Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tubular proteinuria in acute kidney injury: a critical evaluation of current status and future promise

The diagnosis and prognosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) by current clinical means is inadequate. Biomarkers of kidney injury that are easily measured and unaffected by physiological variables could revolutionize the management of AKI. Our objective was to systematically review the diagnostic and prognostic utility of urine and serum biomarkers of AKI in humans. We searched MEDLINE, PubMed and EMBASE databases (January 2000–August 2009) for biomarker studies that could be classified into the following categories: (a) confirmation of the diagnosis of established AKI, (b) early prediction of AKI, and (c) prognostication of AKI. We identified 54 manuscripts published since 2000 that met our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Urinary interleukin-18 (IL-18), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG) are potentially useful biomarkers for the diagnosis of established AKI. Urinary NGAL, IL-18, and liver-type fatty acid binding protein, and serum NGAL and cystatin C represent the most promising biomarkers for early prediction of AKI. Urinary cystatin C, α1-microglobulin, NAG and retinol-binding protein may be useful to predict severity and outcomes of AKI. In conclusion, we identified several studies of promising biomarkers for the diagnosis, prediction and prognostication of AKI. However, we note several limitations, including small sample sizes, inadequate gold standard, exclusion of patients with chronic kidney disease, incomplete statistical analyses, utilization of research-based assays and a paucity of studies examining prediction for clinical outcomes. Future studies will need to address these limitations in order for further progress to be made.
Isolation and characterization of the mannose receptor from human liver potentially involved in the plasma clearance of tissue‐type plasminogen activator

Various studies have shown that mannose receptors rapidly eliminate glycoproteins and microorganisms bearing high mannose–type carbohydrate chains from the blood circulation. The purpose of this study was to characterize the mannose receptor in the liver, which in vivo is involved in the rapid clearance of tissue‐type plasminogen activator from the circulation.
Demographics of animal bite victims & management practices in a tertiary care institute in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Background & objectives: Rabies is an important public health problem worldwide and more than 55,000 people die annually of the disease. The King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, is a tertiary referral centre where a rabies clinic runs 24 hours. In view of lack of information about the demographics of the disease in an urban environment the present study was carried out. Methods: Data on 1000 consecutive animal bite victims presenting to the institute in 2010 were collected over a 15 wk period. An electronic database was specially created for capturing information and was modelled on the information available from the WHO expert consultation on rabies, 2005. Economic burden from the patients’ perspective was calculated using both direct and indirect costs. Results: The victims were largely males (771 subjects). The dog was the major biting animal (891, 89.1%). Bites were mainly of Category III (783, 78.3%). One twenty three subjects used indigenous treatments only for local wound care. Of the Category III bites, only 21 of 783 (2.7%) patients were prescribed human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) which was primarily for severe bites or bites close to or on the face. A total of 318 patients did not complete the full Essen regime of the vaccine. The median cost to the patient per bite was 220 (3.5 USD). Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings showed that the use of HRIG was low with less than 2 per cent of the Category III patients being prescribed it. As vaccine and HRIG continue to remain expensive, the intradermal vaccine, shorter regimes like the Zagreb regime and monoclonal antibodies may offer safer and cost-effective options in the future. Further studies need to be done in different parts of the country.
Changes in Nine Enzyme Markers for Neurons, Glia, and Endothelial Cells in Agonal State and Huntington's Disease Caudate Nucleus

Abstract: Enzymes considered to be markers for neurons (angiotensin converting enzyme, thermolysin‐like metal‐loendopeptidase, alanine aminopeptidase, and glutamate‐oxaloacetate transaminase), glia (glutamine synthetase, pyruvate carboxylase, and β‐glucuronidase), and endothelial cells (alkaline phosphatase and plasminogen activator) were measured in caudate nucleus from 10 sudden death controls, eight agonal state controls, and 16 Huntington's disease patients. Glutamate‐oxaloacetate transaminase was slightly reduced by agonal state. The four enzymes with a neuronal distribution were all correlatively reduced in Huntington's disease caudate nucleus. Glutamine synthetase activity was reduced and β‐glucuronidase mean activity increased over twofold in Huntington's disease caudate nucleus, with the two enzyme activities being inversely related. Pyruvate carboxylase was markedly affected by agonal state and was very variable in Huntington's disease caudate nucleus. The two endothelial enzymes were unaltered in Huntington's disease caudate nucleus. The findings are indicative of neuronal loss, an increased proportion of altered glia, and also of maintained vasculature in Huntington's disease caudate nucleus. Measurement of enzyme activities can help to delineate the types of cell altered in Huntington's disease.
Comparison of Application Systems for Autologous Serum Eye Drops

Abstract Purpose: Autologous serum eye drops are used for therapy of severe ocular surface disorders by patients with visual and manual impairments. Until recently, they were prepared under sterile conditions from open blood sampling systems. Closed blood donation systems simplify production. This study compares handling and costs of a new day dosage vial (“Meise-vial”) and a single-dose tube system (“Maco-tube”) based on closed production systems with conventional dropper bottles. Methods: Nonimpaired volunteers and patients with visual or manual impairment (n = 10 each group) single-handedly tested the applicators filled with 1.5 ml sterile isotonic saline solution. Participants rated convenience of opening the containers and applying eye drops on a scale from 1.0 (very good) to 6.0 (very bad). Number of retrievable drops was counted. Participants were asked which system they prefer, both with and without knowledge of the price for the systems. Results: The median for convenience of opening (eye drop application) was 2.0 (1.0) for Meise-vials, 5.0 (4.0) for Maco-tubes, and 2.0 (2.0) for dropper bottles (p < 0.001). Median number of drops retrieved from the systems was 30.5 (vials), 2 (tubes), and 30 (bottles). Ranking did not differ between nonimpaired and impaired participants. Assuming equal prices, 16 participants chose Meise-vials, 14 dropper bottles, and no tubes. With knowledge of pricing, preference changed (p = 0.001), 20 participants (67%) opted for dropper bottles and 5 (17%) preferred the other containers. Conclusion: Convenience of opening, applying eye drops, and number of drops retrieved was substantially better for dropper bottles and Meise-vials compared with Maco-tubes. Bottles and vials were equally well received. With regard to price, nonimpaired as well as impaired participants preferred dropper bottles. While closed systems simplify production, patients preferred dropper bottles for daily application of autologous serum eye drops for a number of reasons.
O SIGNIFICADO DO TRABALHO PARA OS DOCENTES DE UMA IFES: UM CONTRIBUTO À ÁREA DE GESTÃO DE PESSOAS

Conhecer os significados do trabalho para os diferentes grupos funcionais, constitui-se, ainda na atualidade, em verdadeiro desafio aos gestores, principalmente em momentos que ocorrem mudancas no contexto do trabalho. Esta e a situacao vivenciada pelos docentes de instituicoes publicas federais, mediante as politicas que vem sendo implementadas no sentido de promocao do acesso ao ensino superior. Diante deste cenario, este estudo inicial busca analisar o significado que os docentes de uma IFES atribuem aos seus trabalhos, ja que tais modificacoes apresentam potencial de impactar significativamente em suas atividades. Tratase de uma pesquisa exploratoria, de cunho qualitativo, caracterizada como um estudo de caso. Para coleta de dados utilizou-se entrevistas semi-estruturadas aplicadas a docentes que atuam junto a instituicao pesquisada. Pode-se verificar que o trabalho apresenta forte relacao com a identidade dos mesmos, sendo fonte geradora de orgulho e status. Percebeu-se, tambem, a forte associacao atribuida entre trabalho e vida. Espera-se, assim, subsidiar o desenvolvimento de novas politicas voltadas a gestao de pessoas, ja que o sentido atribuido ao trabalho e capaz de afetar as crencas sobre o que e legitimo e o que se pode tolerar do trabalho (MOW, 1987).
Automated glaucoma diagnosis using deep learning approach

Glaucoma is one of the common causes of blindness worldwide. It leads to deterioration in vision and quality of life if it is not cured early. This paper addresses the feasibility of developing an automatic feature learning technique for detecting glaucoma in colored retinal fundus images using a deep learning method. A fully automated system based on convolutional neural network (CNN) is developed to distinguish between normal and glaucomatous patterns for diagnostic decisions. Unlike traditional methods where the optic disc features are handcrafted, the features are extracted automatically from the raw images by CNN and fed to the SVM classifier to classify the images into normal or abnormal. We demonstrate an accuracy, specificity and sensitivity of 88.2%, 90.8%, and 85%, respectively which compared favorably to the-state-of-the-art but at considerably lower computational cost. The obtained preliminary results clearly demonstrate that the proposed deep learning method is promising in automatic diagnosis of glaucoma.
Doppler tomography and photometry of the cataclysmic variable 1RXS J064434.5+334451

We have obtained simultaneous photometric and spectroscopic observations of the cataclysmic variable 1RXS J064434.5+334451. We have calibrated the spectra for slit losses using simultaneous photometry, allowing us to construct reliable Doppler images from H? and He? ii 4686-A emission lines. We have improved the ephemeris of the object based on new photometric eclipse timings, obtaining HJD = 245? 3403.759? 533 + 0.269? 374? 46E. Some eclipses present a clear internal structure, which we attribute to a central He? ii emission region surrounding the white dwarf, a finding supported by Doppler tomography. This indicates that the system has a large inclination angle i = 78 ± 2°. We have also analysed the radial velocity curve from the emission lines to measure its semi-amplitude, K1, from H? and He? ii 4686 and derive the masses of the components M1 = 0.82 ± 0.06 M? , M2 = 0.78 ± 0.04 M? and their separation a = 2.01 ± 0.06 R? The Doppler tomography and other observed features in this nova-like system strongly suggest that this is a SW Sex type system.
Studies of Germfree Animals I. Response of Mice to Infection With Influenza A Virus.∗

Summary Germfree mice were found to be more susceptible than conventional mice to mouse-adapted influenza A strain PR8, although the difference in susceptibility is small. Work with more precise dosage methods is indicated to ascertain the nature of the difference. At 21 days after infection, the predominant leukocytic response in GF lungs was lymphocytic infiltration, while conventional mice responded with lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and macro-phages. Gamma2 globulin was not detected by IE prior to infection either in GF mice or in 20 of 23 GF mice at 3 weeks after infection. HI antibody was not detected in GF mice before and after infection, but was detected in conventional mice after infection. Addendum. Since the submission of this paper, we have been able to elicit HI antibody production in germfree mice after intra-peritoneal inoculation of five LD50 of live PR8 virus.
A murine model of neurofibromatosis type 1 tibial pseudarthrosis featuring proliferative fibrous tissue and osteoclast‐like cells

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common genetic condition caused by mutations in the NF1 gene. Patients often suffer from tissue‐specific lesions associated with local double‐inactivation of NF1. In this study, we generated a novel fracture model to investigate the mechanism underlying congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia (CPT) associated with NF1. We used a Cre‐expressing adenovirus (AdCre) to inactivate Nf1 in vitro in cultured osteoprogenitors and osteoblasts, and in vivo in the fracture callus of Nf1flox/flox and Nf1flox/− mice. The effects of the presence of Nf1null cells were extensively examined. Cultured Nf1null‐committed osteoprogenitors from neonatal calvaria failed to differentiate and express mature osteoblastic markers, even with recombinant bone morphogenetic protein‐2 (rhBMP‐2) treatment. Similarly, Nf1null‐inducible osteoprogenitors obtained from Nf1 MyoDnull mouse muscle were also unresponsive to rhBMP‐2. In both closed and open fracture models in Nf1flox/flox and Nf1flox/− mice, local AdCre injection significantly impaired bone healing, with fracture union being <50% that of wild type controls. No significant difference was seen between Nf1flox/flox and Nf1flox/− mice. Histological analyses showed invasion of the Nf1null fractures by fibrous and highly proliferative tissue. Mean amounts of fibrous tissue were increased upward of 10‐fold in Nf1null fractures and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) staining in closed fractures showed increased numbers of proliferating cells. In Nf1null fractures, tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase–positive (TRAP+) cells were frequently observed within the fibrous tissue, not lining a bone surface. In summary, we report that local Nf1 deletion in a fracture callus is sufficient to impair bony union and recapitulate histological features of clinical CPT. Cell culture findings support the concept that Nf1 double inactivation impairs early osteoblastic differentiation. This model provides valuable insight into the pathobiology of the disease, and will be helpful for trialing therapeutic compounds. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
High-frequency ultrasound of skin involvement in systemic sclerosis reflects oedema, extension and severity in early disease.

OBJECTIVE The aim was to compare skin assessment by palpation and by high-frequency ultrasound in patients with SSc with disease duration <2 yrs. METHODS Skin thickness and skin echogenicity were measured by 20 MHz ultrasound at five different anatomical sites in 106 individuals within 2 yrs from the first non-Raynaud's symptom and compared with the modified Rodnan skin score (mRss). RESULTS The patients with short disease duration were characterized by high skin thickness and low skin echogenicity, which correlated inversely, reflecting oedema. Patients with diffuse skin involvement displayed higher skin thickness and lower skin echogenicity than did patients with limited skin involvement. The ultrasound measurements correlated to the local mRss from the corresponding anatomical region and also to the total mRss. However, there was a considerable overlap in both skin thickness and skin echogenicity between different local mRss at all five anatomical sites. Skin involvement of the chest could be detected earlier by ultrasound than by palpation. CONCLUSION In SSc patients with short disease duration, high-frequency ultrasound can identify the oedematous phase that may precede palpable skin involvement and may thus be useful to identify patients with diffuse skin involvement very early in the disease process. Ultrasound measurements also reflect the severity of the overall skin involvement.
Interferon production by human mononuclear leukocytes: differences between respiratory syncytial virus and influenza viruses

The ability of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to induce interferon production by human mononuclear leukocytes was compared with that of influenza viruses. Cell culture fluids were assayed for interferon activity 1, 3 and 7 days after exposure to RSV or to one of two subtypes of influenza A virus (H0N1 and H3N2). RSV induced interferon production inconsistently and in low titers. Varying the multiplicity of infection did not improve the ability of RSV to induce interferon production. In contrast, influenza viruses were effective inducers of interferon production. Seropositivity to the influenza virus strains was not associated with increased interferon titers. Interferon produced after exposure to RSV or to the influenza viruses was resistant to low pH treatment. The data suggest that interferon production may not be a major component of human immunological defense against RSV infection.
Impact of hypertension on mortality and cardiovascular disease burden in patients with cardiovascular risk factors from a general practice setting: the ESCARVAL-risk study

Objective: To estimate the attributable risk associated to hypertension for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular hospitalization endpoints in a prospective study of patients with at least one cardiovascular risk factors participating in the Estudio Cardiovascular Valencia-risk project, we also evaluated the attributable risk associated with other risk factors and risk factor clustering. Methods: Prospective electronic health recording-based study in a Mediterranean population that included 52 007 cardiovascular disease-free men and women aged 30 years or older (mean age 62.6 year) with hypertension (79.0%), diabetes mellitus (37.3%), or dyslipidemia (88.2%), who underwent routine health examinations. All-cause mortality and hospitalization records for coronary heart disease (CHD) or stroke were collected. Results: During an average follow-up time of 3.2 years, 928 deaths and 1682 and 1529 hospitalizations for CHD and stroke, respectively, were recorded. In both men and women, hypertension significantly increased the multiadjusted rates of death and CHD and stroke hospitalizations. Hypertension was associated with a substantial amount of avoidable deaths both in men and women, population attributable risks were 41.81 (95% confidence interval 28.02, 53.24)% and 37.84 (5.74, 61.51)%, respectively. Similarly, the population attributable risk of hospitalization for CHD and stroke associated to hypertension was among the highest in both the sexes as compared with the impact of the other main cardiovascular risk factors. Increasing cardiovascular risk factors clustering was associated with increasing burden of disease. Conclusion: Our results highlight the relevance of hypertension as main risk factor for mortality and cardiovascular events in a real-life setting. Although our data support the ongoing need of cardiovascular risk factors prevention, intensified actions for primary prevention of hypertension show potential to largely reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.
Parenting and Cortisol in Infancy Interactively Predict Conduct Problems and Callous-Unemotional Behaviors in Childhood.

This study examines observed maternal sensitivity, harsh-intrusion, and mental-state talk in infancy as predictors of conduct problems (CP) and callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors in middle childhood, as well as the extent to which infants' resting cortisol and cortisol reactivity moderate these associations. Using data from the Family Life Project (n = 1,292), results indicate that maternal sensitivity at 6 months predicts fewer CP at first grade, but only for infants who demonstrate high levels of cortisol reactivity. Maternal harsh intrusion predicts fewer empathic-prosocial behaviors, a component of CU behaviors, but only for infants who demonstrate high resting cortisol. Findings are discussed in the context of diathesis-stress and differential susceptibility models.
The Persistence Scale for Online Education: Development of a psychometric tool

Despite the popularity of online education, lack of persistence and attrition are problems faced by many colleges. Although multiple studies have been published about the best teaching methods for the online education environment, little is known about how to identify the student who is at risk of dropping from an online course. The lack of persistence has been identified as an important factor that leads to attrition among online nursing students worldwide The objective of this research was to psychometrically test the Persistence Scale for Online Education (PSOE). The PSOE was specifically developed to measure the ability of the online nursing student to persist and complete an online program. The specific aims of this study were to obtain sufficient and appropriate data to determine the psychometric properties of this new instrument. The sample included nursing students (n=101) from two Midwestern universities enrolled in an online course. This cross-sectional study used a convenience sample. Data was collected using SurveyMonkey tm , a web-based format that provides response confidentiality. Results of a concept analysis on persistence were used to develop four constructs hypothesized to serve as attributes and antecedents to persistence. Items within the PSOE were developed from this analysis; thus, the PSOE uses four constructs to describe online
Dysregulation of the polymorphonuclear leukocyte–Candida spp. interaction in HIV-positive patients

Objective:In HIV-infected patients there is an increased frequency of fungal infections. Dysregulation of the response of phagocytic cells to fungal pathogens may be involved. Design:Phagocytosis of Candida spp. , consecutive intracellular production of reactive oxygen species, and candicidal activity were analysed in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PML) from HIV-1 -infected patients, who were at stage C3 of the 1993 revised Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classification system, by means of flow cytometry. Methods:Phagocytic ability was assessed by measuring uptake of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled Candida albicans, C. Krusei and C. glabrata. Reactive oxygen intermediate production was estimated by the quantity of dihydrorhodamine-123 converted to rhodamine-123 intracellularly. The candicidal effect was assessed by the propidium iodide uptake of killed yeast cells. Results:As compared to PML of healthy, HIV-negative controls, PML of AIDS patients exhibited an increased phagocytic activity and a similar ability to generate reactive oxygen products. In contrast, PML of AIDS patients displayed a decreased candicidal activity (P < 0.05 compared to controls). Conclusion:These results suggest that in patients with advanced HIV-1 infection the impairment of non-oxidative killing mechanisms of phagocytic cells may contribute to the high incidence of fungal infections.