Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the European Society of Cardiology 0-Hour/1-Hour Algorithm to Rule-Out and Rule-In Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: The new European Society of Cardiology guidelines to rule-in and rule-out acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the emergency department include a rapid assessment algorithm based on high-sensitivity cardiac troponin and sampling at 0 and 1 hour. Emergency department physicians require high sensitivity to confidently rule-out AMI, whereas cardiologists aim to minimize false-positive results. Methods: High-sensitivity troponin I and T assays were used to measure troponin concentrations in patients presenting with chest-pain symptoms and being investigated for possible acute coronary syndrome at hospitals in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. AMI outcomes were independently adjudicated by at least 2 physicians. The European Society of Cardiology algorithm performance with each assay was assessed by the sensitivity and proportion with AMI ruled out and the positive predictive value and proportion ruled-in. Results: There were 2222 patients with serial high-sensitivity troponin T and high-sensitivity troponin I measurements. The high-sensitivity troponin T algorithm ruled out 1425 (64.1%) with a sensitivity of 97.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 94.0%–98.8%) and ruled-in 292 (13.1%) with a positive predictive value of 63.4% (95% CI, 57.5%–68.9%). The high-sensitivity troponin I algorithm ruled out 1205 (54.2%) with a sensitivity of 98.8% (95% CI, 96.4%–99.7%)) and ruled-in 310 (14.0%) with a positive predictive value of 68.1% (95% CI, 62.6%–73.2%). Conclusions: The sensitivity of the European Society of Cardiology rapid assessment 0-/1-hour algorithm to rule-out AMI with high-sensitivity troponin may be insufficient for some emergency department physicians to confidently send patients home. These algorithms may prove useful to identify patients requiring expedited management. However, the positive predictive value was modest for both algorithms.
The Use of Heparin during Endovascular Peripheral Arterial Interventions: A Synopsis

A large variety exists for many aspects of the use of heparin as periprocedural prophylactic antithrombotics (PPAT) during peripheral arterial interventions (PAI). This variation is present, not only within countries, but also between them. Due to a lack of (robust) data, no systematic review on the use of heparin during PAI could be justified. A synopsis of all available literature on heparin during PAI describes that heparin is used on technical equipment to reduce the thrombogenicity and in the flushing solution with saline. Heparin could have a cumulative anticoagulant effect when used in combination with ionic contrast medium. No level-1 evidence exists on the use of heparin. A measurement of actual anticoagulation status by means of an activated clotting time should be mandatory.
Recombinant polypeptide from the endonuclease region of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome retrovirus polymerase (pol) gene detects serum antibodies in most infected individuals

Sera from the majority of individuals that were positive in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) retrovirus (ARV), an isolate of the for antibodies to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-associated retrovirus (ARV), an isolate of the retrovirus identified as the etiologic agent of AIDS, were found to react with a 31,000-dalton protein (p31) in virus Western blot assays. To determine if this 31,000-dalton immunoreactive species originated from the putative endonuclease region of the polymerase (pol) gene of ARV, we cloned this portion of pol into bacterial expression vectors for direct expression and for expression as a fusion protein with human superoxide dismutase. Transformants from both constructions expressed immunoreactive protein detected in immunoblots with an AIDS patient's serum. Extracts from transformants expressing these sequences competed with the binding of antibodies from AIDS patients' sera to the 31,000-dalton protein in virus immunoblots, confirming that viral p31 originated from the endonuclease domain of the ARV polymerase gene. The superoxide dismutase-p31 fusion protein was purified, and an ELISA for detecting antibodies to p31 was developed. The majority (95%) of serum samples obtained from individuals seropositive in the virus ELISA were also positive in the p31 antibody ELISA.
Autologous heterotopic transplantation of intact rabbit ovary after frozen banking at -196 degrees C.

OBJECTIVE To determine the efficiency of intact ovary after cryopreservation and transplantation in a rabbit model for limited longevity by revascularization ischemia after implantation of frozen-thawed ovarian tissue. Transplantation of an intact frozen ovary with microvascular anastomos has been shown to be feasible with modern cryobiology and microsurgery. DESIGN Animal study. SETTING University-based teaching hospital. ANIMAL(S) Twelve 5-month-old mature female New Zealand White rabbits. INTERVENTION(S) After bilateral oophorectomy with one ovary saved as a control in formalin-fixed and hematoxylin and eosin-stained paraffin sections, the contralateral intact ovary was used for autologous heterotopic transplantation after freezing and thawing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Density of primordial follicles 6 months after transplantation was measured. Hormone levels and vaginal cytology were followed throughout the oophorectomy and transplantation period. RESULT(S) Ten of 12 rabbits had restored ovarian function 1 week after transplantation of their intact cryopreserved ovary. At the 6-month posttransplantation follow-up, mean primordial follicle density was statistically significantly lower in the experimental than in the control ovaries (13.99 +/- 3.21 vs. 18.68 +/- 3.86 per high-power field). The remaining two rabbits, which had cracked mesentery fat adjacent to the ovary after thawing, never regained ovarian function. CONCLUSION(S) With microsurgery, cryopreservation of an intact rabbit ovary followed by autologous transplantation may overcome revascularization-associated ischemia to save primordial follicles and attain reasonable graft longevity.
Immunochemical and molecular characterization of milk allergens

Cow’s milk contains about 30-35 g of proteins (CMP) per 1. The action of an enzyme, chymosin (rennin), or the acidification of the milk to pH 4.6 enables two fractions to be obtained: lactoserum (whey), which contains about 20% of the proteins, and coagulum (curd), which contains the caseins accounting for about 80% of the milk proteins. Whey contains essentially globular proteins. The major ones, i.e., P-lactoglobulin and a-lactalbumin, are directly synthesized in the mammary gland, while others, such as bovine serum albumin, come from the blood. The casein fraction comprises four proteins coded by different genes carried on the same chromosome: asl-, asz-, 0-, and K-caseins. They form ordered aggregates: micelles in which their proportion is relatively constant at about 37%, 37%, 13%, and 13%, respectively, of the protein content of the whole-casein fraction. They have little primary structure homology. However, the four caseins display common features; e.g., a dipolar-type structure with amphipathic properties. They are phosphorylated proteins, with a loose tertiary, highly hydrated structure, very susceptible to all proteinases and exopeptidases, and are therefore considered poorly immunogenic (3). It has classically been accepted that, in CMA, the major allergen is p-lactoglobulin. However, this view has now been completely undermined, and sensitivities to the various CMP have been proved J. M. Wal
The index of tourist satisfaction with Lithuania

Abstract During the past decades, tourism has become one of the fastest growing areas in the service sector in the world. If the aspiration is to develop a well-organised tourism industry, then fulfilment of tourist needs and wishes should be achieved. The most common technique for identifying the compatibility between tourist needs and the experience with tourism destination is tourist satisfaction measurement. Lithuania is a small country in the northern part of Central/ Eastern Europe; the country is rarely considered as an independent tourist destination, but mostly as one of the Baltic States. Foreign tourist satisfaction is very important for the country. Considering the necessity to excel in the region, the aim of the research is to develop the index of tourist satisfaction of Lithuania. The previously elaborated model of Lithuanian tourist satisfaction index is used as a background. The index of tourist satisfaction of Lithuania is constructed by the following stages: 1. A questionnaire research with foreign tourists, based on a theoretical model of Lithuanian Tourist Satisfaction Index, is provided; 2. The impact of model’s variables on tourist satisfaction with Lithuania is determined; 3. The main variables having an impact on foreign tourist satisfaction with Lithuania are determined; and a general model of the index of tourist satisfaction of Lithuania is composed.
Regulation of receptor internalization by the major histocompatibility complex class I molecule.

We showed previously that peptides derived from the alpha 1 domain of the major histocompatibility complex class I protein (MHC-I) inhibit internalization of some receptors, thereby increasing the steady-state number of active receptors on the cell surface. In consequence, sensitivity to hormone (e.g., insulin) is enhanced, transport (e.g., of glucose by GLUT-4) is increased, and carrier proteins (e.g., transferrin) operate less efficiently. Now we report that a bioactive peptide (but not closely related inactive ones) binds to MHC-I on the cell surface, not in the groove but apparently to the alpha 1 helix. The binding is saturable, and the number of peptide binding sites on the cell surface approximately equals the number of MHC-I molecules. Antibodies to MHC-I inhibit peptide binding. Most significant, antibodies to MHC-I mimic the effect of a bioactive peptide, inhibiting receptor internalization. These results indicate that MHC-I participates in the regulation of cell surface receptor activity.
The role of transrectal ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of prostate cancer: Sextant versus extended protocol

Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare the prostate cancer detection rates of sextant and extended transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) protocols. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study of 96 patients investigated for prostate cancer. An extended 10-aspiration TRUS-guided FNAB using a 22G Echotip Chiba needle was performed. Inclusion criteria included the presence of one or more of the following: Abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE) findings, persistently elevated prostate specific antigen, and abnormal prostatic imaging. A set of traditional sextant aspirations were carried out as well as four laterally guided aspirations taken from the middle base of the peripheral zone on either side. The cancer detection rates of sextant and extended (combination of sextant and lateral) FNAB protocols were determined and compared. The value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The overall cancer detection rate was 24%. Benign cases were reported in 71.8% of patients and 4.2% reported as suspicious. Of the 23 patients' aspirations positive for malignancy, 16 (69.6%) were detectable by the sextant protocol while the lateral protocol detected 21 (91.3%). Two cancers were detected by the sextant protocol only (where the lateral technique was negative for malignancy), 7 cancers were detected by the lateral protocol only while 14 cancers were positive in both the sextant and lateral protocols. The extended protocol showed a statistically significant 30.4% increase in cancer detection over the traditional sextant (P = 0.007). Conclusion: The extended protocol rather than the sextant protocol should be offered to patients who require FNAB of the prostate as the optimum FNAB protocol.
Casein Kinase 1γ1 Inhibits the RIG-I/TLR Signaling Pathway through Phosphorylating p65 and Promoting Its Degradation

The casein kinase 1 (CK1) plays an important role in various biological processes by phosphorylating its target proteins. In this study, we demonstrate that CK1γ1 inhibits RNA virus–mediated activation of retinoic acid–inducible gene I (RIG-I) signaling by affecting the stability of NF-κB subunit p65. First, we found that ectopic expression of CK1γ1 inhibits RIG-I pathway–mediated activation of IFN-β, whereas knockdown of CK1γ1 potentiates the activation of IFN-β and NF-κB induced by Sendai virus (SeV). We then revealed that CK1γ1 interacts with p65 and specifically enhances its phosphorylation at Ser536 induced by SeV. By using an in vitro kinase assay, we confirmed that CK1γ1 can phosphorylate p65 at Ser536. We also showed that the kinase dead mutants CK1γ1K73A and CK1γ1N169A did not inhibit SeV-induced activation of IFN-β and NF-κB, suggesting that the kinase activity of CK1γ1 is critical for its inhibitory effect on RIG-I signaling. Additionally, we found that CK1γ1 also has the similar effect on TLR signaling. Further analysis indicated that CK1γ1 phosphorylates p65 and consequently promotes its degradation by ubiquitin E3 ligases CUL2 and COMMD1. These results revealed a novel negative regulatory manner of CK1γ1 on innate immune signaling.
Impact of demographic factors, early family relationships and depressive symptomatology in teenage pregnancy.

AIM Teenage pregnancy has been well studied from a demographic risk perspective, but less data examining the early interpersonal family experiences of teenage mothers are available. We aimed to explore the relative impact of demographic, early interpersonal family relationships and depressive symptomatology as associations for teenage, as compared to non-teenage, childbearing. METHOD A prospective cross-sectional cohort study was undertaken. Institutional ethics committee approval and informed consent were obtained. Data from consecutive teenage (teenage) and non-teenage (control) subgroups of antenatal women were compared. Subjects were interviewed and completed the following questionnaires: demographic, drug use and lifestyle; early life experiences; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); and General Health Questionnaire-28. RESULTS In multivariate analysis, the following factors had a significant independent association with younger age of motherhood in order of magnitude: a history of parental separation/divorce in early childhood; exposure to family violence in early childhood; illicit drug use (ever or in pregnancy); idealization of the pregnancy; low family income; a positive HADS-A or HADS-D subscale score; and a low level of education. CONCLUSIONS Interventions to reduce the rate of teenage births need to be multifocal and should include strategies to address early childhood exposure to parental separation and violence, reduce idealization of pregnancy, diagnose psychological symptomatology and offer alternative career choices to children defaulting in the education system.
Technology Requirements and Work Group Communication for Telecommuters

As organizations implement more and more distributed work arrangements such as telecommuting, there is a need to understand the determinants of success of this new work setting. This research investigated three variables believed to impact outcomes in telecommuting: the availability of information system technology, the availability of communication technologies, and the communication patterns of telecommuters within their work groups. Two perspectives are used in this study. The direct effects of these three variables on perceived productivity, performance, and satisfaction were tested. A second perspective, based on the concept of fit and contingency theory, posits that successful telecommuting outcomes, measured by perceived productivity, performance, and satisfaction, are predicted by interactions between these independent variables. The study was conducted by surveying multiple respondents from different organizations who were members of work groups in which some or all employees were telecommuters. The results indicate that technology variables positively impact productivity, performance, and satisfaction of telecommuters, while the interaction between the technology variables is significant in predicting perceived productivity. Work group communication, as measured by the centrality of individuals, negatively affects perceived productivity and performance. The paper presents a discussion of the theoretical significance of these findings, and offers recommendations for future research.
Morphological changes in hind limb muscles elicited by adjuvant‐induced arthritis of the rat knee

We investigated qualitative and quantitative changes in rat hind limb muscles caused by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)‐induced knee joint pain. One week after CFA injection, muscle atrophy was induced only on the CFA‐injected side. Wet weight of the rectus femoris (RF) and soleus (SOL) muscles were significantly decreased by 20% and 19%, respectively. The reduction in cross‐sectional areas by CFA was similar for fast and slow muscle fibers in the RF (10% vs 15%, respectively) and SOL muscles (16% vs 16%, respectively). At the light microscopic level, pathological changes were not found in the RF muscles on both sides, although the infiltration of mononuclear cells and muscle regeneration were found in the SOL muscles on CFA‐injected and contralateral control sides. On the other hand, electron microscopy revealed degenerative changes in the RF and SOL muscles on the CFA‐injected side. Interestingly, sarcomere hypercontraction, indicating overexercise, was observed to a limited extent in the SOL muscles on the control side. In conclusions, knee joint pain can trigger the rapid development of muscle atrophy with degenerative changes not only in thigh but also calf muscles. This indicates that early interventions to inhibit joint pain or inflammation may prevent muscle atrophy.
Intestinal Epithelial‐Mesenchymal Cell Interactions

ABSTRACT: Intestinal morphogenesis, as well as maintenance of the stem cell population and of the steady state between cell proliferation and differentiation, results from controlled cell interactions. There is growing evidence that the mesenchymal cells control epithelial cell behavior via their own expression and induction in the epithelial cells of key regulatory genes. This heterologous cross talk involves basement membrane molecules and paracrine factors. New in vitro/in vivo cellular models allowed us to analyze various mesenchymal cell phenotypes and to show that they exhibit different inductive properties on epithelial cells and that their proliferation and metabolic properties are differentially modulated by cytokines. Finally the epithelial‐mesenchymal unit is controlled by hormonal and exogenous factors.
Mortality Among Workers Monitored for Radiation Exposure at the French Nuclear Fuel Company

ABSTRACT A cohort of 9,285 nuclear workers employed at the French company AREVA NC specializing in the nuclear fuel cycle was established. Vital status, causes of death, employment characteristics and annual exposure to ionizing radiation were reconstructed for each individual over the time period 1977–2004. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were computed using national mortality rates as an external reference. Tests for trends in mortality with duration of employment and cumulative external dose were performed. The all-cause and all-cancer mortality was significantly lower than expected from the French population. No significant excess among cancer sites studied was observed. Significant positive trends with cumulative dose were observed for colon and liver cancer and for respiratory diseases. Isolated significant trends should be carefully interpreted and considered in line with the large number of trend tests performed.
C-methacetin breath test reproducibility study reveals persistent CYP1A2 stimulation on repeat examinations.

AIM To find the most reproducible quantitative parameter of a standard (13)C-methacetin breath test ((13)C-MBT). METHODS Twenty healthy volunteers (10 female, 10 male) underwent the (13)C-MBT after intake of 75 mg (13)C-methacetin p.o. on three occasions. Short- and medium-term reproducibility was assessed with paired examinations taken at an interval of 2 and 18 d (medians), respectively. RESULTS The reproducibility of the 1-h cumulative (13)C recovery (AUC(0-60)), characterized by a coefficient of variation of 10%, appeared to be considerably better than the reproducibility of the maximum momentary (13)C recovery or the time of reaching it. Remarkably, as opposed to the short gap between consecutive examinations, the capacity of the liver to handle (13)C-methacetin increased slightly but statistically significantly when a repeat dose was administered after two to three weeks. Regarding the AUC(0-60), the magnitude of this fixed bias amounted to 7.5%. Neither the time gap between the repeat examinations nor the gender of the subjects affected the (13)C-MBT reproducibility. CONCLUSION (13)C-MBT is most reproducibly quantified by the cumulative (13)C recovery, but the exactitude thereof may be modestly affected by persistent stimulation of CYP1A2 on repeat examinations.
Role of Color in Perception of Attractiveness

In this color study females reported a favorite color significantly more often than males. Males preferred bright colors significantly more than females, with a converse finding for preference for soft colors. The 276 subjects, when asked to evaluate the attractiveness of stimulus models in photographs, gave as the reason color significantly more often than style of clothing or facial expressions. Subjects significantly concurred with expert choices of recommended and nonrecommended colors in five of the six sets of photographs. This study lends credence that wearing recommended colors makes a difference in judgments of what looks best by subjects over the age of 12.
THE DIVIDEND PAYOUT POLICY - A COMPARISON ON MALAYSIAN ISLAMIC AND CONVENTIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

The purpose of this study is to identify the determinants of dividend policy in the Malaysian Financial Institutions by looking at both conventional and Islamic banking sectors. Panel data set was constructed from financial institutions in Malaysia. The results show statistically significant positive relationship between dividend payout and revenue growth for conventional Malaysian Financial Institutions, i.e. conventional banks distribute higher dividends when they record higher profitability. On the other hand, only lagged dividend shows positive significant relationship with dividend payout for Islamic financial institutions in Malaysia. The results suggests that Islamic banks in Malaysia only look to the past dividend payment to determine their future dividend payments. Keyword: Dividend policy, Islamic banking, panel data, Malaysia
Characterizing patients with multiple chromosomal aberrations detected by FISH in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Abstract We analyzed the features of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with multiple abnormalities (MA) detected by FISH. A local database including 2095 CLL cases was used and 323 with MA (15.4%) were selected. MA was defined by the presence of two or more alterations (deletions of 13q14 (13q-), 11q22 (11q-), 17p13 (17p-) or trisomy 12 (+12)). The combination of 13q- with 11q- and 13q- with 17p-, accounted for 58.2% of the series, in contrast to 11q- with 17p- (3.7%). Patients carrying MA since diagnosis presented a short time to first therapy(TTFT) (27 months) and overall survival (OS) (76 months). The combinations including 17p- had a shorter OS (58 months) than the ones without 17p- (not reached, p = .002). Patients with a complex-FISH were the ones with worse OS (34 months). MA imply poor prognosis when they emerge at diagnosis, probably due to the high incidence of bad prognosis markers, which may be a reflection of a more complex karyotype.