Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society Task Force consensus statement on proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors: practical guidance for use in patients at very high cardiovascular risk

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) underlies the thrombotic events intimately associated with myocardial infarction, a significant proportion of ischaemic strokes, as well as critical limb ischaemia. Such events confer substantial mortality, physical and/or mental disability, and cost for the individual and society.1 Indeed, no finite value can be attributed to the cost to the individual, although survival and subsequent quality of life are critical factors, especially in young individuals with ASCVD.2 Although the advent of precision medicine and innovative treatments have been the driver for an individualized approach to patient management and prevention, the ever-increasing financial restraints in healthcare systems worldwide often require clinical benefit to be balanced with the cost of a given intervention. The causality of plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and reduced LDL receptor-mediated LDL uptake in the pathophysiology of ASCVD has been established beyond any reasonable doubt.3 For patients at very high risk of premature ASCVD, including those with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) without ASCVD, elevated LDL-C is a common risk factor.4,5 Indeed, high LDL-C levels are prevalent in both FH and non-FH patients in the acute secondary prevention setting.6 In the case of the latter, polygenic effects may account for an elevated LDL-C concentration as reflected by genetic risk scores.7 The key clinical issue is attainment of guideline-recommended LDL-C levels (<1.8 mmol/L or 70 mg/dL) for patients at very high cardiovascular risk.4 Even with high-intensity statin treatment, a substantial proportion of these patients will remain above this LDL-C goal due to <50% lowering of LDL-C levels, in part as result of pharmacogenetic effects that underlie wide inter-individual variability in statin response.8 This eventuality emphasizes the need for additional LDL-C reduction with new therapeutic approaches which target these atherogenic particles. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a member of the serine …
Establishment of Age-Specific Normative Data for the Canadian French Version of the Hearing in Noise Test for Children

Objectives: A Canadian French version of the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) has been developed to assess children’s ability to recognize speech in noise. To avoid testing a large number of children in each clinical test site to establish soundfield norms, a protocol based on the use of correction factors has been proposed and validated in the current study. More specifically, the objective of this study was to provide a protocol for the establishment of age-specific normative data for the Canadian French HINT for children to facilitate its clinical use and allow comparing an individual child’s performance with that of age-matched normal hearing children. Using the proposed protocol, a limited number of normal hearing adults are tested in each HINT condition to correct the adult headphone norms for the soundfield in question, and the correction factors established in the current study are then applied to generate age-specific soundfield norms. Mean adult performance values obtained in a given soundfield are entered into the HINT software, which automatically derives the soundfield adult norms, age-specific children norms, and percentile rankings. Design: Speech reception thresholds (SRT) for sentences were measured in 70 native French-speaking subjects to establish mean performances across various age groups, and correction factors were calculated by comparing performance in each age group with adult performance. To validate the normalization protocol, 28 additional subjects were tested in a new soundfield. The correction factors were applied to adult performance (N = 15) and the resulting predicted scores were compared with measured performance in a group of 9-yr olds (N = 13). Results: Statistical analyses indicate that SRTs decrease with age and reach adult values in older children (12-yr olds). Correction factors are therefore provided for children 6 to 12 yrs old. Spatial separation advantage, the improvement in SRT when speech and noise are spatially separated, also improves with age. The correction factors were effective in predicting mean SRTs for a previously untested age group in all HINT conditions apart from the quiet condition. The difference between predicted and measured performances was less than 0.5 dB for the noise conditions but exceeded 4 dB in the quiet condition. The reliability of SRT measures was determined, with an overall within-subjects SD of repeated measurements of 0.7 dB for the noise front condition. No learning effect was found in the current data. Conclusions: Correction factors can be used to predict performance on the HINT in a group of normal-hearing children in all HINT conditions, apart from quiet. Findings of the current study concur with the literature on age effects in auditory processing abilities, where performance on a variety of auditory tasks has been demonstrated to increase with age to reach adult-like values in adolescence or past 10 yrs.
The mediation effects of consumers’ need recognition and pre-purchase evaluation in consumers’ decision-making on purchasing safe street food: The case in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

ABSTRACT Nakhon Si Thammarat province is one of the largest cities in Thailand and offers various types of street foods in the city. However, the number of street vendors that pass food safety certification is very low. Nevertheless, there are many consumers who still purchase street food because of their lifestyle who are exposed to food safety risks. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate how consumers make their decisions about the safety of the street food. This study investigates the importance of the need recognition and pre-purchase evaluation stages in consumers’ decision-making in relation to their purchasing of safe street food. The results from the structural equation modeling analysis found that, at 95%, the confidential need recognition would act as a partial mediator between consumers’ motivation → pre-purchase evaluation on purchasing safe food and consumers’ food safety knowledge → pre-purchase evaluation. In turn, pre-purchase evaluation would act as a full mediator between consumers’ motivation and safe street food purchasing. The findings signify that the stages of need recognition and pre-purchase evaluation in the decision-making process are important in order to reduce consumers' food risk while purchasing street food. Therefore, encouraging consumers to recognize the importance of purchasing safe food and convincing them to be concerned when selecting food is necessary to prevent consumers from unsafe food consumption.
Treatment of Cerebral Radiation Necrosis With Bevacizumab: The Cleveland Clinic Experience

Background:Cerebral radiation necrosis (RN) is a devastating complication of radiation therapy for brain tumors. Recent studies have explored the role of bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against vascular endothelial growth factor in the treatment of RN of the brain. We report 24 patients with cerebral RN who were treated with bevacizumab. Materials and Methods:Twenty-four patients diagnosed with cerebral RN and treated with different schedules of bevacizumab between July 2007 and June 2012, were identified from the Cleveland Clinic Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center’s database. Pretreatment and posttreatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies were compared to evaluate bevacizumab efficacy. Results:Posttreatment MRI demonstrated a radiographic improvement in 23 of 24 patients on the postcontrast T1-weighted MRI and fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery sequences. Using the McDonald criteria, the average change in the T1-weighted postcontrast MRI was a decrease of 48.1%, and the average change in the fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery images was a decrease of 53.7%. There was a mean daily dose reduction of 9.4 mg of dexamethasone after initiation of bevacizumab in patients who were on steroids at the start of bevaciuzmab therapy for RN. Treatment with bevacizumab was well tolerated with only 1 grade 3 adverse event. Conclusions:The current study demonstrates that bevacizumab treatment results in excellent clinical and radiologic response in patients with RN caused by common forms of radiation therapy. The safety profile of bevacizumab use in RN is acceptable. In the current study, we found no difference between different schedules of bevacizumab in treatment outcomes.
Phosphorus Release from Sediments in a Riparian Phragmites australis Community at the Estuary of the Chikugogawa River, Western Japan

In order to determine the contribution of aquatic macrophyte communities on nutrition to sustain the high primary productivity of an estuary aquatic community, we analyzed the process of phosphorus release from sediments in aquatic macrophyte community in the estuary of the Chikugogawa River, South-Western Japan. Vertical profile of 3 4 PO  concentration and redox potential (Eh) of pore water in sediments were investigated within and outside the Phragmites australis community. Sediment horizon lower than 23 cm layer from the surface showed anaerobic (Eh 0 mV) up to 50 cm depth outside the P. australis community without organic matter accumulation. Non-vegetated sediment with organic matter accumulation showed anoxic profile as vegetated site. concentration in anaerobic parts of sediment showed higher than oxic parts, and hi gher concentration in sediment pore water corresponded to su lfur deposition in sediment. Sulfate ion supplied from the sea water is reduced under the anoxic condition and S 2− reacts with water-insoluble phosphorus salts e.g. Fe3(PO4)2 or AlPO4 and Fe2S3 or Al2S3 precipitates. Thus 3 4 PO  3 4 PO
Influence of anesthetic variables on short-term and overall survival rates in cats undergoing renal transplantation surgery.

OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with short-term (30-day) and overall survival rates in cats that underwent renal transplantation surgery (RTS). DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. ANIMALS 94 cats that underwent RTS from 1998 through 2010. PROCEDURES Data obtained from the medical records pertinent to RTS included cat signalment; anesthetic agents, techniques, and timings; supportive treatment; perioperative physiologic findings; and surgery and warm ischemia times. Associations with short-term and overall survival rates were investigated. RESULTS Median survival time was 653 days (range, 2 to 4,580 days). Prolonged anesthesia (median, 300 minutes; range, 225 to 445 minutes) reduced overall survival rate but did not influence short-term survival rate. No associations were identified between survival rates and anesthetic agent used, amount and type of fluid administered IV, physiologic abnormalities, and blood product administration. All cats that received μ-opioid receptor antagonists at anesthetic recovery to reverse the effects of μ-opioid receptor agonists survived for at least 30 days. High Hct at the end of anesthesia was also associated with an increase in short-term survival rate. Two cats had an intraoperative hemoglobin oxygen saturation < 90%, and both died within 7 days after surgery. Cats > 12 years old had a lower overall survival rate than did younger cats. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Minimization of total anesthesia time, reversal of μ-opioid receptor agonists at the end of anesthesia, and prevention of intraoperative decreases in blood oxygen saturation and postoperative decreases in Hct appeared to help maximize postsurgical survival time in cats undergoing RTS.
Acute Exercise May Exacerbate Oxidative Stress Response in Hemodialysis Patients

Background/Aims: Hemodialyzed patients (HD) demonstrate elevated oxidative stress (OXS) levels. Exercise effects on OXS response and antioxidant status of HD was investigated in the present study. Methods: Twelve HD and 12 healthy controls (HC) performed a graded exercise protocol. Blood samples, collected prior to and following exercise, were analyzed for lactate, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls (PC), reduced (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity. Results: HC demonstrated higher time-to-exhaustion (41%), lactate (41%) and VO2 peak (55%) levels. At rest, HD exhibited higher TBARS, PC, and catalase activity values and lower GSH, GSH/GSSG, TAC, and GPX levels. Although exercise elicited a marked change of OXS markers in both groups, these changes were more pronounced (p < 0.05) in HD patients. After adjusting for VO2 peak, differences between groups disappeared. VO2 peakwas highly correlated with GSH/GSSG, TBARS, TAC and PC at rest and after exercise. Conclusions: These results imply that HD demonstrate higher OXS levels and a lower antioxidant status than HC at rest and following exercise. Acute exercise appears to exacerbate OXS response in hemodialyzed patients probably due to diminished antioxidant defense. However, aerobic capacity level seems to be related to OXS responses in this population.
Poor People and Democratic Citizenship in Africa

If democracy consists of “rule by the people,” then the values, attitudes, and behaviors of ordinary folk are central to considerations of the fate of democracy. If it turns out that democratic stability in the medium- to long-term depends on the economic well-being of citizens, then democracies can be expected to be especially fragile in world regions where many people live in poverty. This chapter explores the relationship of poor people to democratic citizenship in sub-Saharan Africa. It is prompted in part by intriguing research results emerging from South Asia that suggest that poor people are equally or more likely to hold democratic values, support democratic regimes, and vote in democratic elections. For example, Yadav finds for India in the 1990s “a participatory upsurge” among scheduled castes and tribes leading to “turnout of the lower orders of society…well above that of the most privileged groups” (2000: 120, 133). Bratton, Chu, and Lagos have replicated this result using National Election Survey data for India, confirming that Indians of lower material status were significantly more likely to cast a ballot in the 1999 election (2006). To test these and related results in African contexts, data are drawn from the Afrobarometer. The Afrobarometer is a series of comparative national surveys that, among other things, measures the economic living conditions and political orientations of ordinary Africans. Each national survey – covering fifteen countries in Round 2 – is based on a probability sample representing the adult population eighteen years and older.
Prevalence and relevance of antibodies to type-I and -II collagen in synovial fluid of dogs with cranial cruciate ligament damage.

OBJECTIVE To measure and compare synovial fluid antibody titers to type-I and -II collagen in stifle joints with instability caused by complete or partial cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture and joints with osteoarthrosis secondary to other pathologic changes in dogs. ANIMALS 82 dogs with diseased stifle joints. PROCEDURE Synovial fluid samples were collected from 7 dogs with clinically normal stifles (control group) and 82 dogs with diseased joints (50 stifle joints with complete rupture of the CCL, 20 with partial damage of the CCL, and 12 joints with radiographic signs of osteoarthritis secondary to other arthropathies). Synovial fluid samples were tested for autoantibodies to type-I and -II collagen by an ELISA. RESULTS In dogs with complete and partial CCL rupture, synovial fluid antibody titers to type-I and -II collagen were significantly increased, compared with control dogs. Forty-eight percent (24/50) of samples from dogs with complete CCL rupture and 35% (7/20) of samples from dogs with partial CCL rupture had antibody titers to type-I collagen that were greater than the mean plus 2 standard deviations of the control group titers. Synovial fluid antibody titers to type-II collagen were high in 40% of the dogs with partial or (8/20) complete (20/50) CCL rupture. Dogs with osteoarthrosis secondary to other pathologic changes had significantly increased synovial fluid antibodies to type-I and -II collagen, compared with control dogs. CONCLUSION Increases in autoantibodies to collagen in synovial fluid are not specific for the type of joint disorder. It is unlikely that the anticollagen antibodies play an active role in the initiation of weakening of the CCL.
Prevalence of inherited thrombophilia in patients with documented stent thrombosis.

BACKGROUND Stent thrombosis (ST) is a multi-factorial process involving different mechanisms. The impact of inherited coagulation disorders in the genesis of ST has never been assessed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of G1691A Factor V Leiden mutation, G20210A Factor II (prothrombin) mutation and C677T homozygous methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism in patients with ST. METHODS AND RESULTS The prevalence of the aforementioned gene variations was assessed in 127 patients: 50 admitted for ST and 77 previously treated with percutaneous coronary intervention not developing ST. A control cohort of 529 healthy volunteers was sampled from the same geographical area. Patients with ST were carriers of at least 1 gene variation in 28% of cases. The prevalence of G1691A Factor V Leiden mutation (odds ratio [OR]=0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.04-10.5), G20210A Factor II mutation (OR=0.63; 95% CI: 0.12-3.28) and C677T MTHFR homozygous polymorphism (OR=1.13; 95% CI: 0.47-2.72) did not differ significantly among patients with or without ST. The logistic regression model did not show a significant association between gene variations and ST (OR=0.61; 95% CI: 0.24-1.60; P=0.32). CONCLUSIONS A specific association between studied gene variations and ST has not been detected. The relatively high prevalence of at least 1 gene anomaly in such a rare subset of patients, and its consequences in term of secondary prevention therapy, suggests that screening for thrombophilia might be justifiable in cases of ST.
Crystal Structures of Cyanide- and Triiodide-bound Forms of Arthromyces ramosus Peroxidase at Different pH Values

The structures of the cyanide and triiodide complexes of Arthromyces ramosus peroxidase (ARP) at different pH values were investigated by x-ray crystallography in order to examine the behavior of the invariant residues of arginine (Arg-52) and distal histidine (His-56) during the enzyme reaction as well as to provide the structural basis of the active site of peroxidase. The models of the cyanide complexes at pH 7.5, 5.0, and 4.0, respectively, were refined to the R-factors of 17.8, 17.8, and 18.5% using 7.0-1.6-Å resolution data, and those of the triiodide complexes at pH 6.5 and 5.0 refined to 16.9 and 16.8% using 7.0-1.9-Å resolution data. The structures of the cyanide complexes at pH 7.5, 5.0, and 4.0 are identical within experimental error. Cyanide ion bound to the heme in the bent conformation rather than in the tilt conformation. Upon cyanide ion binding, the N atom of His-56 moved toward the ion by rotation of the imidazole ring around the C-C bond, but there was little conformational change in the remaining residues. The distance between the N atom of His-56 and the nitrogen atom of the cyanide suggests the presence of a hydrogen bond between them in the pH range investigated. In the triiodide complexes, one of the two triiodides bound to ARP was located at the distal side of the heme. When triiodide bound to ARP, unlike the rearrangement of the distal arginine of cytochrome c peroxidase that occurs on formation of the fluoride complex or compound I, the side chain of Arg-52 moved little. The conformation of the side chain of His-56, however, changed markedly. Conformational flexibility of His-56 appears to be a requisite for proton translocation from one oxygen atom to the other of HOO by acid-base catalysis to produce compound I. The iron atom in each cyanide complex (low-spin ferric) is located in the heme plane, whereas in each triiodide complex (high-spin ferric) the iron atom is displaced from the plane about 0.2 Å toward the proximal side.
Serum interleukin 17 and interleukin 18 levels in familial Mediterranean fever.

OBJECTIVE Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) attacks are characterized by serosal inflammation rich in PMNL leukocytes and activation of a definite cytokine network. Moreover, there is sustained inflammation in attack-free FMF patients. Interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-18 are recently described proinflammatory cytokines, which can modulate certain neutrophil functions. In this study we measured serum levels of IL-17 and IL-18 in FMF patients. METHODS The study groups comprised of 18 FMF patients in attack-free period (mean age: 30.2 +/- 9.5 years; male/female: 10/8), and 18 patients with an acute FMF attack (mean age: 25.4 +/- 4.9 years; male/female: 10/8). Twenty age-matched healthy subjects were included as a control group (male/female: 10/10). Levels of IL-17 and IL-18 were determined by commercial ELISA kits (Biosource International, USA). RESULTS Serum IL-17 levels were 42.8 +/- 3.7, 42.7 +/- 3.2, and 39.9 +/- 2.3 pg/mL for FMF patients in attack-free period, FMF patients with acute attack, and healthy controls, respectively. Serum IL-18 levels were 878.8 +/- 315.0, 854.2 +/- 261.4, and 314.6 +/- 80.8 pg/mL for FMF patients in an attack-free period, FMF patients with acute attack, and healthy controls, respectively. Levels of both IL-17 and IL-18 were significantly higher in FMF patients with and without acute attack compared to control group (p < 0.05). Concentrations of those cytokines were comparable in FMF patients with acute attack and in attack-free period (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION Our data suggest that IL-17 and IL-18 contribute to the cytokine network in the inflammatory cascade of FMF. However, their roles for the initiation of FMF attacks remain to be established.
Income Inequality among Children in Europe 2008–2013

With income inequality increasing and children exposed to higher risks of poverty and material deprivation than the population as a whole in the majority of European countries, there is a concern that income inequality among children has worsened over the financial crisis. This paper presents results on the levels of bottom-end inequality in children’s incomes in 31 European countries in 2013 and traces the evolution of this measure since 2008. The relative income gap worsened in 20 of the 31 European countries between 2008 and 2013. Social transfers play a positive role in reducing income differentials, as post-transfer income gaps are smaller than those before transfers, especially in countries like Ireland and the United Kingdom. Countries with greater bottom-end income inequality among children have lower levels of child well-being, and higher levels of child poverty and material deprivation.