Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pancytopenia – Diagnosis on Bone Marrow Aspiration

Introduction – pancytopenia is a descriptive term referring to a reduction in all three blood cell lineage: erythrocytes, leukocytes & platelets. Pancytopenia can result from diverse mechanisms, as pancytopenia can be associated with a decrease in hematopoietic cell production in the bone marrow secondary to toxins, medications, or infection. In such cases, the bone marrow appears hypoplastic. In other situations, the marrow may appear normocellular or even hypercellular. Aims: To study the clinical presentations in pancytopenia due to various causes; and to evaluate hematological parameters, including bone marrow aspiration. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective study, and 52 pancytopenic patients were evaluated, along with hematological parameters and bone marrow aspiration during the period of 2 years, from July 2013 to Sept 2015, at Hematology Unit, Department of Pathology. Results: Among 52 cases studied, age of patients ranged from 03 to 70 years, and male predominance. The commonest physical finding was pallor, followed by fever and weakness. Bone marrow aspiration was conclusive in all cases. The commonest marrow finding was hypocellularity with aplastic anemia. The commonest cause for pancytopenia was aplastic anemia(38.5%) followed by myelodysplastic syndrome(11.5%) & megaloblastic anemia(9.6%). Conclusion: The detailed primary hematological investigations along with bone marrow aspiration in pancytopenic patients are helpful for understanding disease process and to diagnose or to rule out the causes of pancytopenia. These are also helpful in planning further investigations and management.
Comparison of short and long arm plaster casts for displaced fractures in the distal third of the forearm in children.

BACKGROUND Various methods of cast immobilization have been recommended for the treatment of distal forearm fractures in children. The purpose of this study was to determine if short arm casts are as effective as long arm casts in the treatment of displaced fractures of the distal third of the forearm in these patients. METHODS In a prospective randomized trial, consecutive patients, four years of age or older, who presented to The Women's and Children's Hospital of Buffalo with a displaced fracture of the distal third of the forearm were randomized to treatment with a short or long arm plaster cast. Radiographs were analyzed for displacement, angulation, and deviation at the time of injury, after reduction, and at subsequent follow-up intervals. The cast index at the fracture level, used to assess the quality of the cast molding, was determined from the postreduction radiographs. Changes between postreduction and final values for displacement, angulation, and deviation; the ranges of motion of both wrists and elbows; the need for physical therapy; and responses to a questionnaire used to evaluate the effects of the cast on activities of daily living were compared between the groups. RESULTS One hundred and thirteen of the 151 patients who were assessed for eligibility were analyzed. The follow-up rate was 92%, and the average duration of follow-up was eight months. Sixty long arm casts and fifty-three short arm casts were used. There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to patient demographics, initial fracture characteristics, mechanism of injury, cast index, or the change in displacement, angulation, or deviation during treatment. The fractures that lost reduction in the cast had significantly higher cast indices, indicating poor cast-molding. A comparison of partially and completely displaced fractures revealed no difference between the groups with regard to the change between the postreduction and final amount of displacement. Patients treated with a short arm cast missed fewer school days and were less likely to require assistance with various activities of daily living. CONCLUSIONS A well-molded short arm cast can be used as effectively as a long arm cast to treat fractures of the distal third of the forearm in children four years of age and older, and they interfere less with daily activities.
Does Risk Aversion Cause Overbidding? New Experimental Evidence from First Price Sealed Bid Auctions

Bidding above the risk-neutral Nash Equilibrium in first price sealed bid auctions has traditionally been ascribed to risk aversion. Recent studies, however, offer other explanations and argue that risk aversion plays no or only a minor role. So far, no study has shown a causal relationship between risk aversion and overbidding. We implement a new experimental design which directly tests this relationship by controlling for the distribution of risk attitudes in auction markets. We find a causal relationship between our measure of risk aversion and overbidding. This result is robust to learning effects and the inclusion of feedback.
Anaerobic Oxidation of Toluene, Phenol, and p-Cresol by the Dissimilatory Iron-Reducing Organism, GS-15

The dissimilatory Fe(III) reducer, GS-15, is the first microorganism known to couple the oxidation of aromatic compounds to the reduction of Fe(III) and the first example of a pure culture of any kind known to anaerobically oxidize an aromatic hydrocarbon, toluene. In this study, the metabolism of toluene, phenol, and p-cresol by GS-15 was investigated in more detail. GS-15 grew in an anaerobic medium with toluene as the sole electron donor and Fe(III) oxide as the electron acceptor. Growth coincided with Fe(III) reduction. [ring-14C]toluene was oxidized to 14CO2, and the stoichiometry of 14CO2 production and Fe(III) reduction indicated that GS-15 completely oxidized toluene to carbon dioxide with Fe(III) as the electron acceptor. Magnetite was the primary iron end product during toluene oxidation. Phenol and p-cresol were also completely oxidized to carbon dioxide with Fe(III) as the sole electron acceptor, and GS-15 could obtain energy to support growth by oxidizing either of these compounds as the sole electron donor. p-Hydroxybenzoate was a transitory extracellular intermediate of phenol and p-cresol metabolism but not of toluene metabolism. GS-15 oxidized potential aromatic intermediates in the oxidation of toluene (benzylalcohol and benzaldehyde) and p-cresol (p-hydroxybenzylalcohol and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde). The metabolism described here provides a model for how aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols may be oxidized with the reduction of Fe(III) in contaminated aquifers and petroleum-containing sediments.
THE EFFECTS OF ABSENCE ON PRIMARY SCHOOL PERFORMANCE.

Summary. Detailed absence records are available for 3,273 primary school children from the National Survey of Health and Development. They are grouped in seven categories, according to the history of school attendances between 6 1/2 and 10 1/2 years. In the upper middle classes the eleven-year mental ability and school performance test scores are unaffected by the amount of absence and by the age distribution of the absences. In all other social classes, considerable effects are recorded, children who are consistently absent or who are often absent in the last two years at primary school making low scores at eleven, and showing a relative deterioration in score between 8 and 11 years. On the whole, children who are often away in the first two years but make good attendances in the subsequent years catch up, but not if they come from the lower manual working class or go to primary schools that have a poor academic record. Even after allowing for the influence of absence on test performance, the children who are often absent get fewer grammar school places than expected; this is particularly noticeable for the manual working class children.
Risk Factors Associated with Colonization by Pneumococci with Reduced Susceptibility to Fluoroquinolones in Adult Outpatients

ABSTRACT We developed a case-control study in order to identify risk factors associated with pharyngeal colonization by Streptococcus pneumoniae with reduced susceptibility to fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin MIC, ≥4 μg/ml). A total of 400 patients were studied for colonization by quinolone-nonsusceptible S. pneumoniae (QNSP) isolates and risk factors for this colonization. Isolate susceptibility was determined by the agar dilution method. Forty patients were colonized by QNSP (case patients), and 360 patients were not colonized by QNSP (control patients). The MIC range of ciprofloxacin for QNSP isolates was 4 to 8 μg/ml. No isolates were resistant to levofloxacin and moxifloxacin. Risk factors significantly associated with QNSP colonization, according to univariate analysis, were recent hospitalizations (odds ratio [OR], 3.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6 to 7.2; P < 0.01) and prior exposure to fluoroquinolones (OR, 6.04; 95% CI, 3.0 to 12.0; P < 0.01). Other factors such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 1.94; 95% CI; 0.7 to 5.0), prior exposure to penicillins (OR, 1,68; 95% CI, 0.8 to 3.3) and prior exposure to macrolides (OR 2; 95% CI, 0.6 to 6.2) were more frequent among patients colonized with QNSP, but there was no statistical significance. Multivariate analysis showed that exposure to fluoroquinolones was the only independent factor associated with colonization by QNSP (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.8 to 9.4; P < 0.01). Throat colonization by QNSP is becoming frequent, though most of these isolates (all the isolates in this case) remain susceptible to newer fluoroquinolones. Previous treatment with fluoroquinolones seems to be the main risk factor associated with colonization by QNSP.
Defining success in clinical trials of diabetic foot wounds: the Los Angeles DFCon consensus

Regulatory requirements for new products should be guided by clinical trials that protect the public by a thorough evaluation of safety and efficacy, while not creating unnecessary barriers to their development and ultimate approval. While healing a wound is the ultimate goal of treating an individual with a diabetic foot ulcer, achieving this goal is physiologically complex requiring the initiation and interaction of many events and therefore unlikely to be achieved by one compound. We believe that developing new, more meaningful, study outcomes or end points in wound care trials would both aid in determining the true efficacy of wound management modalities and facilitate the product development cycle. The primary guidance from the US Food and Drug Administration to industry in this field was published in 2006. This document, while helpful and largely in concert with current knowledge of wound healing, needs to be substantially improved. We therefore convened an interdisciplinary task force comprising experts in various aspects of wound care to attempt to achieve consensus in defining primary outcomes and potential secondary endpoints for various classes of wound‐healing modalities.
Substitution of cardiac troponin C into rabbit muscle does not alter the length dependence of Ca2+ sensitivity of tension.

1. The isometric length‐tension relationship for cardiac muscle is generally steeper than for skeletal muscle in the physiological range of sarcomere lengths. Recent studies suggest that cardiac troponin C (cTnC) may have intrinsic properties that confer greater length‐dependent changes in Ca2+ sensitivity of tension than for skeletal troponin C (sTnC). We tested this hypothesis by characterizing tension‐pCa (pCa is ‐log[Ca2+]) relationships in rabbit skinned psoas muscle fibres at mean sarcomere lengths of 2.32 and 1.87 microns both before and after partial replacement of endogenous sTnC with cTnC. 2. In untreated control fibres, the mid‐point (pCa50) of the tension‐pCa relationship shifted to lower pCa by 0.15 +/‐ 0.02 pCa units, i.e. became less sensitive to Ca2+, when sarcomere length was reduced, and the relationship became steeper. 3. Partial extraction of endogenous sTnC and reconstitution with cTnC resulted in no change in the length‐dependent shift of pCa50 when reconstitution with cTnC was more than 95% complete; however, when reconstitution was less than 95% complete, there were significant increases in the length‐dependent shift in pCa50. 4. An increase in the length‐dependent shift of pCa50 was also observed in fibres from which sTnC was partially extracted, but no cTnC was subsequently re‐added. 5. We conclude that differences in type of TnC alone are not sufficient to explain differences between skeletal and cardiac muscles in the length dependence of Ca2+ sensitivity of tension.
Yes‐associated protein 1 promotes the differentiation and mineralization of cementoblast

Yes‐associated protein 1 (YAP1) transcriptional coactivator is a mediator of mechanosensitive signaling. Cementum, which covers the tooth root surface, continuously senses external mechanical stimulation. Cementoblasts are responsible for the mineralization and maturation of the cementum. However, the effect of YAP1 on cementoblast differentiation remains largely unknown. In this study, we initially demonstrated that YAP1 overexpression enhanced the mineralization ability of cementoblasts. YAP1 upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of several cementogenesis markers, such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteocalcin (OCN), and dentin matrix acidic phosphoprotein 1 (DMP1). The YAP1 overexpression group showed higher intensities of ALP and Alizarin red stain than the YAP1‐knockdown group. Unexpectedly, a sharp increase in the expression of dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) was induced by the overexpression of YAP1. Knockdown of YAP1 suppressed DSPP transcriptional activity. YAP1 overexpression activated Smad‐dependent BMP signaling and slightly inhibited Erk1/2 signaling pathway activity. Treatment with specific BMP antagonist (LDN193189) prevented the upregulation of the mRNA levels of ALP, RUNX2, and OCN, as well as intensity of ALP‐stained and mineralized nodules in cementoblasts. The Erk1/2 signaling pathway inhibitor (PD 98,059) upregulated these cementogenesis markers. Thus, our study suggested that YAP1 enhanced cementoblast mineralization in vitro. YAP1 exerted its effect on the cementoblast partly by regulating the Smad‐dependent BMP and Erk1/2 signaling pathways.
A methodology for the interpretation of ground conditions from borehole information

Geotechnical design requires the interpretation of the information obtained from a site investigation. One aspect of the interpretation is the identification of the ground conditions across the site, based on observations at discrete points, such as boreholes. If a computer system is to assist in this process it must be able to compare soils observed at two or more locations, in order to identify whether the soils observed belong to the same horizon. A methodology has been developed whereby the similarity of two soils can be calculated, based on engineering soil descriptions. The qualitative terms are converted into quantitative representations from which a Similarity Number can be derived. Individual Similarity Numbers can be calculated with respect to soil type, consistency, structure and colour. These are normalised to give values between 0 and 100 (with 100 indicating identical features) and combined using appropriate weighting factors to give an Overall Similarity Number which represents a comparison based on these features. Using die quantitative representation of the soil descriptions, a preliminary assessment of the ground conditions can be made. The correlation of the borehole information is approached at two levels. At the site-wide level, an attempt is made to identify marker beds, that is soil layers which 'stand out' from the general ground conditions. A search for possible marker beds is first made at each borehole. The search is then extended to pairs of boreholes and further, the continuity of marker beds is established inside triangles which are formed having the boreholes as vertices. Where continuous layers are observed within triangles, the dip angle and dip orientation are calculated, to form the geometrical parameters on which preliminary conclusions are based. Compatibility (or not) of these parameters between neighbouring triangles is the key factor for assessing continuity of the marker beds. Finally, the detailed ground conditions are examined on a borehole-to-borehole level. At this level, a set of hypotheses about the ground conditions is constructed by looking at pairs of adjacent boreholes. Hence, a set of hypotheses is produced, even for areas for which the site-wide level approach is unable to establish trends.
Human plasma metabolomics in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Purpose To differentiate the plasma metabolomic profile of patients with age related macular degeneration (AMD) from that of controls, by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Methods Two cohorts (total of 396 subjects) representative of central Portugal and Boston, USA phenotypes were studied. For each cohort, subjects were grouped according to AMD stage (early, intermediate and late). Multivariate analysis of plasma NMR spectra was performed, followed by signal integration and univariate analysis. Results Small changes were detected in the levels of some amino acids, organic acids, dimethyl sulfone and specific lipid moieties, thus providing some biochemical information on the disease. The possible confounding effects of gender, smoking history and age were assessed in each cohort and found to be minimal when compared to that of the disease. A similar observation was noted in relation to age-related comorbidities. Furthermore, partially distinct putative AMD metabolite fingerprints were noted for the two cohorts studied, reflecting the importance of nutritional and other lifestyle habits in determining AMD metabolic response and potential biomarker fingerprints. Notably, some of the metabolite changes detected were noted as potentially differentiating controls from patients diagnosed with early AMD. Conclusion For the first time, this study showed metabolite changes in the plasma of patients with AMD as compared to controls, using NMR. Geographical origins were seen to affect AMD patients´ metabolic profile and some metabolites were found to be valuable in potentially differentiating controls from early stage AMD patients. Metabolomics has the potential of identifying biomarkers for AMD, and further work in this area is warranted.
Effect of Prostaglandin Inhibition on the Renal Vascular Response to Ionic and Non-Ionic Contrast Media in the Dog

In an attempt to study the role of prostaglandins in the renal vascular response to contrast media in mongrel dogs, renal arterial injections of 6 ml of either the non-ionic contrast medium Iopamidol or the ionic medium diatrizoate meglumine/Na+ were performed, before and after intravenous injection of a buffered solution of acetylsalicylic acid (10 mg/kg) (ASA). Renal blood flow was recorded using non-occluding electromagnetic flow probes. The resting renal blood flow was significantly reduced after ASA. The usual biphasic response to contrast injection was observed both before and after ASA, and using either contrast medium. Analysis of the results failed to show any difference in degree of vasodilation or vasoconstriction after ASA. We conclude that prostaglandins may affect the resting level of renal blood flow but are not mediators of the instantaneous changes in response to contrast injection.
Extracting the roots of Arabic words without removing affixes

Most research in Arabic roots extraction focuses on removing affixes from Arabic words. This process adds processing overhead and may remove non-affix letters, which leads to the extraction of incorrect roots. This paper advises a new approach to dealing with this issue by introducing a new algorithm for extracting Arabic words’ roots. The proposed algorithm, which is called the Word Substring Stemming Algorithm, does not remove affixes during the extraction process. Rather, it is based on producing the set of all substrings of an Arabic word, and uses the Arabic roots file, the Arabic patterns file and a concrete set of rules to extract correct roots from substrings. The experiments have shown that the proposed approach is competitive and its accuracy is 83.9%, Furthermore, its accuracy can be enhanced more in the sense that, for about 9.9% of the tested words, the WSS algorithm retrieves two candidates (in most cases) for the correct root.
Cost‐effectiveness of sofosbuvir‐based triple therapy for untreated patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C

We assessed the cost‐effectiveness of sofosbuvir (SOF)‐based triple therapy (TT) compared with boceprevir (BOC)‐ and telaprevir (TVR)‐based TT in untreated genotype 1 (G1) chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients discriminated according to IL28B genotype, severity of liver fibrosis, and G1 subtype. The available published literature provided the data source. The target population was made up of untreated Caucasian patients, aged 50 years, with G1CHC and these were evaluated over a lifetime horizon by Markov model. The study was carried out from the perspective of the Italian National Health Service. Outcomes included discounted costs (in euros at 2013 value), life‐years gained (LYG), quality‐adjusted life year (QALY), and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER). Cost of SOF was assumed to be €3,500 per week, i.e., the price generating a willingness‐to‐pay threshold of €25,000 per LYG compared with TVR in the entire population of untreated G1 patients. The robustness of the results was evaluated by one‐way deterministic and multivariate probabilistic sensitivity analyses. SOF was cost‐effective compared with BOC in all strategies with the exception of cirrhosis and IL28B CC patients. In comparison with TVR‐based strategies, SOF was cost‐effective in IL28B CT/TT (ICER per LYG €22,229) and G1a (€19,359) patients, not cost‐effective in IL28B CC (€45,330), fibrosis F0‐F3 (€26,444), and in cirrhosis (€34,906) patients, and dominated in G1b patients. The models were sensitive to SOF prices and to likelihood of sustained virological response. Conclusion: In untreated G1 CHC patients, SOF‐based TT may be a cost‐effective alternative to first‐generation protease inhibitors depending on pricing. The cost‐effectiveness of SOF improved in IL28B CT/TT and G1a patients. SOF was dominated by TVR in G1b patients even if, in clinical practice, this issue could be counterbalanced by the good tolerability profile of SOF and by the shorter treatment duration. (Hepatology 2014;59:1692–1705)
Optimal Harvest Moisture Contents for Maximizing Milling Quality of Long- and Medium-Grain Rice Cultivars

The objective of this study was to determine the harvest moisture contents (HMCs) at which rice milling quality peaked for various rice lots. Multiple samples per field of cultivars Bengal, Cypress, and Drew were harvested at northeast and southeast Arkansas locations in 1999 and 2000. Additional field sample sets of multiple cultivars were collected in 2004, 2005, and 2006 at various locations in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Missouri. Head rice yields (HRYs) were described by a quadratic equation with HMC as the independent variable. Peak HRYs varied from 63.8% to 70.6%. Optimal HMCs, determined as the MC at which HRY peaked, varied from 18.7% to 23.5% for long-grain cultivars and 21.5% to 24.0% for medium-grain Bengal. The general range of optimal HMCs was 19% to 22% for long-grains and 22% to 24% for medium-grain Bengal. For rice lots with HMCs less than the optimal HMC, the amount of HRY reduction from peak values was strongly correlated to the percentage of fissured kernels at harvest; fissured kernel percentage accounted for 77% of the variation in HRY reduction from peak HRYs.