Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term Stability of Urinary Biomarkers of Acute Kidney Injury in Children.

BACKGROUND Recent meta-analyses support the utility of urinary biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of acute kidney injury. It is critical to establish optimal sample handling conditions for short-term processing and long-term urinary storage prior to widespread clinical deployment and meaningful use in prospective clinical trials. STUDY DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS 80 children (median age, 1.1 [IQR, 0.5-4.2] years) undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass at our center. 50% of patients had acute kidney injury (defined as ≥50% increase in serum creatinine from baseline). PREDICTORS We tested the effect on biomarker concentrations of short-term urine storage in ambient, refrigerator, and freezer conditions. We also tested the effects of multiple freeze-thaw cycles, as well as prolonged storage for 5 years. OUTCOMES Urine concentrations of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), and interleukin 18 (IL-18). MEASUREMENTS All biomarkers were measured using commercially available kits. RESULTS All 3 biomarkers were stable in urine stored at 4°C for 24 hours, but showed significant degradation (5.6%-10.1% from baseline) when stored at 25°C. All 3 biomarkers showed only a small although significant decrease in concentration (0.77%-2.9% from baseline) after 3 freeze-thaw cycles. Similarly, all 3 biomarkers displayed only a small but significant decrease in concentration (0.84%-3.2%) after storage for 5 years. LIMITATIONS Only the 3 most widely studied biomarkers were tested. Protease inhibitors were not evaluated. CONCLUSIONS Short-term storage of urine samples for measurement of NGAL, KIM-1, and IL-18 may be performed at 4°C for up to 24 hours, but not at room temperature. These urinary biomarkers are stable at -80°C for up to 5 years of storage. Our results are reassuring for the deployment of these assays as biomarkers in clinical practice, as well as in prospective clinical studies requiring long-term urine storage.
Put in the spotlight or largely ignored? Emphasis on the Spitzenkandidaten by political parties in their online campaigns for European elections

ABSTRACT This article contributes to the debate about the introduction of the Spitzenkandidaten (lead candidates) in the 2014 European Parliament (EP) election. Focusing on parties’ efforts to make the candidates visible to voters, we argue that the multi-level character of these elections creates large differences concerning individual parties’ incentives to promote the Spitzenkandidaten in their campaigns. Analysing a novel dataset of campaign communication on Facebook, we find that only a few parties highlighted them, while many did not. In line with our theoretical argument, this variation is systematic and can be attributed to lacking incentives for most parties. Especially nominating a candidate at the European level only has a modest positive effect on national parties’ willingness to put the candidates in the spotlight. This lacking commitment to the nominated candidates should be considered in discussions about the reform of the current Spitzenkandidaten system for the 2019 EP elections.
Sex‐specific effects of gestational and lactational coexposure to lead and cadmium on hepatic phase I and phase II xenobiotic/steroid‐metabolizing enzymes and antioxidant status

Liver has evolved complex enzymatic mechanisms to detoxify a wide array of xenobiotic substances, ranging from dietary components to environmental toxins to pharmaceuticals. Activities of many steroid‐metabolizing enzymes in adult rat liver microsomes are sexually differentiated. Toxic effects of lead and cadmium on hepatic tissue have been well established in our earlier studies. We thus monitored the effects of gestational and lactational coexposure to lead and cadmium on hepatic phase I and phase II xenobiotic‐ and steroid‐metabolizing enzyme activities in both male and female F1 generation postnatal day (PND) 56 rats. Adult pregnant female rats were treated subcutaneously [0.05 mg/(kg body wt. day)] with sodium acetate (control group), lead acetate, and cadmium acetate separately and in combination throughout the gestational and lactational period. Hepatic phase I xenobiotic‐metabolizing enzymes (NADPH‐ and NADH‐cytochrome c reductase) activities significantly decreased significantly in all the metal‐treated groups in both PND 56 male and female rats as compared with the control group. Hepatic phase II enzymes (uridine diphosphate‐glucuronosyl transferase, γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase, glutathione‐S‐transferase, 17‐β‐hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase) were also highly susceptible to all the metal‐treated groups. The observed alterations in the oxidative stress and biochemical parameters in the liver of F1 generation male and female rats resulted from an independent effect of lead and/or cadmium and also from their interaction. Results suggest that early developmental exposure to lead and cadmium both alone and in combination can suppress the hepatic xenobiotic‐metabolizing enzyme activities in the liver of F1 generation male and female rats in a sex‐dependent manner. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 23:419–431, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20305
From reservation to public service provision: impact of reservations for women in government on maternal health

Political reservation for women has been seen to improve different policy outcomes. This paper examines the impact of political reservation for women for the seat of village head and woman’s descriptive representation in the local government on improving provision of and accessing maternal health services. The paper uses the Indian Human development survey collected in 2011 to analyse the research objectives. The paper also make use of qualitative interviews conducted in Assam, India to understand the challenges that female village leaders might face in effectively participating in the decision-making process. This paper is going to depart from the existing literature on three accounts, firstly the paper will focus on actual policy outcomes namely maternal health outcomes, secondly, apart from focussing just on the impact of reservations for the village head position the paper will also be looking at the impact of an increase in women village council members and finally the paper used the Indian Human Development Survey data collected on 2011 to analyse this research topic. The paper finds that women in reserved villages are more likely to get better maternal health care as compared women residing in villages with a male head. Another interesting finding is that villages with a female head who has not been elected on a seat reserved for women outperform villages reserved for women. The paper also observes that an increase in the number of women in the village council either do not impact or negatively impact the provision of or access to maternal health services. The paper concludes that reservation alone cannot impact policy outcomes, it is only when the female policy makers are empowered both by structural and social changes can there be an actual change in maternal health outcomes.
The Sources of Heterogeneity in Firm Performance: Lessons from Italy

An extensive literature documents large and persistent within-industry heterogeneity of firm performance. While some authors explain such evidence in terms of factor misallocation, we provide an alternative framework that is based on the interaction among exogenous and endogenous factors. Exogenous factors, both supply and demand-related, define the opportunity set that is available to firms. Endogenous factors reflect instead firm-specific interpretations of such set, which combined with the available resources and capabilities determine firm’s strategic responses that can be markedly heterogeneous. Whenever the diversity of firm conducts is associated with relatively small profit differentials, firm heterogeneity can persist. Evidence based on the evolution of labour productivity and profit dispersion in the Italian manufacturing sector between the 1990s and early 2000s provides support for our interpretative framework.
Assessment of pelvic fractures resulting from the 2010 Haiti earthquake: Opportunities for improved care

BACKGROUND On January 12, 2010, a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. Because of their sudden and destructive nature, earthquakes can result in unfamiliar mass casualty situations accompanied by devastating orthopedic injuries. Evaluation of the pelvic fractures resulting from this earthquake revealed several factors that we hope will facilitate optimal preparation and planning for future disaster situations. METHODS A cohort of patients with earthquake-related pelvic ring fractures who were treated aboard the USNS Comfort was retrospectively analyzed. Anteroposterior radiographs of the pelvis were evaluated and categorized according to the Young-Burgess classification system. RESULTS Sixty-eight patients were included in the cohort. The mean (SD) age was 29.6 (14.4) years. Nineteen patients (29.7%) were male, and 49 (70.3%) were female. Pelvic fractures were categorized as anteroposterior compression in 7 patients, lateral compression (LC) in 47 patients, vertical shear (VS) in 8 patients, and combination of pelvic ring/acetabulum in 6 patients. Among the 23 patients treated operatively, the mean (SD) delay from injury to surgery was 19.2 (7.4) days. CONCLUSION Patients showed predominance toward LC injuries (69.1%), consistent with crush under rubble. Thirty-one percent of the fractures were considered unstable (anteroposterior compression Type III, LC Type III, VS, and combination of pelvic ring/acetabulum). The VS injuries observed (11.8%) may be the result of a previously unidentified injury mechanism, an upright individual being struck by falling rubble, violently applying a downward force to the body over an extended lower extremity. A substantial delay in the treatment observed in this series may lead to an underestimation of both quantity and severity of pelvic fractures as critically ill patients may have perished before evaluation and treatment. In addition, the application of pelvic sheeting techniques may be a lifesaving intervention for interval pelvic stabilization following earthquakes in which medical resources are scarce. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Epidemiologic study, level III; therapeutic study, level V.
Long-term outcomes for patients with post-liver transplant anastomotic biliary strictures treated by endoscopic stent placement.

BACKGROUND Biliary stricture is one of the most common complications of liver transplantation. A number of treatment options are available, but a standard approach has not been established. METHODS A total of 25 patients with post-liver transplantation anastomotic strictures were treated endoscopically by stent placement. Long-term outcomes (bile duct patency, morbidity, and mortality) were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS Placement of a stent was attempted in 25 patients with anastomotic stricture. Successful stent placement with stricture resolution at the time of stent removal was noted in 22 patients (technical success 88%). In those 22 patients, long-term success (mean follow-up after all stents removed, 54 months) was observed in 20 patients (90%) and partial success in two (10%). Long term, failure did not occur in any patient. There was no procedure- or disease-related mortally. Three mild episodes of cholangitis occurred during the period while the stents were in place, in relation to 79 endoscopic interventions for a procedure-related complication rate of 3.7%. CONCLUSIONS The long-term outcome for patients with post-liver transplantation biliary anastomotic strictures treated with endoscopic stent placement is excellent, with no therapy- or disease-associated mortality and minimal morbidity.
The impact of diastolic dysfunction on the atrial substrate properties and outcome of catheter ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND The presence of diastolic dysfunction increases the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), and might be associated with the left atrial (LA) substrate. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships between the diastolic dysfunction, atrial substrate and outcome of the catheter ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS Eighty-three patients with paroxysmal AF were enrolled. Diastolic dysfunction was defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≥ 50%, and one of the following criteria: (1) a mitral inflow early filling velocity to atrial filling velocity ratio (E/A) of ≤ 0.75; or (2) an E/A ratio of >0.75 and a ratio of the mitral inflow early filling velocity to the velocity of the early medial mitral annular ascent of >10. Patients with diastolic dysfunction were older than those with normal cardiac function. There were no differences in the other baseline characteristics, LA diameter, or LVEF. A decreased LA voltage, and higher recurrence rate were noted in patients with diastolic dysfunction. In the univariate analysis, the patients with recurrence had a lower LA voltage and greater diastolic dysfunction. The multivariate analysis also indicated diastolic dysfunction and LA voltage as independent predictors of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS The patients with diastolic dysfunction developed a different atrial substrate and had a worse outcome of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.
A study of progression in Irish higher education

This report presents empirical evidence relating to the issue of progression through higher education in Ireland. The report is intended as a reference document that will serve to inform policy and the development of interventions to improve rates of completion and graduation. The analysis draws from the Student Record System (SRS) developed in the Higher Education Authority (HEA) over recent years and complements this with Leaving Certificate examination data from the Central Applications Office (CAO) database. The current analysis focuses primarily on the developments in the academic years 2007-08 and 2008-09 between two census dates, 1st March 2008 and 1st March 2009, and specifically on the issue of non-presence rates over that period. Full evaluation of completion rates will become possible as the SRS matures. The report is intended to underpin a constructive and collective engagement with the challenges presented by progression and successful completion of undergraduate studies. The report examines the issue of progression across a range of fields of study, [National Framework of Qualifications] NFQ levels and institutions. Significant attention is paid to the extent to which individual students' characteristics, such as gender, age, socio-economic background and prior educational attainment, have an impact on progression. While the main focus of this report is on new entrants, it also examines progression in the later years of undergraduate programs.
Union Concessions Following Asset Sales and Takeovers

We document that the likelihood of asset sales increases with union presence and union wages. Furthermore, acquiring firms gain significant concessions from the incumbent union following asset sales. Finally, the anticipation of union concessions helps explain the excess stock returns around asset sale announcements. We find no comparable effects for takeovers. We conclude that asset sales, but not takeovers, are partially motivated by the potential to extract concessions from unions.
Blood pressure variability and organ damage.

Several studies have now shown that hypertension-induced end-organ damage is more closely related to 24-h average blood pressure than to clinic measurements. Furthermore, the degree of variability of blood pressure during a 24-h period bears a relation to organ damage that is independent of average blood pressure value. The measurement of blood pressure variability is a complex task, however, because data from automatic ambulatory blood pressure monitoring should be interpreted with caution, especially if the interval between blood pressure measurements is more than 15 min, and different types of blood pressure variability (e.g., short-term and long-term) can make calculation of variability by standard deviation of 24-h blood pressure values difficult, which further complicates measurement procedures and interpretation. Evidence is growing to suggest that blood pressure variability in hypertension is clinically significant. We have recently shown that over a 7.5-year period, end-organ damage is independently related to the initial blood pressure variability. Although information on the effect of antihypertensive treatment on 24-h blood pressure variability is limited, the available data suggest more of an effect on 24-h average blood pressure levels than on 24-h blood pressure changes. Further studies should investigate treatment effects on different types of blood pressure variability and the impact of treatment on patient protection and prognosis.
Congenital Partial Aplasia of the Posterior Arch of the Atlas Causing Myelopathy: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Study Design. A case report of a patient with a congenital anomaly of the posterior arch of the atlas and review of the literature are reported. Objective. To describe a unique presentation of cervical myelopathy caused by a mobile isolated bone fragment in an otherwise healthy young male. The description is supplemented by a video showing the repeated trauma the bone fragment caused to the dorsal spinal cord with neck extension. Summary of Background Data. Congenital anomalies of the posterior arch of C1 are well described and are almost always asymptomatic and found incidentally. Neurologic symptoms, either of a chronic nature or developing acutely following head or neck trauma, have been described in patients with isolated posterior arch tubercles (Types C or D). Methods. A 17-year-old male developed sensory deficit in his distal lower extremities acutely that progressed over several weeks proximally and into his left upper extremity. He also described a Lhermitte sign, only with extension of his neck and an episode of temporary quadriparesis with a minor fall. Plain radiographs and a computed tomography scan of his neck revealed a congenital deformity of the posterior arch of the atlas. Magnetic resonance imaging showed T1 and T2 signal abnormality within the posterior spinal cord at the level of C1 to C2. Results. The patient underwent flexion and extension movements under fluoroscopy, which showed the posterior tubercle moving anteriorly and compressing the spinal cord every time he extended his neck. The fragment was resected, and, intraoperatively, dense fibrous tissue was found to be bridging the bony defect. After surgery, his sensory deficits almost completely resolved, and he no longer had a Lhermitte phenomenon. Conclusion. This case illustrates a symptomatic congenital deformity of the posterior arch of the atlas due to a mobile, isolated fragment. These anomalies are exceedingly rare. To date, only 17 patients, including ours, have been described in the literature as having myelopathy related to an isolated posterior tubercle. Of these, only two patients had documented movement of this tubercle before our report. Recognizing the anomaly is crucial because treatment is relatively simple, produces resolution of symptoms, and prevents major neurologic deficits from occurring after trauma.
The Transcription Factor Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 (IRF1) Plays a Key Role in the Terminal Effector Pathways of Human Preterm Labor1

ABSTRACT Preterm birth is the largest single cause of neonatal death and morbidity. By activating cytokine- and Toll-like receptor (TLR)-signaling pathways, infection and/or inflammation are strongly associated with preterm delivery. Interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF1) is an important regulator of the inflammatory response. The aims of this study were to establish the effect of 1) labor on IRF1 expression in human fetal membranes and myometrium, 2) prolabor mediators on IRF1 expression and activity, and 3) IRF1 small interfering RNA on the expression of prolabor mediators. IRF1 expression was higher in fetal membranes and myometrium after spontaneous term labor and in preterm fetal membranes with infection. The proinflammatory cytokine IL1B, the bacterial product fsl-1, and viral analog polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly [I:C]) significantly increased IRF1 mRNA expression and transcriptional activity in human primary myometrial cells. In addition, IL1B increased IRF1 activity in primary amnion cells. IRF1 silencing in myometrial cells decreased IL1B-, fsl-1-, and poly (I:C)-induced cytokine (IL6, TNF, IL1B) and chemokine (CXCL8, CCL2) mRNA expression and IL6, CXCL8, and CCL2 release. IL1B-, fsl-1-, and poly (I:C)-induced PTGS2 mRNA expression and IL1B-induced prostaglandin release was also decreased by IRF1 silencing. In conclusion, IRF1 upregulation in fetal membranes and myometrium after term labor indicates a proinflammatory role for IRF1 in human parturition. IRF1 is involved in TLR- and cytokine-mediated signaling in human myometrium. These data provide new insights into the mechanisms associated with inflammation- and infection-associated preterm birth. IRF1 inhibitors as therapeutics for the management of spontaneous preterm birth warrants further investigation.
Concordance of endotoxemia with gram-negative bacteremia. A meta-analysis using receiver operating characteristic curves.

OBJECTIVE To apply meta-analysis to compare the concordance between the results of 2 types of limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay, gelation (GLAL) and chromogenic (CLAL), with the detection of gram-negative bacteremia in patients with suspected bacteremia. DESIGN Meta-analysis using receiver operating characteristic-based analytical method. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE literature search and manual reviews of article bibliographies together with direct approaches to authors of potentially eligible studies. STUDY SELECTION The studies that were selected had all included at least 10 patients, of whom at least 2 patients were diagnosed with gram-negative bacteremia, and all had data available for extraction into a contingency table format. RESULTS Fifty-six studies (28 GLAL and 28 CLAL studies) met the inclusion criteria. Studies were stratified by type of test (GLAL vs CLAL). Each analysis was repeated with smaller studies excluded. There was no difference between the 2 types of LAL assays. Among the CLAL studies, there was no difference between studies that did versus those that did not use the sepsis syndrome criteria as a basis for patient inclusion. Among 45 studies for which data on the proportion of non-Enterobacteriaceae were available, there was a trend toward higher concordance as this proportion increased. CONCLUSIONS The concordance between the LAL test and the detection of gram-negative bacteremia in patients with suspected bacteremia is no higher with the CLAL assay than with the original GLAL version. However, the concordance is higher among studies with a higher proportion of non-Enterobacteriaceae among the gram-negative bacteremia isolates.