Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physicians' attitudes toward evidence based obstetric practice: a questionnaire survey

Evidence based medicine integrates the best available data from clinical research into clinical practice to enhance the quality of clinical decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.1 2 With a lack of awareness of relevant research, a substantial part of clinical practice in reproductive health relies on practitioners' personal experience, resulting in large variations in practice between healthcare workers.3 The precise role of evidence based medicine is being debated; we therefore examined the awareness and views of medical practitioners with special emphasis on obstetric practice. We mailed an anonymous, self administered, two page questionnaire to a random sample of 190 practitioners in obstetric practice between March and May 1996. The response rate of family physicians (120/154, 78%) and obstetricians (28/36, 78%) was similar, as were the …
Determinants of rapid progression to immunodeficiency syndrome among people infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Kerala, India

Context: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection progresses in almost all infected persons to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The aim of the study was to find out the determinants of rapid progression of immunodeficiency among people infected with HIV in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, India. Settings and Design: The study design used was case control. The setting of the study was antiretroviral treatment (ART) centre of Government Medical College and the self-help group of HIV patients located at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Materials and Methods: Cases were people having any one or more of the AIDS defining clinical conditions within 3 years from the diagnosis of HIV infection. Controls were people diagnosed as having HIV at least 3 years ago and with no AIDS-defining clinical conditions till the date of the study. Sample size was 149 with a control case ratio of 1.5:1. Statistical analysis used: Mean (standard deviation) and proportions were used to describe the data. Chi-square test and t test were done to test the hypotheses. Binary logistic technique was used to find out the predictors of the outcome. Results: A regression (Binary Logistic) model was used to predict the progression. Fungal infection of nail [adjusted Odds Ratio (OR), 6.4 (1.4, 28.9)] and oral candidiasis [adjusted OR, 2.6 (1.1, 6.4)] were the clinical conditions significantly associated with rapid progression. The significant social factors included non-exposure to professional counseling [adjusted OR, 7.1 (2.0, 24.5)] and the feeling of being stigmatized - felt as preoccupation with thoughts that they are gossiped about and the increase in visitors to “check them out” [adjusted OR, 26.1 (4.9, 138.4)]. The protective nutritional factors in the model were frequent consumption of legumes [adjusted OR, 0.12 (0.04, 0.36)], eggs [adjusted OR, 0.29 (0.09, 0.93)], and plenty of oral fluids [adjusted OR, 0.18 (0.07, 0.47)]. Conclusions: An approach incorporating the clinical, social, and nutritional factors may retard the progression of HIV infection.
Fast-decay-time scintillation of LaF3:Ce colloidal nanocrystals

Positron emission tomography requires high-brightness fast-decay scintillators for coincidence counting of positron annihilation events. We demonstrate that LaF3:Ce nanocrystals show promising characteristics for that application. Scintillation response and photoluminescence lifetime below 27 ns are measured.
PET imaging of brain tumor with [methyl-11C]choline.

UNLABELLED This article describes a new method of [11C]choline synthesis for intravenous injection. We aimed at the utilization of this compound for brain tumor imaging with PET. METHODS After [11C]carbon dioxide production in a cyclotron and the subsequent [11C]methyl iodide synthesis, [methyl-11C]choline was synthesized by the reaction of [11C]methyl iodide with "neat" dimethylaminoethanol at 120 degrees C for 5 min. Purification was achieved by evaporation of the reactants followed by passage of the aqueous solution of the product through a cation-exchange resin cartridge. The time required for overall chemical processing, excluding the cyclotron operation, was 15 min. Radiochemical yield was > 98%. Radiochemical purity was > 98%. Chemical purity was > 90% (dimethylaminoethanol was the only possible impurity). Specific radioactivity of the product was > 133 GBq/mumol. The whole body distribution was examined in rabbits with PET. Clinical studies were performed in patients with brain tumor using PET after intravenous injection of 370 MBq of [11C]choline. RESULTS In rabbits,[11C]choline was taken up from blood by various tissues very rapidly, and the radioactivity remaining in blood became almost negligible 5 min after intravenous injection. Taking advantage of this characteristic, we obtained stable tissue distribution images of human brain using PET. In patients with brain tumor, PET produced clearly delineated positive images of the tumors. CONCLUSION Carbon-11-choline can be used for obtaining clear images of brain tumor in PET.
BAP1tism of a Tumor Suppressor

Driving cancer cells into a more differentiated state is a rational therapeutic approach. Primary uveal melanoma cells with a propensity to metastasize have less-differentiated features than their less aggressive counterparts. Treatment of uveal melanoma cells with histone deacetylase inhibitors induces a more differentiated phenotype with resultant lower growth capacity. Clin Cancer Res; 18(2); 323–5. ©2011 AACR.
High Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy and Nephropathy in Polynesians of Western Samoa

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy retinopathy and nephropathy and to define associated risk factors in Polynesian Western Samoans with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A 1991 population-based study in Samoan adults (ages 25–74 years) included a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, anthropometric measurements, and blood pressure recordings. Subjects with NIDDM or IGT had 45-degree stereo photographs taken (n = 263) (three standard fields of the right eye), and retinopathy was graded in comparison with Airlie House photographs. First-morning urine samples (n = 304) were also collected from these subjects and from a subsample with normal glucose tolerance. Urinary albumin concentration (UAC) was measured by radio-immunoassay: microalbuminuria was defined as UAC of 30–299 μg/ml; and macroalbuminuria was defined as UAC ≥300 μg/ml. RESULTS The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 43.2% among subjects with known diabetes and 15.4% in those newly diagnosed. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy was found in 4.5% of known diabetic subjects. The prevalence of elevated UAC was 15.0% in subjects with IGT, 26.0% in newly diagnosed diabetes subjects, and 23.4% in known diabetes subjects. For all diabetic subjects (n = 162), the factors independently associated with diabetic retinopathy (logistic regression) were duration of diabetes, fasting plasma glucose, and body mass index (inversely). Duration of diabetes, serum triglyceride concentrations, and systolic blood pressure were independently associated with elevated UAC in all diabetic subjects (n = 138), and fasting plasma glucose had borderline significance. CONCLUSIONS Diabetic retinopathy and albuminuria are common in Polynesian Western Samoans. Duration of diabetes and level of glycemia were the most important associated factors. These data underline the need for cost-effective programs for the detection and early treatment of diabetes in Western Samoa and other developing populations with high susceptibility to NIDDM.
Analysis of intracellular distribution and trafficking of the CLN3 protein in fusion with the green fluorescent protein in vitro.

CLN3 gene, associated with juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, encodes a novel protein of a predicted 438 amino acid residues. We have expressed a full-length CLN3 protein and fragments thereof in fusion with green fluorescent protein in Chinese hamster ovary and human neuroblastoma cell lines to study its subcellular localization and intracellular trafficking pattern. By using laser scanning confocal microscopy, we demonstrate that the full-length CLN3 fusion protein is targeted to lysosomal compartments. Tunicamycin treatment did not alter the lysosomal targeting of the CLN3 protein, which indicates that extensive N-glycosylation of the full-length CLN3 fusion protein is not engaged in its lysosomal sorting. Monensin produced retention of CLN3 fusion protein in vesicular structure of the Golgi apparatus in the perinuclear space, suggesting that CLN3 fusion protein is transported to the lysosomal compartments through the trans-Golgi cisternae. Neither of the truncated CLN3 fusion proteins encompassing its 1-138, 1-322, and 138-438 amino acid residues was disclosed in lysosomal compartments. However, CLN3 fusion protein showing double-point mutations at amino acid residues 425 and 426, thus at its putative dileucine lysosomal signaling motif, was still targeted to lysosomes, suggesting that a dileucine motif alone is not sufficient for lysosomal sorting of the CLN3 fusion protein.
Impact of Wikipedia on Market Information Environment: Evidence on Management Disclosure and Investor Reaction

In this paper, we seek to determine whether a typical social media platform, Wikipedia, improves the information environment for investors in the financial market. Our theoretical lens leads us to expect that information aggregation about public companies on Wikipedia may influence how management's voluntary information disclosure reacts to market uncertainty with respect to investors' information about these companies. Our empirical analysis is based on a unique data set collected from financial records, management disclosure records, news article coverage, and a Wikipedia modification history of public companies. On the supply side of information, we find that information aggregation on Wikipedia can moderate the timing of managers' voluntary disclosure of companies' earnings disappointments, or bad news. On the demand side of information, we find that Wikipedia's information aggregation moderates investors' negative reaction to bad news. Taken together, these findings support the view that Wikipedia improves the information environment in the financial market and underscore the value of information aggregation through the use of information technology.
Molecular cloning of Brassica rapa nitrilases and their expression during clubroot development.

SUMMARY Three isoforms of nitrilase were cloned from turnip, Brassica rapa L. , and their expression during clubroot development caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae was investigated. The isoforms were designated BrNIT-T1, BrNIT-T2 and BrNIT-T4 based on homology to known nitrilases. BrNIT-T1 and BrNIT-T2 have 80% homology to three nitrilases from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtNIT1, AtNIT2 and AtNIT3). BrNIT-T4 showed 90% homology to AtNIT4. To confirm their enzyme activity, the recombinant proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant BrNIT-T1 and BrNIT-T2 but not BrNIT-T4 converted indole-3-acetonitrile to indole-3-acetic acid, an endogenous plant auxin, although kinetic analysis showed that indole-3-acetonitrile is a poor substrate compared with various aliphatic and aromatic nitriles. By contrast, the recombinant BrNIT-T4 specifically converted beta-cyano-l-alanine to aspartic acid and asparagine and these findings agree with the idea that it is involved in the cyanide detoxification pathway. Real-time PCR analysis clearly showed that these isoforms were differentially expressed during clubroot development. BrNIT-T1 transcripts were very low in non-infected roots but were enhanced up to 100-fold in infected roots exhibiting club growth. By contrast, BrNIT-T2 transcripts remained at a very low level during clubroot formation. All these results clearly indicate the specific involvement of BrNIT-T1 in clubroot formation. The BrNIT-T4 transcripts were substantially reduced in the clubroot-growing phase, but thereafter they increased rapidly to a level found in non-infected roots as the clubroot growth reached a plateau. These findings suggest the specific involvement of BrNIT-T4 in clubroot maturation. In fully developed clubs, the BrNIT-T1 and BrNIT-T2 transcripts also increased. Free indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content increased in the early and the latest phase of infected roots compared with non-infected roots, but decreased substantially at the middle phase. Thus, free IAA may play a role in the initiation and maturation of clubroot. Total IAA content was significantly higher in infected roots than in non-infected roots throughout clubroot development and IAA conjugation/conjugate hydrolysis system as well as BrNIT-Ts appear to be involved in clubroot development.
Overview and Current Status of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory

The MCMI (Millon, 1983a, 1987, 1994, 1997a) was developed to operationalize Millon's (1969/1983b) model of psychopathology and has been revised 2 times over the past 20 years to keep pace with changes in theory as well as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Since its introduction in 1977, it has become one of the most widely used and researched clinical assessment instruments in history, generating over 500 articles and 6 books. It has been translated into several languages and is being used in cross-cultural research. This article presents a historical overview of the measure and summarizes its current status in the literature. I highlight Millon's original vision for the test, changes that have been made, and its strengths and limitations. Future refinement of the MCMI is already in the planning stages and includes trait subscales for the personality disorders and linking codetypes to theory-derived interventions.
On Doing the “Impossible”: Inferring that a Putative Causal Relationship does not Exist

A simple heuristic is proposed for drawing a warranted inference that a causal relationship does not exist between two events. It is illustrated by a study of the putative indirect causal relationship between Autistic Disorder and the Fragile X syndrome. This study was designed to ensure that a failure to find such a relationship provided good reasons for concluding that it was unlikely there was a relationship between Autistic Disorder and the Fragile X syndrome.
C-kit expression in sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma: potential therapy with imatinib.

PURPOSE Sarcomatoid (S) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an uncommon subtype of RCC with a poor prognosis because of its local aggressiveness and high metastatic rate. Currently, there is no specific, effective treatment for it. A relatively nontoxic tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib (STI-571) has been approved as a target therapy in neoplasms that express c-Kit. We investigated c-Kit expression in this type of tumor, which to our knowledge has not been previously described. MATERIALS AND METHODS We reviewed 215 cases of RCC diagnosed at our department from 1995 to 2002. Of the cases 20 (9.3%) were SRCC. Formalin fixed, paraffin embedded material was available in 19 cases. We performed immunohistochemical staining against c-Kit using rabbit polyclonal antihuman antibody (CD117, Dako Corp., Carpinteria, California), diluted 1:100. Its expression was evaluated in the epithelial and the spindle components. RESULTS Two of the 20 SRCC cases (10%) showed no epithelial differentiation. The epithelial component was conventional RCC in 10 cases (50%), papillary RCC in 5 (25%) and chromophobe RCC in 3 (15%). A total of 16 cases (80%) presented at an advanced stage at diagnosis, namely T3 or T4 and/or metastatic disease. Immunohistochemical study showed positivity in the epithelial component only in the 3 chromophobe SRCCs. The sarcomatoid component was positive for c-Kit in 18 cases (94.7%). CONCLUSIONS High c-Kit expression in SRCC in our series and the existence of a target therapy, imatinib (STI-571), against cells that express this receptor open the possibility of using this treatment for these tumors, especially in cases of advanced disease.
Early effectiveness of endoscopic posterior urethra primary alignment

BACKGROUND Posterior urethra primary realignment (PUPR) after complete transection may decrease the gap between the ends of the transected urethra, tamponade the retropubic bleeding, and optimize urinary drainage without the need of suprapubic catheter facilitating concurrent pelvic orthopedic and trauma procedures. Historically, the distorted anatomy after pelvic trauma has been a major surgical challenge. The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship of the severity of the pelvic fracture to the success of endoscopic and immediate PUPR following complete posterior urethral disruption using the Young-Burgess classification system. METHODS A review of our Level I trauma center database for patients diagnosed with pelvic fracture and complete posterior urethral disruption from January 2005 to April 2012 was performed. Pelvic fracture severity was categorized according to the Young-Burgees classification system. Management consisted of suprapubic catheter insertion at diagnosis followed by early urethral realignment when the patient was clinically stable. Failure of realignment was defined as inability to achieve urethral continuity with Foley catheterization. Clinical follow-up consisted of radiologic, pressure studies and cystoscopic evaluation. RESULTS A total of 481 patients with pelvic trauma from our trauma registry were screened initially, and 18 (3.7%) were diagnosed with a complete posterior urethral disruption. A total of 15 primary realignments (83.3%) were performed all within 5 days of trauma. The success rate of early realignment was 100%. There was no correlation between the type of pelvic ring fracture and the success of PUPR. Postoperatively, 8 patients (53.3%) developed urethral strictures, 3 patients (20.0%) developed incontinence, and 7 patients (46.7%) reported erectile dysfunction after the trauma. The mean follow-up of these patients was 31.8 months. CONCLUSION Endoscopic PUPR may be an effective option for the treatment of complete posterior urethral disruption and enables urinary drainage to best suit the multispecialty surgical team. The success rate of achieving primary realignment did not appear to be related to the complexity and type of pelvic ring fracture. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Epidemiologic study, level III; therapeutic study, level V.
The Spectrum of Malignancy in Craniopharyngioma

Craniopharyngiomas are low-grade epithelial neoplasms occurring almost exclusively in the sellar/suprasellar region. Histologic malignancy is extremely rare; the literature consists mostly of isolated case reports. Herein, we report 3 patients with craniopharyngiomas exhibiting histologic malignancy, 2 of which received radiation therapy before its appearance. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides and selected immunohistochemical stains were reviewed in all cases. Microvessel density analysis was performed in case 2. The patients included 2 men and 1 woman, age 14, 31, and 58 years at presentation, respectively. All patients expired 3 months to 9 years after first resection and 3 to 9 months after identification of histologic malignancy. The latter developed after multiple recurrences and radiation therapy in 2 cases, but seemed to arise de novo in 1 case resembling odontogenic ghost cell carcinoma and lacking any definite low-grade craniopharyngioma precursor. The malignant component of the other 2 cases resembled squamous cell carcinoma and low-grade myoepithelial carcinoma, respectively. The MIB-1 labeling index was markedly increased in the malignant component in comparison with the low-grade precursor. Malignant transformation in craniopharyngiomas, although rare, does exist. It assumes varied histologic appearances, usually after multiple recurrences and radiation therapy, and has a near uniformly fatal outcome. De novo malignancy in odontogenic tumors of the sella is even more unusual, but also has an ominous prognosis.
Quantification of the infectious dose of Leishmania major transmitted to the skin by single sand flies

Leishmaniasis is transmitted between mammalian hosts by the bites of bloodsucking vector sand flies. The dose of parasites transmitted to the mammalian host has never been directly determined. We developed a real-time PCR-based method to determine the number of Leishmania major parasites inoculated into the ears of living mice during feeding by individual infected flies (Phlebotomus duboscqi). The number of parasites transmitted varied over a wide range in the 58 ears in which Leishmania were detected and demonstrated a clear bimodal distribution. Most of the infected mice were inoculated with a low dose of <600 parasites. One in four received a higher dose of >1,000 and up to 100,000 cells. High-dose transmission was associated with a heavy midgut infection of >30,000 parasites, incomplete blood feeding, and transmission of a high percentage of the parasite load in the fly. To test the impact of inoculum size on infection outcome, we compared representative high- (5,000) and low- (100) dose intradermal needle infections in the ears of C57BL/6 mice. To mimic natural transmission, we used sand fly-derived metacyclic forms of L. major and preexposed the injection site to the bites of uninfected flies. Large lesions developed rapidly in the ears of mice receiving the high-dose inoculum. The low dose resulted in only minor pathology but a higher parasite titer in the chronic phase, and it established the host as an efficient long-term reservoir of infection back to vector sand flies.
The down-modulation of receptors for phorbol ester tumor promoter in primary epidermal cells.

The specific (20-/sup 3/H)phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate ((/sup 3/H)PDBu) binding to intact epidermal cells displayed the phenomenon of down-modulation, i.e., the specific binding of (/sup 3/H)PDBu to its receptors on primary epidermal cells reached a maximum within 1 h and steadily declined thereafter. The apparent down-modulation of radiolabel resulted from a partial loss in the total number of receptors; the affinity of receptors for the ligand was essentially unchanged. A number of agents such as chloroquine, methylamine, or arginine which are known to prevent clustering, down-modulation, and/or internalization of several hormone receptors did not affect the down-modulation of phorbol ester receptors. Furthermore, cycloheximide had no effect either on down-modulation or on the binding capacity of cells. The surface binding capacity of down-modulated cells following a 90-min incubation with unlabeled ligand was almost returned to normal within 1 h. The effect of the antidepressant drug chlorpromazine, which is known to interact with calmodulin, on (/sup 3/H)PDBu binding was also investigated. Our data indicate that the effect of chlorpromazine on (/sup 3/H)PDBu binding is probably unrelated to its calmodulin-binding activity.