Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cervical nitric oxide release and persistence of high‐risk human papillomavirus in women

Nitric oxide may serve as one cofactor for human papillomavirus (HPV)‐induced development of cervical cancer. Therefore, we first assessed the levels of cervical fluid nitric oxide metabolite (NOx) in 283 women with and without high‐risk (hr) HPV. The NOx level in women with hr HPV (48.4 μmol/L [95% CI: 39.4–56.6], n = 199) was higher (p < 0.001) than that in women without hr HPV (24.6 μmol/L [95% CI: 19.1–38.7], n = 84). Second, we evaluated if cervical fluid NOx levels could predict the persistence of hr HPV. Therefore, we followed up 113 women with detectable hr HPV without any treatment for 12 mo and repeated hr HPV test. High‐risk HPV persisted in 72 women (64%) and disappeared in 41 women (36%). The median basal levels of NOx were higher (p = 0.02) in women with persistent hr HPV (56.9 μmol/L [95% CI: 48.7–81.0]) compared to those with eradicated hr HPV (37.7 μmol/L [95% CI: 27.0–58.0]). The NOx level higher than the 75th percentile (>87.0 μmol/L) predicted hr HPV persistence (OR = 4.1 [95% CI: 1.3–13.1]). This cutoff level of NOx showed 33% sensitivity and 90% specificity in predicting the persistence of hr HPV, but it failed to predict cytological progression or regression in 12 mo. In conclusion, high cervical fluid NOx appears to be connected to the persistence of hr HPV, but the low predictive capacity of NOx prevents its clinical use at this phase.
Potato stillage and sugar beet molasses as a substrate for production of lactic acid and probiotic biomass

Distillery stillage is abundant industrial waste with a great potential for utilization as a substrate in production of valuable bio-based products. Processing of distillery stillage on cost effective way can significantly decrease the price of bioethanol as alternative fuel and provide a considerable benefit to the environment. In this paper, combined potato stillage and sugar beet molasses substrate is evaluated for integrated lactic acid and probiotic biomass production by Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 7469. Waste substrate based on potato stillage and sugar beet molasses enabled lactic acid and biomass production with maximal volumetric lactic acid productivity of 1.11 g L-1 h-1 and maximal number of viable L. rhamnosus ATCC 7469 cells of 1.1×109 CFU mL-1. Residue after removal of lactic acid could be recommended as probiotics and betaine-enriched animal feed.
Validation of the manual inclinometer and flexicurve for the measurement of thoracic kyphosis

ABSTRACT Introduction: Physiotherapists commonly use the manual inclinometer and Flexicurve for the clinical measurement of thoracic spinal posture. The aim of this study is to examine the concurrent validity of the Flexicurve and manual inclinometer in relation to the radiographic Cobb angle for the measurement of thoracic kyphosis. Methods: Eleven subjects (seven males, four females) underwent a sagittal plane spinal radiograph. Immediately following the radiograph, a physiotherapist measured thoracic kyphosis using the Flexicurve and manual inclinometer before the subjects moved from position. Cobb angles were subsequently measured from the radiographs by an independent examiner. Results: A strong correlation was demonstrated between both the Cobb angle and the Flexicurve angle (r = 0.96) and the Cobb angle and the manual inclinometer angle (r = 0.86). On observation of the Bland–Altman plots, the inclinometer showed good agreement with the Cobb angle (mean difference 4.8 ° ± 8.9 °). However, the Flexicurve angle was systematically smaller than the Cobb angle (mean difference 20.3 ° ± 6.1 °), which reduces its validity. Conclusion: The manual inclinometer is recommended as a valid instrument for measuring thoracic kyphosis, with good agreement with the gold standard. While the Flexicurve is highly correlated to the gold standard, they have poor agreement. Therefore, physiotherapists should take caution when interpreting its results.
The enhanced performance of combined multicarrier and CDMA techniques in multipath fading channels

The enhanced performance of combined multicarrier and code division multiple-access techniques in multipath fading mobile communication channels is investigated in this paper. In particular, computer simulation is used for the comparison between three multiuser multicarrier CDMA modulation techniques, including OFDM, multicarrier code division multiple-access (MC-CDMA) and multicarrier-direct sequence (MC-DS-CDMA). The point of comparison, here, is the performance of these different schemes in the presence of a Rayleigh fading channel. Both slow and fast fading is considered in the simulations. It is required to investigate which system gives the best performance if different path channels with different values for the Doppler shift are taken into consideration. The paper also includes a detailed review of the three considered systems and their properties, advantages and limitations as well as a description of the fading channel model.
Outcomes following the implantation of cardioverter-defibrillator for primary prevention in transposition of the great arteries after intra-atrial baffle repair: a single-centre experience.

AIMS Patients with D-loop transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA) status post intra-atrial baffling are at an increased risk for sudden cardiac arrest. The benefit of primary implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation in these patients is questionable due to high burden of adverse events. We aimed to evaluate the incidence and causes of all types of device shocks, as well as of device-related complications among patients with D-TGA implanted with ICDs for primary prevention. METHODS AND RESULTS Retrospective analysis of all patients with D-TGA who underwent atrial switch procedure and ICD implantation for primary prevention. Eighteen patients (83% males) were identified. Average age at atrial switch was 2.5 years (range 0.1-17) and at ICD implantation 26 years (15-41). During a median follow-up of 4 years, 10 patients (55%) received shocks for non-ventricular arrhythmic events, whereas 1 patient was shocked for ventricular tachycardia, for an annual rate of shock delivery of 7.1%. The most common cause for shock delivery was the occurrence of atrial arrhythmias, mostly in the form of atrial flutter. Elevated systemic ventricular end-diastolic pressures were found to be associated with an increased risk for inappropriate shocks. Five patients (28%) required lead extraction and three required generator change due to device recalls during follow-up. CONCLUSION Atrial arrhythmias were the most common cause for ICD shocks in a primary prevention population, while ventricular tachycardia was infrequent. The association between elevated end-diastolic pressures and the occurrence of arrhythmias demonstrates the close mechano-electrical relationship in D-TGA and may be an important predictor of arrhythmic events.
Optimal Referral is Early Referral

The number of patients receiving renal replacement therapy in the United Kingdom is rapidly rising. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem with significant comorbidity and mortality. Several organizational guidelines have been developed in an attempt to identify when appropriate referral to nephrology services should occur; however, many of these guidelines provide conflicting recommendations on referral. Recent surveys suggest that more than 30% of patients with CKD are referred later than is ideal. Late referral of patients with CKD is associated with increased patient morbidity and mortality, increased need for and duration of hospital admission, and increased initial costs of care following commencement of dialysis. Additional benefits of early referral include identifying and treating reversible causes of renal impairment and managing the multiple coexisting conditions associated with CKD. Referral time also affects the choice of treatment modality. Patients and their families should receive sufficient information regarding the nature of their CKD and the options for treatment so that they can make informed decisions concerning their care. Literature addressing when to refer to low-clearance or pre-dialysis clinics is limited. Existing data suggest that such clinics and patient education programs may facilitate improved medical care for patients, greater patient involvement in selection of the mode of dialysis, reduction in the need for “urgent start” dialysis, and improved short-term survival and quality of life after initiation of dialysis. Audit of our pre-dialysis clinic has demonstrated improved patient outcomes, and we view the early-referral service as an essential component of the patient pathway.
What Signals Testis Descent?

Proper migration of the testes, from their original position adjacent to the kidneys to their final location within the scrotum, constitutes a normal and obligatory step of the male sex differentiation process. In humans and other mammals, the developing testis is connected to the abdominal wall by the cranial suspensory ligament and the gubernaculum. A peptide hormone called insulin-like 3 (INSL3) was found to be a master regulator of gonadal positioning in mammals by controlling gubernacular growth [1], but key questions remained. How does INSL3 do it? What pathways are activated by this hormone? In this issue of Biology of Reproduction , Johnson et al. [2] have achieved an important advance in our understandings of testis descent by identifying several pathways activated by INSL3 in the gubernaculum.
Interneurons, GABA currents, and subunit composition of the GABAA receptor in type I and type II cortical dysplasia

Interneurons, γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptor density, and subunit composition determine inhibitory function in pyramidal neurons and control excitability in cortex. Abnormalities in GABAergic cells or GABAA receptors could contribute to seizures in malformations of cortical development. Herein we review data obtained in resected cortex from pediatric epilepsy surgery patients with type I and type II cortical dysplasia (CD) and non‐CD pathologies. Our studies found fewer interneurons immunolabeled for glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) in type II CD, whereas there were no changes in tissue from type I CD. GAD‐labeled neurons had larger somata, and GABA transporter (VGAT and GAT1) staining showed a dense plexus surrounding cytomegalic neurons in type II CD. Functionally, neurons from type I CD tissue showed GABA currents with increased half maximal effective concentration compared to cells from the other groups. In type II CD, cytomegalic pyramidal neurons showed alterations in GABA currents, decreased sensitivity to zolpidem and zinc, and increased sensitivity to bretazenil. In addition, pyramidal neurons from type II CD displayed higher frequency of spontaneous inhibitory post synaptic currents. The GABAergic system is therefore, altered differently in cortex from type I and type II CD patients. Alterations in zolpidem, zinc, and bretazenil sensitivity and spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) suggest that type II CD neurons have altered GABAA receptor subunit composition and receive dense GABA inputs. These findings support the hypothesis that patients with type I and type II CD will respond differently to GABA receptor–mediated antiepileptic drugs and that cytomegalic neurons have features similar to immature neurons.
Scarf osteotomy or Mau osteotomy for correction of moderate to severe hallux valgus deformity: a prospective, randomized study

Objective. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological results of Mau osteotomy and Scarf osteotomy with a modified McBride procedure to patients with moderate to severe hallux valgus deformity. Methods. The study included 40 feet which patients were separated into 2 groups followed up for 5 months. Scarf osteotomy was applied to 20 patients including 16 females and 4 males (Scarf group)) and a Mau osteotomy to 20 patients including 17 females and 3 males (Mau group). Radiological measurements were taken preoperative, postoperative and at the final follow-up examination of the hallux valgus angle (HVA), intermetatarsal angle (IMA), distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA), metatarsocuneiform angle (MCA), the 1 st metatarsophalangeal joint congruity, 1 st metatarsal length, fibular sesamoid subluxation rate. Clinical evaluation was made according to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) and the severity of pain was assessed with the visual analog scale (VAS). Results. There was n o difference between the groups in term of the mean HVA, IMA, MCA and DMAA values in preoperative and postoperative measurements. A significant improvement was determined in all the angle values in Scarf and Mau group ( p < 0.001). A significant increase in DMAA and shortening in the metatarsal length were determined in Mau group compared to Scarf group ( p < 0.001). An improvement in joint congruity was seen in the goups ( p < 0.001). There was a significant improvement in term of the AOFAS and VAS values in the groups ( p < 0.001). Conclusion. Scarf and Mau osteotomies can provide the desired level of improvement in the short-term follow-up results of moderate to severe hallux valgus deformity, taking into consideration the clinical importance that complications are not formed.
Longitudinal Field Test Assessment in a Basque Soccer Youth Academy: A Multilevel Modeling Framework to Partition Effects of Maturation

Abstract The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of age on short-term performance indicators applying multilevel regression modeling, and whether changes induced by age were affected by maturation. The study applied a mixed longitudinal approach with 8 measurement points over a period of 4 years. Anthropometry, predicted adult stature, countermovement jump, 15-m sprint and agility test from 38 under-11 young soccer players were considered. Early maturing players were 3% taller compared to late maturers. A substantial effect of age was present in all performance indicators (P<0.05). Parameters showed improvements in performance, even when accounting for interindividual variation in somatic maturity. Vertical jump tended to be stable in early maturers during the first year, presenting an exponential increase thereafter (16%, P<0.05). Additionally, early maturing boys had lower vertical jump scores but a substantial higher rate of development with age (3% per year). Performance tends to plateau during the first 3 years following the improvements in agility (9.1%, P<0.05). In the running tests, early maturers had better performances (19%, P<0.05), while a higher rate of improvement of 1% was observed for the late maturers. Young soccer players should be expected to have substantial improvements in short-term performance, influenced by independent variation between players in maturity status.
[Symptomatic low-energy shockwave therapy in heel pain and radiologically detected plantar heel spur].

QUESTION The long-term analgetic effect of low-energetic shock-wave therapy in heel spur for two different numbers of applicated impulses is investigated. METHODS 50 patients with recalcitrant heel pain and a plantar calcaneal spur on the X-ray received in a controlled, prospective and randomized study low-energetic extracorporal shock-wave-therapy. The first group received 3 x 500 impulses and the second group 3 x 100 impulses of 0.08 mJ/mm2 with an experimental device. The follow-up was 1 1/2, 3 and by telephone after 12 months. RESULTS There was clear improvement and relief of pain in both groups on manual pressure and while walking and an increase of the pain-free walking ability from 10 minutes before the treatment to 2 and 3 hours respectively after 12 months. We saw a significantly better results after the treatment with 3 x 500 impulses. CONCLUSION The extracorporal shock-wave therapy is an effective treatment in refractory heel pain. An amount of at least 3 x 500 impulses in the low energetic treatment is useful.
Assessing the Viral Fitness of Oseltamivir-Resistant Influenza Viruses in Ferrets, Using a Competitive-Mixtures Model

ABSTRACT To determine the relative fitness of oseltamivir-resistant strains compared to susceptible wild-type viruses, we combined mathematical modeling and statistical techniques with a novel in vivo “competitive-mixtures” experimental model. Ferrets were coinfected with either pure populations (100% susceptible wild-type or 100% oseltamivir-resistant mutant virus) or mixed populations of wild-type and oseltamivir-resistant influenza viruses (80%:20%, 50%:50%, and 20%:80%) at equivalent infectivity titers, and the changes in the relative proportions of those two viruses were monitored over the course of the infection during within-host and over host-to-host transmission events in a ferret contact model. Coinfection of ferrets with mixtures of an oseltamivir-resistant R292K mutant A(H3N2) virus and a R292 oseltamivir-susceptible wild-type virus demonstrated that the R292K mutant virus was rapidly outgrown by the R292 wild-type virus in artificially infected donor ferrets and did not transmit to any of the recipient ferrets. The competitive-mixtures model was also used to investigate the fitness of the seasonal A(H1N1) oseltamivir-resistant H274Y mutant and showed that within infected ferrets the H274Y mutant virus was marginally outgrown by the wild-type strain but demonstrated equivalent transmissibility between ferrets. This novel in vivo experimental method and accompanying mathematical analysis provide greater insight into the relative fitness, both within the host and between hosts, of two different influenza virus strains compared to more traditional methods that infect ferrets with only pure populations of viruses. Our statistical inferences are essential for the development of the next generation of mathematical models of the emergence and spread of oseltamivir-resistant influenza in human populations.
A Manic Depressive Psychotic with a Persistent Forty-eight Hour Cycle

Richter (1960) reviewing knowledge about biological “clocks” in medicine and psychiatry, emphasized the incidence of 48-hour cycles of physical and mental symptoms. He considers that the mental symptoms are not specific and can be manic depressive or schizophrenic. Menninger-Lerchenthal (1960), in his book on periodicity in psychopathology, devoted a section to 48-hour rhythms and lists references to 48-hour cycles in the literature.
Heterogeneity and Phenotypic Instability of Chemotherapeutic and Immunologic Sensitivity in Murine and Human Melanoma Cell Clones

The aim of the present study was to examine the phenotypic heterogeneity of murine and human melanoma cell lines with particular reference to anticancer drug sensitivity, growth pattern and susceptibility to lysis by lymphokine (rIL2) activated killer (LAK cells). Clones selected for a different drug sensitivity were tested to evaluate the stability of such properties after different in vitro passages. A possible relationship between drug sensitivity and LAK susceptibility was also analyzed. The results indicated a high heterogeneity in murine and in human melanoma clones for all the parameters. However, drug sensitivity, which was stable although for only a few passages in an untreated human melanoma, was highly unstable in murine naturally or drug-induced resistant cells. Finally, whereas human drug-resistant clones were sensitive to lysis by LAK cells and an inverse correlation was found with the level of drug resistance, murine clones appeared to be LAK sensitive, and no correlation was found between the level of drug resistance and LAK sensitivity. Our data indicate a different stability in drug response of human and murine cells and a different behaviour of human and murine drug-resistant cells in response to LAK lysis.
Hyalinizing Trabecular Adenoma of the Thyroid. Report of two Cases, with Cytologic, Immunohistochemical and Ultrastructural Studies

The cytologic, histologic, immunocytochemical and ultra-structural features of 2 cases of hyalinizing trabecular adenoma (HTA) of the thyroid are described. The difficulty of a cytologic diagnosis and the need for an immunohistochemical profile of the lesions for a final histologic diagnosis are emphasized.
Concurrent versus sequential chemotherapy with hypofractionated radiotherapy in patients with inoperable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

The previous individual studies of chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LANSCLC) showed that sequential or concurrent chemotherapy with hypofractionated radiotherapy had obtained favorable survival and acceptable toxicity. However, which treatment scheme has superior therapeutic effects for inoperable LA-NSCLC is inconclusive. The aim of this study was to compare concurrent (concurrent arm) versus sequential chemotherapy (sequential arm) with hypofractionated radiotherapy in the treatment of inoperable LANSCLC by pooling data. Relevant studies were identified through searching PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases till July, 2016. Odds ratio (OR) or risk ratio (RR) with its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as pooled statistics for all analyses. The analysis was conducted based on the data from 3 studies with 370 patients. The pooled data showed that 1-year OS was OR=1.64, 95% CI: 1.03-2.61, P=0.037, whereas the combined results for 3-year OS was not improved in concurrent arm compared to sequential arm [OR=0.72, 95% CI: 0.42-1.24, P=0.235]. There was no significant difference of 1-year PFS [OR=1.16, 95% CI: 0.72-1.84, P=0.542] and 3-year PFS [OR=1.09, 95% CI: 0.48-2.50, P=0.833] between these arms. Moreover, no significant difference was found regarding Grade ≥3 late adverse events [RR=1.16, 95% CI: 0.78-1.74, P=0.454]. Our study demonstrated that concurrent arm was not significantly better than sequential arm in clinical outcomes. However, concurrent chemotherapy with hypofractionated radiotherapy had a tendency to improve survival and the late adverse events could be tolerated.
Thermodynamic linkage between the binding of protons and inhibitors to HIV‐1 protease

The aspartyl dyad of free HIV‐1 protease has apparent pKas of ∼3 and ∼6, but recent NMR studies indicate that the aspartyl dyad is fixed in the doubly protonated form over a wide pH range when cyclic urea inhibitors are bound, and in the monoprotonated form when the inhibitor KNI‐272 is bound. We present computations and measurements related to these changes in protonation and to the thermodynamic linkage between protonation and inhibition. The Poisson‐Boltzmann model of electrostatics is used to compute the apparent pKas of the aspartyl dyad in the free enzyme and in complexes with four different inhibitors. The calculations are done with two parameter sets. One assigns ϵ = 4 to the solute interior and uses a detailed model of ionization; the other uses ϵ = 20 for the solute interior and a simplified representation of ionization. For the free enzyme, both parameter sets agree well with previously measured apparent pKas of ∼3 and ∼6. However, the calculations with an internal dielectric constant of 4 reproduce the large pKa shifts upon binding of inhibitors, but the calculations with an internal dielectric constant of 20 do not. This observation has implications for the accurate calculation of pKas in complex protein environments.