (AMP: Adderall XR®) were developed and are now approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In addition, dexmethylphenidate (Focalin ™), the pharmacologically active d-threo enantiomer of MPH, also was approved by the FDA. In the initial phases of development, prototypes of these five new formulations were evaluated using the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Laboratory School Protocol (LSP), in which surrogate measures of efficacy are collected in highly controlled settings rather than clinical measures of effectiveness in the less-controlled, natural environments of home or school. The LSP studies were followed by large effectiveness and safety studies required for gaining FDA approval. These initial efficacy and side effect studies in the LSP provided missing information about the basic pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) properties of MPH and AMP and produced some new discoveries (i.e., acute tolerance) that were used to help design the final products. The final once-a-day formulations used different drug delivery systems to achieve long-acting efficacy (Ritalin® LA, Metadate® CD, Concerta®, Adderall XR®). All four drug delivery systems were based on two processes: first, a bolus delivery (BD) process to achieve rapid onset of efficacy (mg), and second, a controlled delivery (CD) process to achieve rates of delivery (mg/hr) or a delayed bolus (mg) to maintain efficacy. A theoretical approach was used to compare and contrast the new once-a day formulations of MPH by selecting total daily doses (mg/d) that would equate drug delivery by the first process (mg of the Initial bolus) and the second process (mg/hr over specified time period). In addition to efficacy, applications of the LSP to measure common side effects related to eating and sleeping were described and discussed.
A Mixed-Stable Approach to the Management of the Portfolio Using High-Frequency Financial Data

In this paper, we are focusing on the construction of a portfolio, using high-frequency financial series. Such series often exibit the stagnation effect. This effect causes a lot of unusual difficulties in the analysis and the modeling. In clasical economical statistics, when distributional law have two first moments, i.e. mean and variance, relations betwen two random variables (returns) are described by covariance or corelation. But if we assume that the financial data follow the stable law (empirical studies suport this asumption), covariance and especialy correlation cannot be calculated. Dealing with the portfolio selction problem there were suggested alternative relation measures: generalized power-correlation measures. To select optimal portfolio we solve optimization problem replacing the covariance by the generalized power-correlation. Portfolio construction strategies with and without relationship coefficients matrix are presented. We compare the performance of mixed-stable model with alternative approaches. To illustrate the modeling we use German DAX index intra-daily data. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5755/j01.itc. 46.3. 16766