Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do patients with chronic kidney disease get optimal cardiovascular risk reduction?

Purpose of review Cardiovascular events are the major cause of death in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Individuals with CKD have a substantially greater risk of cardiovascular disease compared with the general population but have largely been excluded from clinical trials. This review highlights the complex pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, discusses the evidence for cardiovascular risk reduction and assesses the achievement of cardiovascular treatment targets in CKD. Recent findings There is evidence to support both blood pressure and cholesterol reduction in the CKD population. The risk of bleeding with antiplatelet drugs is high in CKD and these should be used with caution. Although there has been recent interest in targeting nonclassical cardiovascular risk factors in CKD, few trials have demonstrated any significant reduction in cardiovascular risk. Smoking cessation remains important but is poorly studied in CKD with many dialysis patients still smoking. Summary The pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in CKD differs subtly from that of non-CKD patients. As renal function declines, the role and impact of treating classical risk factors may change and diminish. However, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and smoking cessation management should be optimized and may require multiple agents and approaches, particularly as CKD advances. Treatment of hypertension would appear to be one management area in which performance is less than ideal. Future work should focus on new management strategies and drug combinations that tackle the classical risk factors as well as better designed longitudinal and randomized control trials of nonclassical risk factors. Patients with CKD should be included in all cardiovascular intervention studies, given their poor outcomes without interventions.
A cross-sectional nutritional and anthropometric study, with an interval of 7 years, on 611 young adolescent schoolchildren

1. A study of the food intake, during a period of 7 consecutive days, was made on 192 boys and girls, aged 14 years, attending Glasgow schools in 1964. A similar study was done in 1971 on 419 boys and girls of the same age. The children came from all the various socio-economic backgrounds and were subdivided into four social groups. 2. The heights and body-weights of the groups studied in 1964 and 1971 were similar but the percentage contribution of fat to the body-weight had increased in the boys. 3. Between 1964 and 1971 there had been a decrease in the mean energy intake of both boys and girls of between 0.8 and 1.0 MJ (200–250 kcal)/d. A similar proportionate decrease had also occurred in the protein, fat, carbohydrate, calcium and iron contents of the diet. However, no individual had a very low intake of protein. 4. Only the boys of the poorest social group (4) showed a lower intake of nutrients than the other groups. There were almost no differences between the girls from the different socio-economic groups. 5. Eating school meals did not affect levels of total energy and nutrient intake. 6. The proportion of energy and nutrients derived from different food groups did not appear to have appreciably altered in the two surveys, although the amount of milk drunk had become less. Fish, eggs and cheese contributed surprisingly little to the diet. 7. The combination, in both sexes, of a reduction in energy intake in 1971 compared to 1964, together with, for the boys, an increased body fat content, could be accounted for by a marked reduction in physical activity. 8. Although a comparison of the energy intake of the fattest and of the thinnest boys showed no clear differentiation, there was a consistently lower energy intake, in all social groups, by the fattest girls (‘fattest’ 7.07 MJ (1690 kcal)/d; ‘thinnest’ 9.23 MJ (2207 kcal)/d). 9. These and other recent results suggest that the national (UK) recommended energy requirements, at least for this group, are too high.
Metabolically Healthy, but Obese Individuals and Associations with Echocardiographic Parameters and Inflammatory Biomarkers: Results from the CARLA Study

Introduction The research on heterogeneity among obese individuals has identified the metabolically healthy, but obese (MHO) phenotype as a distinct group that does not experience the typical cardiovascular-related diseases (CVD). It is unclear if this group differs with regard to preconditions for CVDs. Our aim was to assess differences in echocardiographic parameters and inflammatory biomarkers between MHO and metabolically healthy, normal weight individuals (MHNW). Methods The analyses used data from 1412 elderly participants from a German population-based cohort study (CARLA), which collected detailed information on demographic, biochemical, and echocardiographic variables. Participants were subdivided into four groups (MHNW, MHO, MUNW (metabolically unhealthy, normal weight) and MUO (metabolically unhealthy, obese)) based on BMI≥30 kg/m2 (obese or normal weight) and presence of components of the metabolic syndrome. The clinical characteristics of the 4 groups were compared with ANOVA or Chi-Square test, in addition to two linear regression models for 16 echocardiographic parameters. The difference in inflammatory biomarkers (hsCRP, IL-6 and sTNF-RI) between the groups was examined with a multinomial logistic regression model. Results The MHO individuals were on average 64.2±8.4 years old, with a higher proportion of women (71.6%), low percentage of smokers, larger waist circumference (109.3±10.5 cm vs 89.1±10.8 cm, p<0.0001) and higher odds ratios for hsCRP, IL-6 and sTNF-RI compared to MHNW individuals. Linear regression models revealed greater left atrial (LA) diameter (2.73 (95% CI: 1.35–4.11) mm), LA volume (7.86 (95% CI: 2.88–12.83) mL), and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) (11.82 (95% CI: 4.43–19.22) g/m1.7) in the MHO group compared to the MHNW group. Conclusion The MHO phenotype is associated with echocardiographic markers of cardiac remodeling (LA diameter, volume and LVMI) and higher odds ratios for inflammatory biomarkers.
Understanding the Role of Data Analytics in Driving Discriminatory Managerial Decisions

Data analytics has been accused of contributing to discriminatory managerial decisions in organizations’ marketing strategies. To date, most studies have focused on the technical antecedents of such discriminations and, therefore, little is known about the role of human factors in making these discriminatory decisions. This work-in-progress study aims at addressing this gap by opening the black box between data analytics use in organizations and making discriminatory decisions. Drawing upon the theory of moral disengagement, we posit that four dimensions of moral disengagement, namely, dehumanization, euphemistic labeling, displacement of responsibility, and disregard of consequences are the mechanisms through which the use of data analytics tools in organizations could bring about discriminatory decisions. Moreover, data size and employees’ competency are discussed as having moderating impacts on some of these mechanisms. A survey-based methodology to empirically validate the proposed model is outlined. Potential contributions to theory and practice are delineated.
Diffusion-tensor imaging implicates prefrontal axonal injury in executive function impairment following very mild traumatic brain injury.

PURPOSE To determine whether frontal white matter diffusion abnormalities can help predict acute executive function impairment after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). MATERIALS AND METHODS This study had institutional review board approval, included written informed consent, and complied with HIPAA. Diffusion-tensor imaging and standardized neuropsychologic assessments were performed in 20 patients with mTBI within 2 weeks of injury and 20 matched control subjects. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) images (imaging parameters: 3.0 T, 25 directions, b = 1000 sec/mm(2)) were compared by using whole-brain voxelwise analysis. Spearman correlation analyses were performed to evaluate associations between diffusion measures and executive function. RESULTS Multiple clusters of lower frontal white matter FA, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), were present in patients (P < .005), with several clusters also demonstrating higher MD (P < .005). Patients performed worse on tests of executive function. Lower DLPFC FA was significantly correlated with worse executive function performance in patients (P < .05). CONCLUSION Impaired executive function following mTBI is associated with axonal injury involving the DLPFC.
Incidence and prevalence of intracranial vascular malformations in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1965 to 1992

We used the Mayo Clinic medical records linkage system to detect all cases of intracranial vascular malformation (IVM) among residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota from 1965 to 1992 and found 48 IVMs over the 27-year period, including four patients with IVM detected at autopsy, without prior symptoms. Twenty-nine of 48 patients were symptomatic at presentation. From 1985 to 1992, the age- and sex-adjusted detection rate for IVMs excluding asymptomatic autopsy cases was 2.75 in 100,000 person-years (P-Y) (95% CI, 1.6 to 3.9). From 1965 to 1992, the detection rate was 1.84 in 100,000 P-Y (95% CI, 1.3 to 2.4). On January 1, 1990, the age- and sex-adjusted prevalence rate of identified IVMs was 19.0 in 100,000 P-Y (95% CI, 10.5 to 27.5). Detection rates increased from 1965 to 1992, probably due to increased identification of cases because of advances in imaging technology. This study provides unique data on incidence rates of detection and prevalence of IVMs on a population basis. NEUROLOGY 1996;46: 949-952
Function and Ultrastructure of Platelets of Neonates: Enhanced Ristocetin Aggregation of Neonatal Platelets

We have investigated platelet morphology and function in human maternal‐newborn pairs. Fibrinogen concentration and factor‐VIII activity in plasma were also determined. Our results showed that, compared to maternal platelets, neonatal platelets were poorly responsive to adenosine diphosphate, adrenaline and collagen. Uptake of labelled serotonin by neonatal and maternal platelets was the same, but release of the radioactivity was reduced in the former. Phagocytic activity of neonatal platelets, demonstrated with latex particles, was similar to that of maternal platelets. Although the ultrastructure of neonatal platelets approximated that of maternal platelets, immature appearing platelets were occasionally found in the neonatal samples. An unanticipated finding was that platelet aggregation induced by ristocetin was more vigorous in neonatal than in maternal platelet‐rich plasma samples. Furthermore, neonatal plasma, which had lower fibrinogen and factor‐VIII content than maternal plasma, facilitated maternal platelet aggregation by ristocetin and showed a greater ability than maternal plasma to promote ristocetin‐induced aggregation of platelets of a patient with von Willebrand's disease. These results indicate that the plasma of neonates contains large quantities of the ristocetin‐dependent platelet aggregation factor (RAF), probably more than is in maternal plasma, despite the higher levels of factor‐VIII procoagulant activity in the latter. Thus, in the newborn, there is a clear dissociation between factor‐VIII clotting activity and the RAF activity.
Land-Use Scene Classification Using a Concentric Circle-Structured Multiscale Bag-of-Visual-Words Model

High-resolution remote sensing image-based land-use scene classification is a difficult task, which is to recognize the semantic category of a given land-use scene image based on priori knowledge. Land-use scenes often cover multiple land-cover classes or ground objects, which makes a scene very complex and difficult to represent and recognize. To deal with this problem, this paper applies the well-known bag-of-visual-words (BOVWs) model which has been very successful in natural image scene classification. Moreover, many existing BOVW methods only use scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) features to construct visual vocabularies, lacking in investigation of other features or feature combinations, and they are also sensitive to the rotation of image scenes. Therefore, this paper presents a concentric circle-based spatial-rotation-invariant representation strategy for describing spatial information of visual words and proposes a concentric circle-structured multiscale BOVW method using multiple features for land-use scene classification. Experiments on public land-use scene classification datasets demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to many existing BOVW methods and is very suitable to solve the land-use scene classification problem.
MYBL2 is a Potential Prognostic Marker that Promotes Cell Proliferation in Gallbladder Cancer

Background: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an aggressive and highly lethal biliary tract malignancy, with extremely poor prognosis. In the present study, we analyzed the potential involvement of MYBL2, a member of the Myb transcription factor family, in the carcinogenesis of human GBC. Methods: MYBL2 expression levels were measured in GBC and cholecystitis tissue specimens using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical (IHC) assays. The effects of MYBL2 on cell proliferation and DNA synthesis were evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay (CCK-8), colony formation, and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) retention assay, flow cytometry analysis, western blot, and a xenograft model of GBC cells in nude mice. Results: MYBL2 expression was increased in GBC tissues and associated with histological differentiation, tumour invasion, clinical stage and unfavourable overall survival in GBC patients. The downregulation of MYBL2 expression resulted in the inhibition of GBC cell proliferation, and DNA replication in vitro, and the growth of xenografted tumours in nude mice. Conversely, MYBL2 overexpression resulted in the opposite effects. Conclusions: MYBL2 overexpression promotes GBC cell proliferation through the regulation of the cell cycle at the S and G2/M phase transitions. Thus, MYBL2 could serve as a potential prognostic and therapeutic biomarker in GBC patients.
Separation of the Mixtures of Chiral Compounds by Crystallization

Reaction of a racemic acid or base with an optically active base or acid gives a pair of diastereomeric salts. Members of this pair exhibit different physicochemical properties (e.g., solubility, melting point, boiling point, adsorbtion, phase distribution) and can be separated owing to these differences. The most important method for the separation of enantiomers is the crystallization. This is the subject of this chapter.
Alemtuzumab more effective than interferon β-1a at 5-year follow-up of CAMMS223 clinical trial

In the report on the 5-year follow-up of the CAMM223 clinical trial by Coles et al.,1 we found it intriguing that neutralizing antibodies (NAb) against interferon β-1a (IFNβ-1a) were not reported and possibly not even determined. There is …
The relative importance of whole body vibration and occupational lifting as risk factors for low-back pain

Aims: To explore the impact of occupational exposure to whole body vibration (WBV) on low back pain (LBP) in the general population and to estimate the burden of LBP attributable to occupational WBV in comparison with that due to occupational lifting. Methods: A questionnaire including sections on WBV at work, LBP, and potential risk factors was mailed to a community sample of 22 194 men and women of working age. Sources and durations of exposure to occupational WBV were ascertained for the past week and personal vibration doses (eVDV) were estimated. Analysis was confined to subjects reporting exposures in the past week as typical of their work. Associations of LBP with eVDV, driving industrial vehicles, and occupational lifting were explored by logistic regression and attributable numbers were calculated. Results: Significant associations were found between daily lifting of weights greater than 10 kg at work and LBP, troublesome LBP (which made it difficult to put on hosiery), and sciatica (prevalence ratios 1.3 to 1.7); but the risk of these outcomes in both sexes varied little by eVDV and only weak associations were found with riding on industrial vehicles. Assuming causal associations, the numbers of cases of LBP in Britain attributable to occupational WBV were estimated to be 444 000 in men and 95 000 in women. This compared with an estimated 940 000 male cases and 370 000 female cases of LBP from occupational lifting. Conclusions: The burden of LBP in Britain from occupational exposure to WBV is smaller than that attributable to lifting at work.
Mean bond-length variations in crystals for ions bonded to oxygen

Variations in mean bond length are examined in oxide and oxysalt crystals for 55 cation configurations bonded to O2−. Bond-length distortion is confirmed as a statistically significant causal factor of mean bond-length variation. The assignment of a coordination-based radius to O2− is found not to be supported by experimental data.
Efficacy and tolerability of oral paliperidone extended-release tablets in the treatment of acute schizophrenia: pooled data from three 6-week, placebo-controlled studies.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an extended-release (ER) formulation of paliperidone in patients with an acute episode of schizophrenia, in the dosage range of 3 to 15 mg daily. METHOD A pooled analysis of 3 similarly designed 6-week, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, fixed-dose, placebo-controlled studies in 1326 patients with acute schizophrenia (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale [PANSS] total score of 70-120) was performed. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 3, 6, 9, 12, or 15 mg daily of paliperidone ER or placebo. Efficacy and safety assessments were performed. The primary endpoint was change in PANSS total score from baseline to endpoint. RESULTS PANSS total, PANSS subscale factor, and Personal and Social Performance scale scores significantly improved at endpoint for all doses of paliperidone ER relative to placebo (p <or= .001). A significantly greater proportion of paliperidone ER-treated patients at all doses achieved a clinical response compared with placebo (p <or= .001). Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 66% to 77% of patients in the paliperidone ER groups and 66% of patients in the placebo group; serious TEAEs occurred in 6% of patients who received placebo and 5% to 6% of paliperidone ER-treated patients. Regardless of treatment group, median Simpson-Angus Rating Scale global, Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale total, and Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale scores were 0 at both baseline and endpoint. There were no clinically relevant differences in measures of body weight gain, glucose handling, lipid metabolism, or proportion of patients with abnormal corrected QT intervals on electrocardiography and no important differences between the proportion of patients who received paliperidone ER or placebo who reported potentially glucose- or prolactin-related events. CONCLUSIONS Paliperidone ER given once daily for 6 weeks appears to be a safe, well-tolerated, and effective treatment for patients with acute schizophrenia.
Do anticholinergic agents affect the occurrence of postanaesthetic nausea?

In order to establish if anticholinergic drugs might influence postoperative nausea and vomiting, 100 ASA I‐II adult patients scheduled for minor orthopaedic procedures, varicose vein stripping or inguinal herniorraphy were randomised to receive, in a double‐blind fashion, either a premedicant and a reversal dose of 0.003 and 0.0075 mg/kg of glycopyrrolate or 0.006 and 0.015 mg/kg of atropine, respectively. Nitrous oxide, after thiopentone induction was used for anaesthesia with fentanyl and diazepam as supplements and pancuronium for relaxation. In the recovery room, up to 2 h after surgery, 28% of the patients in the glycopyrrolate group and 8% in the atropine group experienced nausea (P=0.017). Thereafter, the patients complained of nausea at decreased and equal frequencies in both groups. The incidence of vomiting was not statistically significantly different. Droperidol was needed, to control persistent emesis, three times more often in the glycopyrrolate than in the atropine group. It is concluded that substitution of glycopyrrolate for atropine increases the likelihood of postoperative nausea, and continued use of atropine should be considered in patients at risk of postoperative emesis.
An open clinical pilot study of the efficacy and safety of oral terbinafine in dry non‐inflammatory tinea capitis

Ten patients with dry non‐inflammatory tinea capitis were evaluated in a pilot study which ran from September 1989 to February 1990. Each patient was given oral terbinafine for 6 weeks; each was followed up 2 weeks later. Eight (80%) were completely cured, one (10%) was mycologically cured and showed minimal signs and symptoms, and another (10%) showed improvement (negative mycology, but persistent clinical signs and symptoms). No topical or systemic side‐effects were noted. Terbinafine appears to be an effective and safe antifungal agent in the treatment of non‐inflammatory tinea capitis.
The Foxb1‐expressing neurons of the ventrolateral hypothalamic parvafox nucleus project to defensive circuits

The parvafox nucleus is an elongated structure that is lodged within the ventrolateral hypothalamus and lies along the optic tract. It comprises axially located parvalbumin (Parv)‐positive neurons and a peripheral cuff of Foxb1‐expressing ones. In the present study, injections of Cre‐dependent adenoviral constructs were targeted to the ventrolateral hypothalamus of Foxb1/Cre mice to label specifically and map the efferent connections of the Foxb1‐expressing subpopulation of neurons of the parvafox nucleus. These neurons project more widely than do the Parv‐positive ones and implicate a part of the axons known to emanate from the lateral hypothalamus. High labeling densities were found in the dorsolateral and the upper lateral portion of the periaqueductal gray (PAG), the Su3 and PV2 nuclei of the ventrolateral PAG, the cuneiform nucleus, the mesencephalic reticular formation, and the superior colliculus. Intermediate densities of terminals were encountered in the septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, substantia innominata, various thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei, pedunculopontine nucleus, Barrington's nucleus, retrofacial nucleus, and retroambigual nucleus. Scattered terminals were observed in the olfactory bulbs, the prefrontal cortex and the lamina X of the cervical spinal cord. Because the terminals were demonstrated to express the glutamate transporter VGlut2, the projections are presumed to be excitatory. A common denominator of the main target sites of the Foxb1‐positive axons of the parvafox nucleus appears to be an involvement in the defensive reactions to life‐threatening situations. The hypothalamic parvafox nucleus may contribute to the autonomic manifestations that accompany the expression of emotions. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:2955–2981, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.