Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Renal transplantation in patients over 55 years old

From 1975 to 1987, 507 patients, of whom 63 (12.4 per cent) were over 55 years old at the time of operation, received first cadaver renal transplants. The annual percentage of recipients given transplants after the age of 55 has risen from 0 per cent in 1975 to 44 per cent in 1987. Of the 63 older patients, 41 had at least one serious non‐renal disease at the time of transplantation. Perioperative mortality rate was 3 per cent. After successful transplantation these patients remained subject to a significant number of serious complications, even in the cyclosporin era. Despite these adverse factors, actuarial graft survival for the population over 55 years of age was no worse than for those patients receiving first cadaver grafts who were under 55 years old, although patient survival was poorer in the former group (P = 0.027). Analysis of the subgroup of 56 patients treated with an immunosuppression protocol containing cyclosporin failed to show any adverse effect of age on either graft or patient survival. It is concluded that renal transplantation can be as successful in patients over 55 years of age as it is in younger patients and, given an adequate supply of kidneys, should be considered the treatment of choice for the elderly patient with end‐stage renal failure.
Asbestos-related diseases in automobile mechanics.

PURPOSE Automobile mechanics have been exposed to asbestos in the past, mainly due to the presence of chrysotile asbestos in brakes and clutches. Despite the large number of automobile mechanics, little is known about the non-malignant respiratory diseases observed in this population. The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to analyse the frequency of pleural and parenchymal abnormalities on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in a population of automobile mechanics. METHODS The study population consisted of 103 automobile mechanics with no other source of occupational exposure to asbestos, referred to three occupational health departments in the Paris area for systematic screening of asbestos-related diseases. All subjects were examined by HRCT and all images were reviewed separately by two independent readers; who in the case of disagreement discussed until they reached agreement. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to investigate factors associated with pleural plaques. RESULTS Pleural plaques were observed in five cases (4.9%) and interstitial abnormalities consistent with asbestosis were observed in one case. After adjustment for age, smoking status, and a history of non-asbestos-related respiratory diseases, multiple logistic regression models showed a significant association between the duration of exposure to asbestos and pleural plaques. CONCLUSIONS The asbestos exposure experienced by automobile mechanics may lead to pleural plaques. The low prevalence of non-malignant asbestos-related diseases, using a very sensitive diagnostic tool, is in favor of a low cumulative exposure to asbestos in this population of workers.
Improved cooperation in vocational rehabilitation with systematic rehabilitation group meetings

Purpose : The present aim was to investigate the communicative pattern in two rehabilitation groups. The rehabilitation group consisted of the client, a supervisor, an employer representative, an occupational health physician, a rehabilitation counsellor from the national social insurance office and a support person. Method : Participatory observation of 22 rehabilitation meetings. The communication was tape-recorded and transcribed word for word. The transcripts were coded and analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Results and conclusion : The client made the most utterances in the groups, but most often in the form of answers to questions from the other actors. Following the client, the physician made the next most frequent utterances, most often as questions. The subjects most discussed concerned the client's situation regarding work, health and material support. None of the 'professionals' dominated the meetings, although one picture that emerged was that the physician and employer representative played more prominent roles as takers of initiative and as coordinators while the client was more passive than the other actors. The discussions were calm and much latitude was allowed for the participants to put forward their own requirements, thoughts and feelings. The rehabilitation group may be viewed as a meeting place for 'experts' and clients. The further management of the rehabilitation was by the actor the client most immediately needed. In this, rehabilitation in the rehabilitation group differs from the 'case management' common in the rehabilitation field.
Influence of Public Participation on Policy Implementation in Kenya

This study sought to influence of public participation on policy implementation in Kenya. The objective of this study was to confirm whether or not the gap between policy and practice is the governance gap. Prior studies on policy implementation problems have dwelt much more on top-down versus bottom-up approaches and paid little attention on the influence of governance on public policy implementation. A descriptive correlation research design was adopted and the target population comprised 20 ministries, 153 parastatals and government agencies. The study adopted a census technique with respect to the unit of analysis which is the public sector. Questionnaires were used as the main data collection instruments and were pretested using a pilot study for validity and reliability. Descriptive and inferential statistics data analysis results were used to reveal the influence of public participation on policy implementation in the public sector in Kenya. The results indicated that Public Participation influences success public policy implementation in the public sector in Kenya. It was concluded that public participation is a major determinants of public policy implementation in public institutions in Kenya. Keywords: Public participation, policy implementation, Kenya
Short- and long-term effects of growth hormone (GH) replacement on protein metabolism in GH-deficient adults.

Reduced fat-free mass (FFM) in GH-deficient (GHD) adults is improved by GH replacement, but the protein metabolic changes are unclear. Using iv [(2)H(3)]leucine and oral l-[(13)C(1)]leucine infusions and dual emission x-ray absorptiometry, we compared leucine kinetics and body composition in eight GHD adults and eight healthy controls in the fasted and fed states, before and after 2 wk and 6 months of GH replacement. Leucine kinetics were not different between pretreatment GHD subjects and controls. After 2 wk of GH treatment, leucine oxidation decreased in the GHD subjects compared with baseline values [fasted, 41 +/- 6 vs. 30 +/- 5 micromol/kg FFM.h (P < 0.01); fed, 49 +/- 3 vs. 41 +/- 3.6 micromol/kg FFM.h (P < 0.05)], leucine balance improved [fasted, -14 +/- 4 vs. -3.5 +/- 3 micromol/kg FFM.h (P < 0.01); fed, 65 +/- 10 vs. 72 +/- 7 micromol/kg FFM.h (P = 0.07)], and protein synthesis increased [fasted, 116 +/- 5 vs. 131 +/- 6 micromol/kg FFM.h (P < 0.05); fed, 103 +/- 6 vs. 116 +/- 6 micromol/kg FFM.h (P < 0.05)]. After 6 months of GH treatment, these changes were not maintained in the fed state. The five GHD subjects with decreased FFM at baseline showed a significant increase after 6 months of GH treatment (P < 0.05). GH replacement in GHD acutely improves protein balance by stimulating synthesis and inhibiting catabolism. After 6 months, protein kinetics reached a new homeostasis to maintain the net gain in FFM.
Auditory and visual interactions between the superior and inferior colliculi in the ferret

The integration of visual and auditory spatial information is important for building an accurate perception of the external world, but the fundamental mechanisms governing such audiovisual interaction have only partially been resolved. The earliest interface between auditory and visual processing pathways is in the midbrain, where the superior (SC) and inferior colliculi (IC) are reciprocally connected in an audiovisual loop. Here, we investigate the mechanisms of audiovisual interaction in the midbrain by recording neural signals from the SC and IC simultaneously in anesthetized ferrets. Visual stimuli reliably produced band‐limited phase locking of IC local field potentials (LFPs) in two distinct frequency bands: 6–10 and 15–30 Hz. These visual LFP responses co‐localized with robust auditory responses that were characteristic of the IC. Imaginary coherence analysis confirmed that visual responses in the IC were not volume‐conducted signals from the neighboring SC. Visual responses in the IC occurred later than retinally driven superficial SC layers and earlier than deep SC layers that receive indirect visual inputs, suggesting that retinal inputs do not drive visually evoked responses in the IC. In addition, SC and IC recording sites with overlapping visual spatial receptive fields displayed stronger functional connectivity than sites with separate receptive fields, indicating that visual spatial maps are aligned across both midbrain structures. Reciprocal coupling between the IC and SC therefore probably serves the dynamic integration of visual and auditory representations of space.
Haematological indices and haematinic levels after mini gastric bypass: a matched comparison with Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass

Many surgeons believe mini gastric bypass (MGB) is more likely to cause micronutrient malabsorption compared to Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Till date, there is no published study evaluating haematological indices and haematinic levels in patients undergoing MGB and comparing these with a matched cohort of RYGB. Two hundred patients who underwent MGB between October 2012 and October 2015 were matched to 200 patients who underwent RYGB for age, sex, body mass index and time of surgery. We then compared haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, iron, ferritin, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels preoperatively and at 6 monthly intervals after surgery until 2 years. The percentage total weight loss was significantly higher in the MGB group compared to the RYGB group at all time points. At 2 years, MGB and RYGB both led to an increase in anaemia rates but the difference was only significant for MGB group. Compared to RYGB, MGB patients were more likely to be anaemic at 2 years, although the difference was not significant statistically (16.6% vs. 12.7%; P value = 0.55). There was a trend for lower iron and folate levels in MGB group compared to RYGB group but the difference was statistically significant at some of the time periods only (significantly lower folate at 6 and 12 months and lower iron at 6 months in the MGB group). MGB leads to a significant increase in anaemia rates in a supplemented cohort. There is a trend towards lower iron and folate levels and higher anaemia rates in MGB group in comparison with RYGB. Larger studies with longer follow‐up should evaluate results of MGB with a shorter biliopancreatic limb.
Analysis of the interaction between the eukaryotic chaperonin CCT and its substrates actin and tubulin.

Two mechanisms have thus far been characterized for the assistance by chaperonins of the folding of other proteins. The first and best described is that of the prokaryotic chaperonin GroEL, which interacts with a large spectrum of proteins. GroEL uses a nonspecific mechanism by which any conformation of practically any unfolded polypeptide interacts with it through exposed, hydrophobic residues. ATP binding liberates the substrate in the GroEL cavity where it is given a chance to fold. A second mechanism has been described for the eukaryotic chaperonin CCT, which interacts mainly with the cytoskeletal proteins actin and tubulin. Cryoelectron microscopy and biochemical studies have revealed that both of these proteins interact with CCT in quasi-native, defined conformations. Here we have performed a detailed study of the docking of the actin and tubulin molecules extracted from their corresponding CCT:substrate complexes obtained from cryoelectron microscopy and image processing to localize certain regions in actin and tubulin that are involved in the interaction with CCT. These regions of actin and tubulin, which are not present in their prokaryotic counterparts FtsA and FtsZ, are involved in the polymerization of the two cytoskeletal proteins. These findings suggest coevolution of CCT with actin and tubulin in order to counteract the folding problems associated with the generation in these two cytoskeletal protein families of new domains involved in their polymerization.
Assessment of Homology Templates and an Anesthetic Binding Site within the &ggr;-Aminobutyric Acid Receptor

Background: Anesthetics mediate portions of their activity via modulation of the &ggr;-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAaR). Although its molecular structure remains unknown, significant progress has been made toward understanding its interactions with anesthetics via molecular modeling. Methods: The structure of the torpedo acetylcholine receptor (nAChR&agr;), the structures of the &agr;4 and &bgr;2 subunits of the human nAChR, the structures of the eukaryotic glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl), and the prokaryotic pH-sensing channels, from Gloeobacter violaceus and Erwinia chrysanthemi, were aligned with the SAlign and 3DMA algorithms. A multiple sequence alignment from these structures and those of the GABAaR was performed with ClustalW. The Modeler and Rosetta algorithms independently created three-dimensional constructs of the GABAaR from the GluCl template. The CDocker algorithm docked a congeneric series of propofol derivatives into the binding pocket and scored calculated binding affinities for correlation with known GABAaR potentiation EC50s. Results: Multiple structure alignments of templates revealed a clear consensus of residue locations relevant to anesthetic effects except for torpedo nAChR. Within the GABAaR models generated from GluCl, the residues notable for modulating anesthetic action within transmembrane segments 1, 2, and 3 converged on the intersubunit interface between &agr; and &bgr; subunits. Docking scores of a propofol derivative series into this binding site showed strong linear correlation with GABAaR potentiation EC50. Conclusion: Consensus structural alignment based on homologous templates revealed an intersubunit anesthetic binding cavity within the transmembrane domain of the GABAaR, which showed a correlation of ligand docking scores with experimentally measured GABAaR potentiation.
Effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients: increase in numbers of naive CD4 cells and CD34 cells makes G-CSF a candidate for use in gene therapy or to support antiretroviral therapy.

The potential of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to mobilize CD4 cells and/or CD34 cells for use in gene therapy or to support antiretroviral therapy was examined. Ten human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients were treated with G-CSF (300 microg/day) for 5 days. Numbers of CD4 and CD34 cells were measured. To examine the numbers of naive and memory type CD4 cells, CD4 cell coexpression of CD45RA and CD45RO was measured. Functionality of mobilized CD4 cells was examined by use of the proliferation assay and interleukin-2 ELISA. The number of CD34 cells increased from 1.50 to 20.01/microL (P < .002). The CD4 cell count increased from 236 to 452/microL (P < .002). The CD45RA/CD45RO ratio increased from 0.50 to 0.57 (P < .03). Mobilized CD4 cells were functionally intact. In conclusion, G-CSF induced increases in numbers of CD34 cells and CD4 cells in HIV-infected patients. Furthermore, the fraction of naive CD4 cells increased. These findings have implications for the design of immunotherapy or gene therapy protocols.
Outcome of nonoperative treatment of symptomatic rotator cuff tears monitored by magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND Rotator cuff tears are very common, but little is known about the outcome of nonoperative treatment of symptomatic tears in terms of progression and the need for surgical intervention. METHODS Fifty-nine shoulders in fifty-four patients (thirty-three women and a mean age of 58.8 years) with rotator cuff tears on initial magnetic resonance imaging who had been managed nonoperatively were studied retrospectively. All had magnetic resonance imaging scans acquired six months or more after the initial study. The progression of the rotator cuff tears was associated with age, anatomical and associated parameters, follow-up time, and structural and other magnetic resonance imaging findings. RESULTS Baseline magnetic resonance imaging scans demonstrated thirty-three full-thickness tears, twenty-six partial-thickness tears, and four combined full-thickness and partial-thickness tears. Fifty-eight of the fifty-nine tears involved the supraspinatus tendon, and ten involved multiple tendons. Progression in tear size occurred more often among the patients who were followed more than eighteen months (thirteen [48%] of twenty-seven shoulders) compared with those who were followed for less than eighteen months (six [19%] of thirty-two shoulders). Five tears (one partial-thickness tear) decreased in size. More than half (52%; seventeen) of the thirty-three full-thickness tears increased in size compared with 8% (two) of the twenty-six partial-thickness tears (p = 0.0005). Only 17% (six) of the thirty-five tears in patients who were sixty years old or less deteriorated compared with 54% (thirteen) of the twenty-four tears in patients who were more than sixty years old (p = 0.007). No shoulder in a patient with a partial-thickness tear demonstrated supraspinatus atrophy, whereas 24% of those with a full-thickness tear demonstrated atrophy (p = 0.007). The proportion with an increase in tear size was significantly larger for shoulders with fatty infiltration than for those without it (p = 0.0089). CONCLUSIONS Factors that are associated with progression of a rotator cuff tear are an age of more than sixty years, a full-thickness tear, and fatty infiltration of the rotator cuff muscle(s). In the long-term follow-up of nonoperatively treated rotator cuff tears, magnetic resonance imaging can be used to monitor rotator cuff changes and guide patient management.
Plasma Glutathione Peroxidase Activity Is Reduced in Haemodialysis Patients

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal failure. Increased free radical production and antioxidant depletion may contribute to the greatly increased risk of atherosclerosis in these patients. Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) is an important antioxidant, the plasma form of which is synthesized mainly in the kidney (eGPX). The aim of this study was to assess the activity of eGPX in patients with end-stage renal failure on haemodialysis. Venous blood was collected from 87 haemodialysis patients immediately prior to and after dialysis and from 70 healthy controls. Serum eGPX activity was measured using hydrogen peroxide as substrate and immunoreactivity determined by ELISA. eGPX activity was significantly reduced in dialysis patients when compared to controls (106 ± 2.7 and 281 ± 3.6 U/l respectively, p < 0.001). Following haemodialysis, eGPX activity rose significantly to 146 ± 3.8 U/l, p < 0.001, although remaining below control values (p < 0.005). Immunoreactive eGPX, however, was similar in all groups (pre-dialysis 14.10 ± 1.26 µg/ml, post-dialysis 14.58 ± 1.35 µg/ml, controls 15.20 ± 1.62 µg/ml, p = NS). A decrease was observed in the specific activity of eGPX in patients when compared to controls (8.81 ± 1.14, 10.71 ± 1.54 and 21.97 ± 1.68 U/mg respectively, p < 0.0001). eGPX activity is impaired in patients undergoing haemodialysis and so may contribute to atherogenesis in renal failure.
Uterine Microcurettage with Combined Endometrial Histopathology and Cytology

A new disposable mechanical curette, the Inocurette', was used to obtain endometrial samples for histopathology and cytology. The instrument was tested on 120 patients; 37 patients were known from a previous conventional curettage (D & CI to have an endometrial cancer and 83 patients were referred to the County Hospital of Trelleborg for curettage because of dysfunctional bleedings. In all 120 patients a D & C followed the microcurettage procedure. The samples were randomized, coded and analyzed blind without any clinical information. In all but 3 patients with a known endometrial cancer, sufficient microcurettage sample material for either histopathology or cytology was obtained. In all but one of these 34 patients either a malignant diagnosis or seriously atypical cells were found. Using only cytology five out of 34 samples were designated adequate but normal. In a further 5 of the 37 patients the samples obtained at the subsequent D & C were inadequate for diagnosis; one sample was denoted as normal. In the 83 patients with dysfunctional bleedings, sufficient material for diagnosis after microcurettage, cytology and D & C was obtained in 74, 83 and 79 patients respectively. One endometrial cancer was disclosed by all three methods. Lnocurette® sampling causes little discomfort and requires no special training. The combined microcurettage—cytology procedure may be recommended as an alternative to conventional curettage, though, for the time being, D & C should not be replaced for cytology alone.
Etude de l'effet des caractéristiques sensorielles, des attentes induites par l'information et du prix sur l'acceptabilité et le comportement d'achat du consommateur

Afin d'etudier d'une part l'effet des caracteristiques sensorielles et de l'information sur les preferences des consommateurs, et d'autre part les arbitrages entre les preferences et le prix en presence d'une contrainte economique, plusieurs experiences ont ete menees, utilisant des methodes de l'evaluation sensorielle et de l'economie experimentale. Trois d'entre elles ont ete effectuees sur un produit de consommation courante, le jus d'orange, et la quatrieme sur un produit plus impliquant pour les consommateurs a savoir le vin rouge de Bourgogne. L'information externe exerce un role important sur l'evaluation globale lorsque la qualite percue au moment de la degustation ne repond pas a la qualite attendue par les consommateurs. Cet effet se manifeste par un phenomene d'assimilation traduisant une modification de l'appreciation finale en direction des attentes induites par l'information, effet plus accentue pour le vin que pour le jus d'orange. De plus, dans le cas du vin, il apparait que l'effet d'assimilation est plus important lorsque le produit est percu de qualite inferieure a ce que laissaient supposer les attentes. Par ailleurs, le prix modifie le comportement de choix. Les consommateurs, places en situation de realiser des commandes, ont majoritairement effectue des arbitrages entre preferences et prix, en privilegiant generalement la qualite par rapport au prix. La segmentation des consommateurs selon diverses caracteristiques individuelles a permis de comprendre en partie l'heterogeneite des comportements. La reaction des individus face a une information sensorielle et a une information purement cognitive est plus difficile a predire par des variables individuelles que le comportement d'achat.