Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating Quality-Adjusted Life Year Losses Associated with Visual Field Deficits Using Methodological Approaches

Purpose: To develop a function to describe quality-adjusted life year (QALY) losses associated with visual field losses for use in cost-effectiveness models. Methods: We estimated the patient visual field defect in decibels (dBs) that corresponded to visual acuity values of 20/40, 20/70, 20/200 (US blindness), 20/400 (WHO blindness), and 20/1,000 (extreme impairment) using two methods. The first method categorized visual field defects by applying the logic of the Snellen minimum angle of resolution (MAR) acuity scale to the ability to perceive luminance adjusting for the differences in the visual acuity and luminance scales (MAR-based). The second method categorized visual field defects based on assumptions. We then assigned each visual field category the same QALY value associated with the analogous visual acuity category. Finally, for each method, we calculated a function that described QALY losses as a function of the absolute value of patient mean deviation (MD) values measured in dBs. Results: The MAR-based method estimated that MDs of –16, –18, –23, –24, and –30 or greater dBs corresponded to visual acuity values of 20/40, 20/70, 20/200, 20/400, and 20/1,000, respectively. For the same visual acuity values, the assumption-based method resulted in MD estimates of –13, –17, –22, –24, and –30. Our MAR-based method yielded the function, QALYs = 0.98991 + 0.0022 · dBs –0.00080518 · dBs2, setting dBs equal to the absolute value of the mean deviation in the better-seeing eye. Our assumption-based method yielded the piece-wise function, QALYs = 1.0 – 0.0155 · dBs for dBs < 22, and 1.815 –0.0525· dBs for dBs ≥ 22. Conclusions: Results from two estimation methods suggest a convex and downward sloping relationship between dBs of visual field loss and QALY decrements. QALY losses accumulate slowly at first and then increase at an accelerating rate following an MD of approximately –10 dBs. This relationship is consistent with recent empirical findings reporting minimal QALY losses associated with small visual field defects.
Intermediate filaments: regulation of gene expression and assembly.

The cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells consists of three major fibrillar networks: microfilaments (25 nm), intermediate filaments (10 nm) and microtubules (5 nm) which can be distinguished on the basis of ultrastructural and immunological properties. Microfilaments and microtubules are involved in a number of vital processes such as cell division, protoplasmic streaming, locomotion, anchorage and cellular polarity. The function of intermediate filaments (IF), however, is not fully understood yet. Only recently has progress been reported on the elucidation of some functional aspects of IF.
Pretreatment of Whole Blood for Use in Immunochromatographic Assays for Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen

ABSTRACT Immunochromatographic assays (ICAs) are also referred to as rapid tests, since they are simple and the results can be obtained within minutes after manually loading a few drops of a sample into each sample well of the test device. However, whole blood cannot be tested with ICA kits due to the visual hindrance caused by the color of red blood cells (RBCs), unless a cell-removing device such as a filter is mounted on the kits. Thus, when testing with blood, the advantage of the ICA kit is lost because of the additional time and machines required to coagulate and separate whole blood before preparing the serum. To overcome this limitation, whole-blood samples were added to a pretreatment solution to decolor the RBCs; the resulting mixtures were then loaded into the sample wells of the test device. The pretreating solution was composed of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to decolor the RBCs, Sag 471 (Osi Specialties) to restrain the mixture from vigorous foaming, sodium azide (NaN3) to inhibit the enzyme, which generates excessive foam at the beginning of decolorization, and EDTA as a chelating agent. As a result of this pretreatment, whole blood could be used with the ICA kit without reducing its simplicity and rapidity.
D K scattering and the D$_s$ spectrum from lattice QCD

We present results from Lattice QCD calculations of the low-lying charmed-strange meson spectrum using two types of Clover-Wilson lattices. In addition to quark-antiquark interpolating fields we also consider meson-meson interpolators corresponding to D-meson kaon scattering states. To calculate the all-to-all propagation necessary for the backtracking loops we use the (stochastic) distillation technique. For the charm quark we use the Fermilab method. Results for the $J^P=0^+$ $$D_{s0}^*(2317)$$ charmed-strange meson are presented.
Comorbidity of Psychiatric Disorders and Personality Profiles of American World War II Prisoners of War

To characterize the effects of trauma sustained more than 40 years ago, prevalence of psychiatric disorders and personality dimensions were examined in a sample of 62 former World War II POWs. The negative effects of their experiences are reflected in their multiple lifetime diagnoses and in their current personality profiles. Fifty percent met DSM-III posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) criteria within 1 year of release; 18 (29%) continued to meet the criteria 40 years later at examination (chronic PTSD). A lifetime diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder was found for over half the entire sample; in 42% of those who never had PTSD, 38% of those with recovery from PTSD, and 94% of those with chronic PTSD. Ten percent of those without a PTSD diagnosis had experienced a depressive disorder, as had 23% of those with recovery from PTSD and 61% of the POWs with chronic PTSD. The combination of depressive and anxiety disorders also was frequent in the total sample (61%). Current MMPIs of three groups with psychiatric diagnoses were compared with those of POWs who had no diagnoses and with a group of Minnesota normal men. Profile elevations for the groups, from highest to lowest, were: POWs with chronic PTSD, POWs with recovery from PTSD, POWs with other psychiatric diagnoses, POWs with no disorders, and Minnesota normal men. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatic concerns combined with the personality styles of suppression and denial characterize the current adjustment of negatively affected POWs.
Selective Imaging of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 Using 89Zr-Labeled Single-Chain VEGF Mutants

Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) acts via 2 vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, that play important and distinct roles in tumor biology. We reasoned that selective imaging of these receptors could provide unique information for diagnostics and for monitoring and optimizing responses to anticancer therapy, including antiangiogenic therapy. Herein, we report the development of 2 first-in-class 89Zr-labeled PET tracers that enable the selective imaging of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2. Methods: Functionally active mutants of scVEGF (an engineered single-chain version of pan-receptor VEGF-A with an N-terminal cysteine-containing tag for site-specific conjugation), named scVR1 and scVR2 with enhanced affinity to, respectively, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, were constructed. Parental scVEGF and its receptor-specific mutants were site-specifically derivatized with the 89Zr chelator desferroxamine B via a 3.4-kDa PEG linker. 89Zr labeling of the desferroxamine B conjugates furnished scV/Zr, scVR1/Zr, and scVR2/Zr tracers with high radiochemical yield (>87%), high specific activity (≥9.8 MBq/nmol), and purity (>99%). Tracers were tested in an orthotopic breast cancer model using 4T1luc-bearing syngeneic BALB/c mice. For testing tracer specificity, tracers were coinjected with an excess of cold proteins of the same or opposite receptor specificity or pan-receptor scVEGF. PET imaging, biodistribution, and dosimetry studies in mice, as well as immunohistochemical analysis of harvested tumors, were performed. Results: All tracers rapidly accumulated in orthotopic 4T1luc tumors, allowing for the successful PET imaging of the tumors as early as 2 h after injection. Blocking experiments with an excess of pan-receptor or receptor-specific cold proteins indicated that more than 80% of tracer tumor uptake is VEGFR-mediated, whereas uptake in all major organs is not affected by blocking within the margin of error. Critically, blocking experiments indicated that VEGFR-mediated tumor uptake of scVR1/Zr and scVR2/Zr was mediated exclusively by the corresponding receptor, VEGFR-1 or VEGFR-2, respectively. In contrast, uptake of pan-receptor scV/Zr was mediated by both VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 at an approximately 2:1 ratio. Conclusion: First-in-class selective PET tracers for imaging VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 were constructed and successfully validated in an orthotopic murine tumor model.
Serum autoantibody to the nucleolar antigen PM-Scl. Clinical and immunogenetic associations.

OBJECTIVE The inflammatory myopathies are characterized by distinctive autoantibodies that are associated with certain clinical features and immunogenetic patterns. Anti-PM-Scl is one such antibody and is found in pure myositis, myositis in overlap, and systemic sclerosis (SSc). Our purpose was to describe the clinical and immunogenetic associations of the anti-PM-Scl antibody. METHODS Serum samples from 617 patients with various connective tissue diseases were screened for anti-PM-Scl antibody by indirect immunofluorescence and Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion. Patients with anti-PM-Scl were serologically typed for HLA-DR and DQ, and the genes encoding DQ alpha and DQ beta were characterized by hybridization of sequence-specific oligonucleotide to amplified genomic DNA. RESULTS Twenty-three patients (4%) had serum anti-PM-Scl. Sixteen had either pure myositis or myositis in overlap, 6 had SSc alone, and 1 had SSc and rheumatoid arthritis. Twenty of the antibody-positive patients had serologic HLA typing performed; 15 (75%) were HLA-DR3 positive, and 17 (85%) expressed the DQw2 allele. None of the 5 DR3 negative patients shared a unique DR or DQ antigen with the DR3 positive patients, and further DNA analysis of 10 patients (4 of whom were DR3 negative) did not reveal any unique DQ alleles. CONCLUSION Anti-PM-Scl identifies a subset of patients with myositis, SSc, or an overlap of the two disorders, and this antibody has a strong but not exclusive immunogenetic association with the HLA-DR3 antigen.
Self-Monitoring of Attention Versus Self-Monitoring of Academic Performance

A counterbalanced, multiple-baseline, across-subjects design was used to determine if attention and performance monitoring had differential effects on the on-task and spelling study behavior of 6 elementary students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the general education classroom. Both self-monitoring of attention and self-monitoring of performance had positive effects on students' on-task and spelling study behaviors. While improvement in on-task behavior was comparable across the two interventions, self-monitoring of attention produced substantially higher gains in spelling study behavior among 4 of the 6 students. Although this is the first study in which differential effects of these 2 interventions have been investigated among students with ADHD, previous studies with students with learning disabilities (LD) have found that self-monitoring of performance tended to result in higher rates of spelling study than did self-monitoring of attention. Possible reasons for this difference among students with ADHD and those with LD are noted, as are directions for future research and recommendations for teachers regarding the implementation of self-monitoring interventions.
Looming Losses in Future Time Perception

It is proposed that a future time interval's perceived length will be affected by whether the interval ends with a gain or loss. Confirming this, several experiments indicate that consumers perceive intervals ending with losses as shorter than equivalent intervals ending with gains. The authors explore the mechanisms underlying these effects, and they identify several parallels between the current effects and loss aversion. The authors further show that these changes in time perception influence consumption decisions, and they consider the implications of the findings for theories of time perception and intertemporal choice.
¿Temor a la flotación o a la inflación? La importancia del “traspaso” del tipo de cambio a los precios

En este trabajo se analiza el traspaso" del tipo de cambio a los precios en la transicion de escenarios de inflacion alta a escenarios de inflacion baja y estable. El proposito es probar si los regimenes de inflacion baja y estable propician una disminucion del "traspaso" del tipo de cambio a los precios, y asi, a traves de esta disminucion, debilitan el fenomeno de "temor a la flotacion" experimentado en algunas economias pequenas y abiertas. Para un grupo de economias pequenas y abiertas, que en anos recientes han experimentado un proceso de reduccion de inflacion, se muestra que la intensidad del "traspaso" del tipo de cambio disminuye en la medida en que la inflacion es menor. Asi, se argumenta que una vez que las variables nominales se estabilizan el "temor a la inflacion" que cualquier banco central debe tener no implica un "temor a la flotacion". "
International comparative field study of N8 evaluating factor VIII assay performance

Summary. Discrepancies between the one‐stage clotting assay and the chromogenic method, and also among different variations of each method, have been a significant challenge for one B‐domain deleted FVIII product. N8 is a B‐domain truncated FVIII product developed by Novo Nordisk. The comparison of N8 and Advate® was performed in an international, multicentre, randomized and blinded field study of simulated postinfusion samples. Overall, Advate® and N8 performed similarly in the one‐stage assay. In the one‐stage clotting assay, the measured mean FVIII levels of Advate® vs. N8 were 0.046/0.047, 0.24/0.24, 0.58/0.60 and 0.82/0.83 IU mL−1 for the target values of 0.03, 0.2, 0.6 and 0.9 IU mL−1, respectively. In the chromogenic assays, the concentration estimates showed a tendency towards higher N8 values as compared with Advate®; the measured FVIII levels of Advate® vs. N8 were 0.030/0.032, 0.22/0.24, 0.65/0.74 and 0.98/1.08 IU mL−1 for the target values of 0.03, 0.2, 0.6 and 0.9 IU mL−1, respectively. In the one‐stage assays, the measured values were above 150% of target at the lowest concentration, decreasing to around 90% of target at the highest concentration. In contrast, the chromogenic assays were close to target at the lowest concentration and consistently above target at the three highest concentrations. Therefore, the ratio of chromogenic/one‐stage potencies was concentration dependent, ranging from 0.66 to 1.30. The SSC plasma standard was similar in both. Assay variability was similar for both compounds. The results show that N8 can be reliably measured in plasma without the need for a separate N8 standard.
Gender‐dependent association of the GNAS1 T393C polymorphism with early aseptic loosening after total hip arthroplasty

The G‐protein Gαs is involved in the physiology and pathophysiology of bone. Especially, Gαs is a key regulator of interleukin‐6, which is a potent promoter of aseptic loosening. We hypothesized that the common single nucleotide polymorphism GNAS1 T393C could also affect time to aseptic loosening. Caucasian patients were genotyped for the GNAS1 T393C polymorphism. Time and median time to aseptic loosening were analyzed for dependency on GNAS1 genotypes. Time and median time were not significantly associated with genotypes. Additional analysis corrected for gender revealed, that the TT genotype was associated with significantly longer time (p = 0.048) as well as median time (p = 0.022) to aseptic loosening in female patients. In contrast to the findings in females, male TT genotype carriers had significantly shorter time (p = 0.018) and median time (p = 0.023) to aseptic loosening. Compared with TT genotype carriers heterozygous patients had a 6.25‐fold lower risk with a hazard ratio of 0.160 (p = 0.016) and male patients carrying the CC genotype had an 11‐fold lower risk with a hazard ratio of 0.088 (p = 0.006) in multivariate analysis. The present study suggests a significant gender‐dependent role of the T393C polymorphism in aseptic loosening. The apparently contradictory results in women and men and the finding that the GNAS1 T393C genotype is an independent factor for time to aseptic loosening in male patients assigned this polymorphism as an interesting target for further investigations in bone diseases. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
Brief bursts of high-frequency stimulation produce two types of structural change in rat hippocampus.

1. Electrophysiological and electron-microscopic techniques were used to investigate possible structural modifications associated with the induction of long-term synaptic potentiation in the hippocampal formation. Stimulation and recording were carried out using the Schaffer collateral-commissural projections from field CA3 to field CA1 of the rostra1 hippocampus of anesthetized rats. 2. In one group of animals repetitive stimulation was administered at a frequency of 100 s-l for 1 s (potentiated), while another group was stimulated at 0.2 s-l for 3 min (control). The first paradigm produced a marked increase in the strength of the postsynaptic potentials, which persisted without decrement for the 15-min periods of control testing, while the repetitive low-frequency activation had no detectable effects on synaptic transmission. 3. Following testing, the rats were perfused and prepared for electron microscopy. The dendritic zone adjacent to the recording microelectrode tip was found and measurements made of the numbers of synapses as well as of the area and length of various constituents of the neuropil. 4. The number of synaptic contacts on dendritic spines was not different between the two groups, but the incidence of synapses onto dendritic shafts was 33% higher in the animals that received high-frequency stimulation (potentiated group). 5. No statistically significant changes were observed in the mean size of any of the following measures: 1) area of synaptic boutons contacting dendritic spines, 2) area of dendritic spines, 3) width of dendritic spine stalks, 4) length of postsynaptic densities (PSDs) on dendritic spines, 5) area of synaptic boutons contacting dendritic shafts, 6) length of PSDs on dendritic shafts. 6. However, there were distinct changes in the within-animal variance and distribution of the dendritic spine measures. Specifically, in the potentiated group there was a reduction in the coefficient of variation in 1) the area of dendritic spines, 2) the length of PSDs on dendritic spines, and3) the width of spine stalks. The extent to which the within-animal distributions of each of these measures were positively skewed was also reduced in the potentiated group. 7. It appears then that brief bursts of highfrequency stimulation produce two very different types of structural change: 1) an apparent increase in the number of shaft synapses, and 2) a decrease in the variability of the dendritic spines. The possible relationship of these morphological effects to long-term potentiation of synaptic responses is discussed.
Imidazole Antibiotics Inhibit the Nitric Oxide Dioxygenase Function of Microbial Flavohemoglobin

ABSTRACT Flavohemoglobins metabolize nitric oxide (NO) to nitrate and protect bacteria and fungi from NO-mediated damage, growth inhibition, and killing by NO-releasing immune cells. Antimicrobial imidazoles were tested for their ability to coordinate flavohemoglobin and inhibit its NO dioxygenase (NOD) function. Miconazole, econazole, clotrimazole, and ketoconazole inhibited the NOD activity of Escherichia coli flavohemoglobin with apparent Ki values of 80, 550, 1,300, and 5,000 nM, respectively. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, and Alcaligenes eutrophus enzymes exhibited similar sensitivities to imidazoles. Imidazoles coordinated the heme iron atom, impaired ferric heme reduction, produced uncompetitive inhibition with respect to O2 and NO, and inhibited NO metabolism by yeasts and bacteria. Nevertheless, these imidazoles were not sufficiently selective to fully mimic the NO-dependent growth stasis seen with NOD-deficient mutants. The results demonstrate a mechanism for NOD inhibition by imidazoles and suggest a target for imidazole engineering.
Pseudoscalar-meson--octet-baryon coupling constants in two-flavor lattice QCD

Abstract We evaluate the pseudoscalar-meson octet-baryon coupling constants and the corresponding axial charges in eight channels ( πNN , π ΣΣ, π ΛΣ, K Λ N , K Σ N , π ΞΞ, K ΛΞ and K ΣΞ) in lattice QCD with two flavors of dynamical quarks. The parameter α ≡ F / ( F + D ) representing the SU(3)-flavor symmetry is computed at each u,d-quark hopping parameter and at the flavor-SU(3) symmetric point where the three quark flavors are degenerate at the physical s -quark mass. In particular, we obtain α = 0.395 ( 6 ) at the SU(3) symmetric limit. The quark-mass dependences of the coupling constants are obtained by changing the u - and the d -quark masses and we find that the SU(3)-flavor symmetry is broken by only a few percent at each quark-mass we employ.
High tech and high touch.

To the Editor: We would like to contribute to the discussion opened by the editorial of John Morley on the technological future of geriatrics (1). We recently started, inside our Geriatric Unit at Poliambulanza Hospital in Brescia, an intensive care project on four beds equipped with high-tech instruments (for monitoring, noninvasive ventilation, and so forth). This fact and the history of our group, coming from long-term care but recently deeply involved in the development of acute wards for elderly individuals, gives us the opportunity of discussing technology from the side of users and not from that of critics without experience (2). We feel that opposing high tech to high touch in geriatrics, that is, modernity against romanticism or machines against hands and heart, is culturally without a future. Our profession must handle both young-old people (mostly with preventive problems in whom the use of sophisticated techologies is necessary for an accurate prognosis and programs of activities) and frail old-old with a reduced residual function and a limited life expectancy (in whom technology is mainly involved in treatment). Both conditions need geriatric expertise and its cultural background, made up of a sense of time and respect for memory, a multidimensional perspective, and the ability to construct programs taking into consideration the soft and hard components of human life. The ability to utilize machines is necessary to be at the same level as other medical specialists, since technology leads to the development of all scientific disciplines. However, we should profess our pride also for the less-measurable components of the profession, that is, the ability to transform into therapeutical procedures both the evidence-based and the ‘‘narrative’’ components of a modern approach to medicine. In this perspective, we agree with Robert Kane’s comment that ‘‘care would be apportioned by need, not by age’’ (3). This statement could be rephrased as follows: ‘‘geriatric care is for the young-old and old-old, for acute and chronic care, for those with a high reserve level and for the frailest. ’’ Ours is a noble profession, although with low reimbursement levels, inducing geriatricians to adopt a broad, nonmodest, high-profile medical attitude.