Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous Injection of Autologous Bone Marrow Concentrate Cells Significantly Reduces Lumbar Discogenic Pain Through 12 Months

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) induces chronic back pain with limited nonsurgical options. In this open label pilot study, 26 patients (median age 40 years; range 18–61) received autologous bone marrow concentrate (BMC) disc injections (13 one level, 13 two levels). Pretreatment Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) were performed to establish baseline pain scores (average 56.5 and 79.3, respectively), while magnetic resonance imaging was independently scored according to the modified Pfirrmann scale. Approximately 1 ml of BMC was analyzed for total nucleated cell (TNC) content, colony‐forming unit‐fibroblast (CFU‐F) frequency, differentiation potential, and phenotype characterization. The average ODI and VAS scores were reduced to 22.8 and 29.2 at 3 months, 24.4 and 26.3 at 6 months, and 25.0 and 33.2 at 12 months, respectively (p ≤ .0001). Eight of twenty patients improved by one modified Pfirrmann grade at 1 year. The average BMC contained 121 × 106 TNC/ml with 2,713 CFU‐F/ml (synonymous with mesenchymal stem cells). Although all subjects presented a substantial reduction in pain, patients receiving greater than 2,000 CFU‐F/ml experienced a significantly faster and greater reduction in ODI and VAS. Subjects older than 40 years who received fewer than 2,000 CFU‐F/ml experienced an average pain reduction of 33.7% (ODI) and 29.1% (VAS) at 12 months, while all other patients' average reduction was 69.5% (ODI, p = .03) and 70.6% (VAS, p = .01). This study provides evidence of safety and feasibility in the nonsurgical treatment of DDD with autologous BMC and indicates an effect of mesenchymal cell concentration on discogenic pain reduction. Stem Cells 2015;33:146–156
Effects of a multimodal lifestyle intervention on body mass index in patients with bipolar disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE Patients with bipolar disorder are at increased risk of weight gain, which in turn increases the risk for somatic disease and nonadherence to maintenance therapy. Therefore, interventions addressing weight gain are expedient for the management of this disorder. We set out to evaluate the effects of a lifestyle intervention on body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular and metabolic parameters in patients with bipolar disorder undergoing mood-stabilizing pharmacologic treatment. METHOD Fifty outpatients with bipolar disorder undergoing mood-stabilizing treatment participated in a randomized controlled trial (waiting control group: n = 24 and multimodal lifestyle intervention group: n = 26). Groups consisted of 2 cohorts (cohort 1: March 2005-February 2006; cohort 2: September 2005-August 2006). The intervention lasted 5 months and consisted of 11 group sessions and weekly fitness training. BMI and body weight as well as cardiovascular and metabolic parameters were determined at 3 assessment points: at pretreatment baseline, at 5 months (end of treatment), and at 11 months (6-month follow-up). RESULTS Intention-to-treat analyses showed that the intervention significantly reduced BMI over time (P = .03), with significant and stable mean differences in BMI change between groups of 0.7 kg/m² (95% CI, 0.2-1.3) at 5 months and 0.8 kg/m² (95% CI, 0.1-1.6) at 11 months' follow-up assessment. The lifestyle intervention had no significant effect on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters (all nonsignificant). The BMI reduction was only seen in female patients (P = .003). CONCLUSIONS BMI in patients with bipolar disorder can be reduced with a long-lasting effect by a multimodal lifestyle intervention. However, this effect was only seen in female participants, indicating the need for gender-specific interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00980863.
Man is the new mouse: Elective surgery as a key translational model for multi-organ dysfunction and sepsis

Translational research in critically ill human patients presents many methodological challenges. Diagnostic uncertainty, coupled with poorly defined comorbidities, make the identification of a suitable control population for case–control investigations an arguably insurmountable challenge. Healthy volunteer experiments using endotoxin infusion as an inflammatory model are methodologically robust, but fail to replicate the onset of, and diverse therapeutic interventions associated with, sepsis/trauma. Animal models are also limited by many of these issues. Major elective surgery addresses many of these shortfalls and offers a key model for exploring the human biology underlying the sepsis syndrome. Surgery triggers highly conserved features of the human inflammatory response that are common to both tissue damage and infection. Surgical patients sustain a predictable and relatively high incidence of sepsis, particularly within the ‘higher risk’ group. The collection of preoperative samples enables each patient to act as their own control. Thus, the surgical model offers unique and elegant experimental design features that provide an important translational bridge between the basic biological understanding afforded by animal laboratory models and the de novo presentation of human sepsis.
Evaluation of Epiphyses in the Skeletally Immature Knee Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Background: Questions have been raised concerning the height of the tibial epiphysis as an important factor related to the safety of intra-articular anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in skeletally immature knees. However, normal values for this parameter have yet to be established on cross-sectional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Purpose: To determine normal values for the height of the tibial epiphysis and width of the lateral femoral condylar epiphysis in children and adolescents by use of MRI. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: An electronic search was conducted for pediatric knee MRI examinations at the authors’ institution from August 2007 to July 2011. The height of the tibial epiphysis was determined on the sagittal T1-weighted image best containing the ACL footplate. Lateral femoral condylar width was recorded on coronal proton-density-weighted images. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to determine interobserver agreement. Knees were stratified by age into 2 groups based on potential risk of iatrogenic growth plate injury: Group 1 consisted of boys younger than 13 years (range, 7-12 years) and girls younger than 12 years (range, 10-11 years); group 2 consisted of boys between the ages of 13 and 16 years and girls between the ages of 12 and 14 years. Each cohort was further stratified by sex. Results: Group 1 consisted of 17 boys (mean age, 10.4 years) and 5 girls (mean age, 10.8 years), and group 2 contained 23 boys (mean age, 14.4 years) and 14 girls (mean age, 13.7 years). There was a total of 59 knees. No difference was found for average tibial epiphyseal height between group 1 (15.26 ± 1.25 mm) and group 2 (15.01 ± 2.14 mm). However, there was a statistically significant difference related to sex in each cohort: boys versus girls in group 1 (15.63 ± 1.15 mm vs 14.00 ± 0.62 mm, respectively; P = .007) and boys versus girls in group 2 (16.00 ± 1.88 mm vs 13.40 ± 1.47 mm, respectively; P = .0001). The average femoral condylar width for both cohorts was greater than 28 mm where femoral tunnel location would be expected. The ICC was strong (>0.7) at tibial and femoral locations where tunnel placement would be expected. Conclusion: The average height of the tibial epiphysis in both children and adolescents is 15 mm. Girls had shorter tibial epiphyses than boys, but further studies are necessary to determine whether this difference is clinically relevant. Lateral femoral condylar width in children and adolescents can be expected to be greater than 28 mm.
Testing for Stationarity in Panel Data

it i it it t r y ε β + + = , (2) where it r is a random walk: . 1 it it it u r r + = − Here it y , t = 1,. ,T and i = 1,. ,N are the observed series for wich we wish to test stationarity for all i, the it ε and uit are mutually independent and iid with E [ it ε ] = 0, E [ 2 it ε ] = 2 ε σ > 0, E[uit] = 0 and E[ 2 it u ] = . 0 2 ≥ u σ The initial values ri0 are treated as fixed unknowns and play the role of heterogeneous intercepts. Model 2 includes fixed effects and individual trends. The stationary hypothesis is simply . 0 2 = u σ Since the it ε 's are assumed iid, then under the null hypothesis it y is stationary around a level in model 1 and trend-stationary in model 2. The test takes the following form:
Proofreading and aminoacylation of tRNAs before export from the nucleus.

After synthesis and processing in the nucleus, mature transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are exported to the cytoplasm in a Ran.guanosine triphosphate-dependent manner. Export of defective or immature tRNAs is avoided by monitoring both structure and function of tRNAs in the nucleus, and only tRNAs with mature 5' and 3' ends are exported. All tRNAs examined can be aminoacylated in nuclei of Xenopus oocytes, thereby providing a possible mechanism for functional proofreading of newly made tRNAs. Inhibition of aminoacylation of a specific tRNA retards its appearance in the cytoplasm, indicating that nuclear aminoacylation promotes efficient export.
Urinary bisphenol A levels in Turkish girls with premature thelarche

There is a growing concern over the timing of pubertal breast development and its possible association with exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is abundantly used to harden plastics. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between premature thelarche (PT) and BPA by comparing the urinary BPA levels of PT girls with those of healthy subjects. Twenty-five newly diagnosed nonobese PT subjects (aged 4–8 years) who were admitted to the Pediatric Endocrinology Department at Akdeniz University were recruited. The control group composed of 25 age-matched girls without PT and other endocrine disorders. Urinary BPA levels were measured by high pressure liquid chromatography. The median urinary concentrations of BPA were found to be significantly higher in the PT group compared to the healthy control group (3.2 vs. 1.62 μg/g creatinine, p < 0.05). We observed a weak positive correlation between uterus volume and urinary BPA levels. There was a weak correlation between estradiol and urinary BPA levels (r = 0.166; p = 0.37); and luteinizing hormone and urinary BPA levels (r = 0.291; p = 0.08) of PT girls. Our results suggest that exposure to BPA might be one of the underlying factors of early breast development in prepubertal girls and EDCs may be considered as one of the etiological factors in the development of PT.
Immunospecificity and quantitation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for group B streptococcal antibody

Type-specific antigen was purified from the supernatant of type III group B streptococcal cultures, tyrosylated, and bound to microtiter wells for an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The immunological specificity of the antigen and the assay was shown by (i) reaction only with homologous unabsorbed rabbit sera and (ii) inhibition after incubation of human serum with homologous but not heterologous purified antigen. The assay was quantitated by relating optical density readings to absolute amounts of human immunoglobulin G bound to the microtiter wells.
Long‐term outcome of provisional side‐branch T‐stenting for the treatment of unprotected distal left main coronary artery disease

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on distal left main (LM) remains an independent predictor of poor outcome. The strategy of implanting one stent on the main branch (MB), with provisional stenting on the side‐branch (SB) only when required (provisional T‐stenting), has become the default approach to most bifurcation lesions. This prospective registry sought to investigate the long‐term safety and efficacy of provisional SB T‐stenting for the treatment of unprotected distal LM disease in patients undergoing PCI. From January 2006 to May 2009, 107 consecutive patients affected by unprotected distal LM disease underwent PCI at our center with the intent to use a provisional SB‐stenting technique. We evaluated the rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at long‐term follow‐up (up to 12–41 months). Procedural success was obtained in 98% of patients. A final kissing balloon inflation was performed in 95% and intravascular ultrasound in 83% of patients. Additional stenting on the SB after provisional stenting on MB was required in 29% of lesions. Long‐term follow‐up (3.5 years; 25–75th percentile and 1.1–4.5 years) was completed in 97% of patients. The cumulative incidence of MACE was 32.7%: all‐cause death was 15.8%, nonfatal myocardial infarction 8.4%, and target vessel revascularization 21.5%. At multivariable analysis, age (hazard ratio, 2.08; 95% confidence interval: 2.01–3.32, P = 0.03), European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (HR 1.20, 95% CI: 1.04–1.33, P = 0.02), and diabetes mellitus (HR 3.48, 95% CI: 1.12–6.87, P = 0.01) were identified as independent predictors of MACE. In patients with unprotected distal LM disease undergoing PCI, a provisional strategy of stenting the MB only is associated with good long‐term clinical outcomes. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Flexible cystoscopy: is the volume and content of the urethral gel critical?

PURPOSE To determine whether volume (10 or 20mL) or the presence of 2% lidocaine (lignocaine) in the gel used for urethral lubrication alters the discomfort felt during flexible cystoscopy. PATIENTS AND METHODS A randomized double-blind trial was performed in men attending for flexible cystoscopy. Patients were assigned to one of four groups: 10 mL of gel with or without lidocaine and 20 mL with or without lidocaine. Gel was retained for 10 minutes prior to cystoscopy. Pain felt during both the instillation of the gel and the cystoscopy itself was evaluated using a visual analog scale (0-10). RESULTS Interim analysis after 147 patients had been recruited revealed a significant difference between the groups in terms of the pain felt on instillation of the gel, leading to an early termination of the trial. There was a significant reduction in pain on cystoscopy in patients receiving 20 mL of gel if this contained lidocaine. CONCLUSION The least pain on cystoscopy occurred in patients receiving 20 mL of gel containing lidocaine.
Ketamine Inhibits Maturation of Bone Marrow-Derived Dendritic Cells and Priming of the Th1-Type Immune Response

BACKGROUND:Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role as antigen-presenting cells and growing evidence suggests that DCs influence T-cell activation and regulate the polarity of the immune response. Ketamine has been reported to have immunomodulatory properties that affect immune cells, including macrophages and natural killer cells. However, the effect of ketamine on DCs has not been characterized. We examined the immunomodulation of DCs by ketamine. METHODS:We used bone marrow-derived DCs induced by granulocyte–monocyte-colony stimulating factor and interleukin (IL)-4 from bone marrow and analyzed the expression of costimulatory molecules (CD40, CD80, and CD86), major histocompatibility complex class II molecules, and secretion of IL-12p40. Furthermore, we evaluated the immune response in mixed cell cultures of DCs and T cells and the contact hypersensitivity response in a whole animal. RESULTS:Ketamine suppressed the expression of CD40, CD80, and major histocompatibility complex class II molecules in DCs. DCs treated with ketamine also secreted less IL-12p40 and displayed greater endocytosis. In mixed cell cultures with CD4+ T cells and DCs, ketamine-treated DCs showed less propensity to stimulate the proliferation of CD4+ T cells and the secretion of interferon from CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, ketamine-treated DCs impaired the induction of a cell-mediated immune response. CONCLUSION:Our findings suggest that ketamine inhibits the functional maturation of DCs and interferes with DC induction of Th1 immunity in the whole animal. These novel findings provide new insight into the immunopharmacological role of ketamine.
RURAL – URBAN DIFFERENCES IN HEALTH CARE QUALITY ASSESSMENT

Aim: To determine the rural–urban differences in primary care practice, hospital inpatient care and total services. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from Zenica-Doboj Canton in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). The overall sample size for the study was 1,995. Individual interviews were conducted in one randomly selected day of the week, except Monday and Friday, on the basis of EUROPEP (European Task Force on Patient Evaluations of General Practice Care) standardized questionnaire. Results: Out of total number (n=1 995), 47.9% was urban population and median of age was 42 years for both populations. The most of urban residents (81.4%) had finished high school or higher education compared with rural residents (58.5%) (p < 0.001). There are significant differences in employment status between rural and urban population (p < 0.001). Rural residents are more likely to travel more than 15 minutes to see their health facilities compared with urban residents (61.7% vs. 24.4%, respectively). Median of distance (kilometers) from residence location to the nearest hospital was statistically significantly higher in rural Me = 8.0 (5.0 do 14.5) km compared to urban population Me = 1.5 (1.0 to 3.0) km (p < 0.001). The rural population was more likely to buy drugs for medical treatment (p < 0.001) and parenteral injections in primary care practice (p < 0.001). Conclusion: There are significant differences in the overall health care assessment of rural populations as compared to urban populations.
The POWER of Consent: An Evaluation of Peer-Based Consent Programming in Sexual Assault Prevention

The proposed honors thesis longitudinally evaluated two different consent education modules included in a peer-based alcohol education program to expand the research on evaluating the effectiveness of sexual assault prevention programs. The first module of consent defined consent as sober, verbal, and enthusiastic (SVE). The second consent module defined consent as fully conscious, acting freely, clear, and enthusiastic (F.A.C.E.). For this study, the SVE and F.A. C.E consent programs were incorporated into the alcohol education program and were compared to the alcohol program without any consent education, thus creating three measurable conditions. First-year student classrooms were randomly assigned to one of the three conditions. Our measures included students’ perpetration and victimization experiences, self-efficacy, knowledge of consent, ability to stop self-perpetration, and ability to communicate clearly about sex-related topics in preventing sexual assault. Results yielded no significant changes over time or across conditions as a function of consent education type.
Static and Dynamic Algorithms for k-Point Clustering Problems

Let S be a set of n points in d-space, where d ≥ 2 is a constant, and let 1 ≤ k ≤ n be an integer. A unified approach is given for solving the problem of finding a subset of S of size k that minimizes some closeness measure, such as the diameter, perimeter or the circumradius. Moreover, data structures are given that maintain such a subset under insertions and deletions of points.
Dally-like core protein and its mammalian homologues mediate stimulatory and inhibitory effects on Hedgehog signal response

The distribution and activities of morphogenic signaling proteins such as Hedgehog (Hh) and Wingless (Wg) depend on heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). HSPGs consist of a core protein with covalently attached heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains. We report that the unmodified core protein of Dally-like (Dlp), an HSPG required for cell-autonomous Hh response in Drosophila embryos, alone suffices to rescue embryonic Hh signaling defects. Membrane tethering but not specifically the glycosylphosphatidylinositol linkage characteristic of glypicans is critical for this cell-autonomous activity. Our studies further suggest divergence of the two Drosophila and six mammalian glypicans into two functional families, an activating family that rescues cell-autonomous Dlp function in Hh response and a family that inhibits Hh response. Thus, in addition to the previously established requirement for HSPG GAG chains in Hh movement, these findings demonstrate a positive cell-autonomous role for a core protein in morphogen response in vivo and suggest the conservation of a network of antagonistic glypican activities in the regulation of Hh response.
Fer de Lance virus (FDLV): a probable paramyxovirus isolated from a reptile.

A new virus has been isolated by inoculation of lung tissues of diseased snakes into snake embryos. Homogenates of infected embryo tissues caused c.p.e. in cell cultures incubated at 30 degrees C. The virus replicates in a wide variety of reptilian or mammalian cell types incubated at 30 degrees C, inducing either syncytium formation or minimal or no cytopathic changes. Efficient replication occurs in embryonated hens' eggs at 27 to 30 degrees C. The virus haemagglutinates guinea pig and chick erythrocytes; it possesses a neuraminidase similar to the receptor-destroying enzyme of Vibrio cholera. Electron microscopic observations of infected cells examined in thin section revealed pleomorphic viruses 146 to 321 nm in diam. resembling known myxoviruses. Internal nucleocapsid strands are 15 to 16 nm in diam. ; nucleocapsid observed in negatively stained preparations measures 14 nm in diam. The virus was determined to possess a nucleoprotein core containing a 50S single-stranded unsegmented RNA genome. All characters of the virus are similar to those of the paramyxovirus group except that the nucleocapsid diam. is intermediate between that of paramyxoviruses and pneumoviruses. The virus is antigenically distinct from known myxoviruses and is unique among myxoviruses in its restriction to growth at temperature below 37 degrees C.
Electron microscopic examination of wastewater biofilm formation and structural components

This research documents in situ wastewater biofilm formation, structure, and physiochemical properties as revealed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Cationized ferritin was used to label anionic sites of the biofilm glycocalyx for viewing in thin section. Wastewater biofilm formation paralleled the processes involved in marine biofilm formation. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a dramatic increase in cell colonization and growth over a 144-h period. Constituents included a variety of actively dividing morphological types. Many of the colonizing bacteria were flagellated. Filaments were seen after primary colonization of the surface. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a dominant gram-negative cell wall structure in the biofilm constituents. At least three types of glycocalyces were observed. The predominant glycocalyx possessed interstices and was densely labeled with cationized ferritin. Two of the glycocalyces appeared to mediate biofilm adhesion to the substratum. The results suggest that the predominant glycocalyx of this thin wastewater biofilm serves, in part, to: (i) enclose the bacteria in a matrix and anchor the biofilm to the substratum and (ii) provide an extensive surface area with polyanionic properties.