Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A comparison of leg‐to‐leg bioelectrical impedance and underwater weighing methods in measuring body composition in Caucasian and African American football athletes

The purpose of this study was to validate leg‐to‐leg bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) methodology for estimating body composition in ethnically mixed football athletes. Sixty‐four Caucasian and 36 African American Division 1AA football athletes took part in this study. Their mean age ± SD was 20.2 ± 1.9 yr and their body mass index was 29.2 ± 4.8 kg/m2. Age, body mass index, and percent body fat did not differ significantly between ethnic groups. Fat free mass (FFM) and percent body fat was also estimated from underwater weighing (UW), seven‐site skinfold measurement (SK), and B1A. A significant correlation in estimating FFM was found between underwater weighing and BIA (r = 0.94, p< 0.001; SEE 3.7 kg), and between underwater weighing and skinfold thickness measurement (r = 0.97, p < 0.001; SEE 2.6 kg). The mean difference in estimation of FFM between underwater weighing and BIA was — 0.46±3.8kg. No significant correlation (r = 0.10, p = .166) was found between the estimation of FFM from underwater weighing and the difference in estimation of FFM between underwater weighing and BIA. This indicated there was no systematic underestimation or overestimation of FFM in either Caucasian or African American athletes. In conclusion, the leg‐to‐leg BIA system provided a quick and accurate method of determining body composition in football athletes compared to conventional underwater weighing.
Long-term, therapy-related visual outcome of 49 cases with retinal arterial macroaneurysm: a case series and literature review

Purpose Retinal arterial macroaneurysms (RAMAs) are acquired dilations of branches of the central retinal artery. Treatment depends on vision-limiting complications. We compare the long-term visual acuity (VA) in three groups according to treatment. Methods 49 charts of patients with RAMA were reviewed. 16 remained untreated, 15 received photocoagulation and 18 vitrectomy. Patients underwent full ophthalmological examinations and up-to-date imaging. We evaluated chosen therapy, complications and final VA at the last visit. Results 65% of the cohort was female, aged 75±11 years (mean±SD). Follow-up was 34±23 months. These parameters did not differ significantly between the three groups. In the observed group, initial VA was 0.48 (mean log MAR) vs 0.35 at the final visit, in the photocoagulation group 0.55 vs 0.59, and in the vitrectomy group 1.8 vs 0.77. VA was significantly worse at enrolment in the vitrectomy group, while all other VA differences were not significant. Conclusions The overall visual prognosis of RAMA was good, even after macular complications. VA remained unchanged in the observed and the laser groups and was comparable in all groups after 3 years. Based on an individual treatment decision, all therapies were effective and efficient. If subfoveal haemorrhage caused a macular hole, the VA outcome was limited.
Cambios en la etiología, resultados y características de los pacientes con hemorragia digestiva aguda grave a lo largo del periodo 1999-2005

Objectives: to analyze the evolution of the following variables in patients admitted to a Blood Unit for gastrointestinal bleeding throughout 1999-2005: etiology, comorbid diseases, use of NSAIDs/anticoagulants, and mortality. Material and methods: we analyzed the evolution of the following causes of GIB that required admission to the Blood Unit from 1999 to 2005: duodenal ulcer (DU), gastric ulcer (GU), portal hypertension (PHT), and others. We also analyzed changes in the percentage of patients admitted with comorbid disease, use of NSAIDs/anticoagulants, and mortality. Results: 1,611 patients with a mean age of 60.45 years (59.7-61.2) were included in this study; 76.41% were males (74.3-78.5). DU was the cause of bleeding in 22.20% of cases (20.2-24.3), GU in 18.40% of cases (16.6-20.4), and PHT in 33.60% of cases (31.3-36.0). In all, 34.5% (32.6-37.3) of patients were taking NSAIDs, 7.1% (6.0-8.6) were receiving anticoagulant therapy, 72.6% (70.4-74.8) presented with comorbid disease, and overall mortality was 6.27% (5.16-7.59). Throughout the 1999-2005 period there was an increase in the number of patients with comorbid diseases (p < 0.02), and a decrease in cases of DU (p < 0.04), without significant differences in the remaining variables. Conclusions: DU, GU and PHT account for three quarters of admissions to our Blood Unit. Over the last seven years, there has been a decrease in cases due to DU, and an increase in patients with comorbid disease; overall mortality rates have remained stable.
Peripapillary choroidal thickness assessed using automated choroidal segmentation software in an Asian population

Aims To objectively quantify the thickness of peripapillary choroid using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with enhanced depth imaging (EDI) followed by a novel automated choroidal segmentation software in Asian eyes and to evaluate its systemic and ocular determinants. Methods We recruited 520 subjects (1040 eyes) from the Singapore Malay Eye Study, a cross-sectional population-based study. Subjects underwent standardised detailed ophthalmic examination including SD-OCT (Spectralis) with EDI for measurement of peripapillary choroidal thickness (PPCT). Results The mean age of the subjects was 66.7±10.4 years (range 47–88 years) and the mean spherical equivalent was −0.01±2.28 D (range −18.50 to +7.00 D). The intra-session repeatability of PPCT measurements at four quadrants using automated choroidal segmentation software was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.9998–0.9999). The overall mean PPCT was 136.2±56.8 µm. Peripapillary choroid showed geographical differences among the four quadrants, being thickest in the superior quadrant (150.5±59.6 µm), followed by the nasal (143.5±58.4 µm) and temporal quadrants (139.4±68.9 µm), and thinnest in the inferior quadrant (111.3±51.7 µm). Among the range of ocular and systemic factors studied, shorter axial length (p=0.002), younger age (p=0.018), lower triglyceride level (p=0.015) and the presence of diabetes (p=0.036) were the only significant predictors of thicker peripapillary choroid. Conclusions Using novel automated choroidal segmentation software, we provide reliable objective measurements of PPCT in a population-based setting. Shorter axial length, younger age, lower triglyceride levels and the presence of diabetes are the factors independently associated with thicker PPCT. These factors should be taken into consideration when interpreting Spectralis EDI SD-OCT-based PPCT measurements in clinics.
Comparison of intravitreal bevacizumab and dexamethasone implant for the treatment of macula oedema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion

Background/aims To compare the functional and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) with those of dexamethasone implant injection (IVD) for macular oedema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Methods Seventy-two patients with centre-involving macular oedema secondary to BRVO were retrospectively enrolled in the study; these patients were treated with either 1.25 mg IVB (44 eyes; mean injections: 2.92±1.38) pro re nata (PRN) by follow-up monthly or 700 µg IVD (28 eyes; mean injections: 1.71±0.47) given at 6-month intervals PRN and were followed for at least 12 months. Main outcome measures were changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT). Results There was no statistically significant difference of mean change of the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution BCVA between IVB and IVD groups at monthly visits, up to 12 months (all p>0.05); however, there was a trend towards greater BCVA gain in the IVB group than in the IVD group at 6 months (p=0.053). Additionally, 52.6% in the IVB group and 50% in the IVD group gained two or more lines of Snellen visual acuity at 12 months (p=0.85). The mean CFT decreased by 160 µm for the IVB group and by 140.7 µm for the IVD group at 12 months. Both the IVB group and the IVD group achieved statistically similar improvement of CFT at monthly visits, up to 5 months (all p>0.05); however, the CFT began to deteriorate after 5 months in the IVD group, and at 6 months, improvement in the IVB group was significantly greater than that in the IVD group (p=0.007). After a second IVD injection at 6 months, the IVD group showed significant improvement of CFT, and there was no significant difference of CFT change between the IVB and IVD groups until 12 months. Conclusions For macular oedema secondary to BRVO, IVB administered PRN monthly and IVD administered PRN at 6-month intervals, yielded functionally and anatomically comparable outcomes at 12 months.
Role of molecular mimicry of hepatitis C virus protein with platelet GPIIIa in hepatitis C-related immunologic thrombocytopenia.

Patients with HIV-1 immune-related thrombocytopenia (HIV-1-ITP) have a unique Ab against platelet GPIIIa49-66 capable of inducing oxidative platelet fragmentation in the absence of complement. HIV-1-seropositive drug abusers are more prone to develop immune thrombocytopenia than non-drug abusers and have a higher coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) than non-drug abusers (90% vs 30%). Molecular mimicry was sought by screening a phage peptide library with anti-GPIIIa49-66 antibody as bait for peptides sharing homology sequences with HCV. Several phage peptide clones had 70% homology with HCV protein. Sera from dually infected thrombocytopenic patients with HCV and HIV-ITP reacted strongly with 4 nonconserved peptides from HCV core envelope 1. Reactivity correlated inversely with platelet count (r(2) = 0.7, P < . 01). Ab raised against peptide PHC09 in GPIIIa(-/-) mice induced thrombocytopenia in wild-type mice. Affinity-purified IgG against PHC09 induced oxidative platelet fragmentation in vitro. Drug abusers dually infected with HCV and HIV-1 had a greater incidence and severity of thrombocytopenia as well as titer of anti-GPIIIa49-66/PHC09 Ab. NZB/W F1 mice injected with recombinant core envelope 1 developed Ab versus PHC09 and significantly decreased their platelet count (P < .001). Thus, HCV core envelope 1 can induce thrombocytopenia by molecular mimicry with GPIIIa49-66.
Schizophrenia care and the Dutch community pharmacy: the unmet needs

Background Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disease with a prevalence of 0.6% both worldwide and in the Netherlands. Without proper treatment, schizophrenia will be increasingly incapacitating for up to 70% of patients. Management consists of drug treatment and education and can include cognitive therapy. Information about antipsychotic drugs and the importance of treatment compliance are most often given to the patient by the treating psychiatrist.
Population-based assessment of vision-related quality of life in corneal disease: results from the CORE study

Objective To assess the impact of corneal disease on vision-related quality of life (VR-QoL) in a rural North Indian population. Design Cross-sectional, population-based study. Methods The Corneal Opacity Rural Epidemiological (CORE) study included 12 899 participants from 25 randomly selected clusters of rural Gurgaon, Haryana, India, with the primary objective of determining the prevalence of corneal disease in the general population during July 2011 to January 2013. VR-QoL was assessed through Indian Vision Function questionnaire (IND-VFQ-33) in adult participants (aged ≥18 years) detected with corneal opacity and equal number of healthy controls (no ocular pathology with visual acuity of 6/6 binocularly) selected from the same clusters. Scores of the three subscales of IND-VFQ-33 (vision-specific mobility, psychosocial impact and visual symptoms) were computed, analysed and compared separately across various groups. Results Overall, 12 113 participants of all ages underwent detailed ophthalmic examination and VR-QoL was assessed in 435 cases with corneal disease and 435 controls without any ophthalmic disease. The diseased population had significantly higher scores and hence poorer VR-QoL across all three domains of vision function (scores of 28 vs 22; 6 vs 5 and 14 vs 9, respectively; p<0.0001) and the scores were inversely related with the level of visual impairment in patients with corneal disease. Patients with unilateral corneal disease also had poorer VR-QoL scores as compared with healthy controls (p<0.0001). Conclusions VR-QoL is impaired in patients with corneal disease, more so in patients with corneal blindness. This is the first population-based study to document VR-QoL through IND-VFQ-33 in the Indian population with corneal disease.
Solvent–amino acid interaction energies in three‐dimensional‐lattice Monte Carlo simulations of a model 27‐mer protein: Folding thermodynamics and kinetics

Amino acid residue–solvent interactions are required for lattice Monte Carlo simulations of model proteins in water. In this study, we propose an interaction‐energy scale that is based on the interaction scale by Miyazawa and Jernigan. It permits systematic variation of the amino acid–solvent interactions by introducing a contrast parameter for the hydrophobicity, Cs, and a mean attraction parameter for the amino acids, ω. Changes in the interaction energies strongly affect many protein properties. We present an optimized energy parameter set for best representing realistic behavior typical for many proteins (fast folding and high cooperativity for single chains). Our optimal parameters feature a much weaker hydrophobicity contrast and mean attraction than does the original interaction scale. The proposed interaction scale is designed for calculating the behavior of proteins in bulk and at interfaces as a function of solvent characteristics, as well as protein size and sequence.
Computational study of the putative active form of protein Z (PZa): Sequence design and structural modeling

Although protein Z (PZ) has a domain arrangement similar to the essential coagulation proteins FVII, FIX, FX, and protein C, its serine protease (SP)‐like domain is incomplete and does not exhibit proteolytic activity. We have generated a trial sequence of putative activated protein Z (PZa) by identifying amino acid mutations in the SP‐like domain that might reasonably resurrect the serine protease catalytic activity of PZ. The structure of the activated form was then modeled based on the proposed sequence using homology modeling and solvent‐equilibrated molecular dynamics simulations. In silico docking of inhibitors of FVIIa and FXa to the putative active site of equilibrated PZa, along with structural comparison with its homologous proteins, suggest that the designed PZa can possibly act as a serine protease.
Chemically synthesized human survivin does not inhibit caspase‐3

Survivin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family that blocks cell death by inhibiting the caspase activation pathways. Overexpressed in all common human neoplasms but undetectable in most normal adult tissues, survivin confers tumor resistance to apoptosis and represents an ideal molecular target for therapeutic intervention. How survivin blocks apoptosis, however, has been a subject of intense debate, as evidenced by conflicting reports regarding whether or not survivin can directly bind and inactivate effector caspases. We chemically synthesized large amounts of highly pure human survivin of 142 amino acid residues using native chemical ligation and functionally compared synthetic survivin and a recombinant XIAP—the most intensively studied member of the IAP family. Inhibition assays showed that, while caspase‐3 could be effectively inhibited by XIAP, survivin had no detectable inhibitory activity against the enzyme, even at concentrations several thousand‐fold higher than XIAP. Our finding supports the premise that survivin does not directly inhibit effector caspases.
The IκBα/NF‐κB complex has two hot spots, one at either end of the interface

IκBα binds to and inhibits the transcriptional activity of NF‐κB family members via its ankyrin repeat (AR) domain. The binding affinity of IκBα with NF‐κB(p50/p65) heterodimers and NF‐κB(p65/65) homodimers is in the picomolar range, and in the cell, this results in long half‐lives of the complexes. Direct binding experiments have been performed using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) on a series of truncations and mutations in order to understand what regions of the interface are most important for the tight binding affinity of this complex. We previously showed that interactions between residues 305 and 321 of NF‐κB(p65) with the first AR of IκBα are critical for the binding energy. Interactions in this region are responsible for more than 7 kcal/mol of the binding energy. Here we show equally drastic consequences for the binding energy occur upon truncation of even a few residues at the C terminus of IκBα. Thus, the interface actually has two hot spots, one at either end of the elongated and large surface of interaction. These results suggest a “squeeze” mechanism that leads to the extremely high affinity of the IκBα•NF‐κB complex through stabilization of the ankyrin repeat domain.
Physicochemical changes in phosphorylase kinase associated with its activation

Phosphorylase kinase (PhK) regulates glycogenolysis through its Ca2+‐dependent phosphorylation and activation of glycogen phosphorylase. The activity of PhK increases dramatically as the pH is raised from 6.8 to 8.2 (denoted as ↑pH), but Ca2+ dependence is retained. Little is known about the structural changes associated with PhK's activation by ↑pH and Ca2+, but activation by both mechanisms is mediated through regulatory subunits of the (αβγδ)4 PhK complex. In this study, changes in the structure of PhK induced by ↑pH and Ca2+ were investigated using second derivative UV absorption, synchronous fluorescence, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and zeta potential analyses. The joint effects of Ca2+ and ↑pH on the physicochemical properties of PhK were found to be interdependent, with their effects showing a strong inflection point at pH ∼7.6. Comparing the properties of the conformers of PhK present under the condition where it would be least active (pH 6.8 − Ca2+) versus that where it would be most active (pH 8.2 + Ca2+), the joint activation by ↑pH and Ca2+ is characterized by a relatively large increase in the content of sheet structure, a decrease in interactions between helix and sheet structures, and a dramatically less negative electrostatic surface charge. A model is presented that accounts for the interdependent activating effects of ↑pH and Ca2+ in terms of the overall physicochemical properties of the four PhK conformers described herein, and published data corroborating the transitions between these conformers are tabulated.
Crystal structures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis S‐adenosyl‐L‐homocysteine hydrolase in ternary complex with substrate and inhibitors

S‐adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) is a ubiquitous enzyme that plays a central role in methylation‐based processes by maintaining the intracellular balance between S‐adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) and S‐adenosylmethionine. We report the first prokaryotic crystal structure of SAHH, from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), in complex with adenosine (ADO) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Structures of complexes with three inhibitors are also reported: 3′‐keto aristeromycin (ARI), 2‐fluoroadenosine, and 3‐deazaadenosine. The ARI complex is the first reported structure of SAHH complexed with this inhibitor, and confirms the oxidation of the 3′ hydroxyl to a planar keto group, consistent with its prediction as a mechanism‐based inhibitor. We demonstrate the in vivo enzyme inhibition activity of the three inhibitors and also show that 2‐fluoradenosine has bactericidal activity. While most of the residues lining the ADO‐binding pocket are identical between Mtb and human SAHH, less is known about the binding mode of the homocysteine (HCY) appendage of the full substrate. We report the 2.0 Å resolution structure of the complex of SAHH cocrystallized with SAH. The most striking change in the structure is that binding of HCY forces a rotation of His363 around the backbone to flip out of contact with the 5′ hydroxyl of the ADO and opens access to a nearby channel that leads to the surface. This complex suggests that His363 acts as a switch that opens up to permit binding of substrate, then closes down after release of the cleaved HCY. Differences in the entrance to this access channel between human and Mtb SAHH are identified.
Tideline and Turn: Possible Reasons for the Continuing Low HIV Prevalence among Glasgow's Injecting Drug Users

This is an early report of data from an on-going, repeated, cross-sectional study of a community sample of Glasgow injecting drug users. Although HIV was first detected among Glasgow's drug injectors in 1985, data from the first two years of our annual samples (1990 and 1991) indicate that HIV prevalence continues to be low in this population, in the order of 1 or 2 per cent. Possible reasons for this apparent continuing low prevalence are examined. It is suggested that substantial risk reduction – reductions in injection equipment-sharing, reductions in numbers of sharing partners and restrictions in social circles of sharing partners – may have been sufficient reasons, in conjunction with limited contributions to near-stabilisation from the disproportionate attrition of the numerator population through death and cessation of injecting.
Financial modeling using Gaussian process models

In the 1960s E. Fama developed the efficient market hypothesis (EMH) which asserts that the financial market is efficient if its prices are formed on the basis of all publicly available information. That means technical analysis cannot be used to predict and beat the market. Since then, it was widely examined and was mostly accepted by mathematicians and financial engineers. However, the predictability of financial-market returns remains an open problem and is discussed in many publications. Usually, it is concluded that a model able to predict financial returns should adapt to market changes quickly and catch local dependencies in price movements. The Bayesian vector autoregression (BVAR) models, support vector machines (SVM) and some other were already applied to financial data quite succesfully. Gaussian process (GP) models are emerging non-parametric Bayesian models and in this paper we test their applicability to financial data. GP model is fitted to daily data from U.S. commodity markets. For a comparison BVAR model and benchmark model that is commonly used in todays financial mathematics are chosen. The results indicate that GP models are applicable to financial data as well as BVAR models.
Analysis of solvent content and oligomeric states in protein crystals—does symmetry matter?

A nonredundant set of 9081 protein crystal structures in the Protein Data Bank was used to examine the solvent content, the number of polypeptide chains, and the oligomeric states of proteins in crystals as a function of crystal symmetry (as classified by crystal systems and space groups). It was found that there is a correlation between solvent content and crystal symmetry. Surprisingly, proteins crystallizing in lower symmetry systems have lower solvent content compared to those crystallizing in higher symmetry systems. Nevertheless, there is no universal correlation between solvent content and preferences of macromolecules to crystallize in certain space groups. Crystal symmetry as a function of oligomeric state was examined, where trimers, tetramers, and hexamers were found to prefer to crystallize in systems where the oligomer symmetry could be incorporated in the crystal symmetry. Our analysis also shows that the frequency distribution within the enantiomorphous pairs of space groups does not differ significantly, in contrast to previous reports.