Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Lepto Dri Dot as a rapid test for the diagnosis of leptospirosis

Lepto Dri Dot is a new card agglutination test developed by the Dutch Royal Tropical Institute for the rapid diagnosis of leptospirosis. We evaluated the test in field conditions in The Andaman Islands. Patients suspected of leptospirosis who attended three primary health centres were included in the study. The test results were compared with blood culture or microscopic agglutination tests on paired serum samples; 74 of 124 patients were diagnosed as having leptospirosis based on these criteria. Lepto Dri Dot had a sensitivity of 67.6% (50/74) and a specificity of 66.0% (33/50) during week 1. During weeks 2–4 the values increased to 85.5% (47/55) and 80% (40/50) respectively. An IgM ELISA was also performed on the serum samples for comparison and this was marginally less sensitive, but more specific, during the first week of illness. The positivity rates for the Dri Dot test during days 2–3, 4–5 and 6–7 were 53.1% (17/32), 75.0% (18/24) and 83.3% (15/18), respectively. The corresponding values for ELISA were 28.1% (9/32), 54% (13/24) and 77.8% (14/18). Both Dri Dot and ELISA showed good agreement with the standard diagnostic criteria after the first week of illness (κ = 0.65 and 0.74, respectively). The overall concordance of the two tests was 89.5% (κ = 0.79). The test does not require special storage or sophisticated equipment and can be performed by relatively low skilled personnel.
Enhanced Electric Resistivity of Die-Upset Magnets By Segmented NdF3 Addition

We report an approach to improve the electric resistivity of Nd-Fe-B die-upset magnets without sacrificing their magnetic properties very much. NdF3 fine powders were segmentally added in the die filling with MQU-F powders and then were die-upset for magnets. Experimental results indicated that electric resistivity monotonically increases with the increase of NdF3 addition, which is due to the formation of continuous segmented fluoride layers. When NdF3 content reached 5.3 wt%, the electric resistivity almost increases by eight times. Magnetic properties exhibit no drastic decrease after the addition of NdF3 and coercivity increases when adding 2.12 wt% of NdF3.
High prevalence of RAS mutations in RET-negative sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomas.

CONTEXT Sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC) frequently harbor mutations in the RET protooncogene. We have earlier reported a series of 51 sporadic MTC with 64.7% of RET-positive and 35.3% of RET-negative cases. OBJECTIVE In the present study, we investigated the possible involvement of RAS and BRAF protooncogenes in the development of sporadic RET-negative MTC. PATIENTS AND DESIGN We performed PCR amplification and sequencing analysis of the three mutational hotspots (codons 12, 13, and 61) of the H-, K-, and N-RAS genes, and of the mutational hotspot (codon 600) and exon 11 of the BRAF gene in 65 sporadic MTC, of which 40 were RET positive and 25 were RET negative. RESULTS Somatic H-RAS and K-RAS mutations were detected in 14 of 25 (56.0%) and three of 25 (12.0%) of RET-negative sporadic MTC, respectively. On the other hand, only one of 40 (2.5%) RET-positive sporadic MTC had a RAS mutation, namely in H-RAS. One of the H-RAS mutations was novel (c.32_37dupCCGGCG). No mutations of N-RAS or BRAF were detected in all assessed tumor samples. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results showed that RAS mutations were present in 68.0% (17 of 25) of the RET-negative MTC and in only 2.5% of the RET-positive MTC (P < 0.0001), suggesting that activation of the protooncogenes RAS and RET represents alternative genetic events in sporadic MTC tumorigenesis.
Patterns of dispensed disulfiram and naltrexone for alcoholism treatment in a veteran patient population.

BACKGROUND Short-term treatment trials indicate that two Food and Drug Administration-approved agents, disulfiram and naltrexone, may each curtail alcohol consumption, but two large 1-year Veterans Administration cooperative studies showed no long-term benefits for these agents over placebo. To assess whether these agents are being prescribed for extended periods, as an indicator of long-term use in nonexperimental settings, we compared dispensing patterns in a veteran patient population. METHODS The New England Veterans Integrated Service Network outpatient pharmacy files between January 1, 1998, and June 30, 2001, were analyzed; only patients with prescriptions on or after March 1, 1998, were included. Measurements for each patient included data on new and refilled prescriptions of disulfiram, naltrexone, and control medications. Prescription survival curves with right censoring were constructed. Distinct treatment episodes were defined by having six or more months between the end date of a prior prescription and the start date of a new prescription. RESULTS From eight New England Veterans Integrated Service Network centers, 754 patients were dispensed disulfiram, and 971 were dispensed naltrexone, encompassing 873 and 1075 treatment episodes, respectively. Treatment episode durations were virtually identical for both drugs: more than 35% of episodes were 1 month or shorter, more than 50% were 2 months or shorter, and 75% were 5 months or shorter. Concurrently prescribed neuroleptic or statin medications predicted longer disulfiram and naltrexone treatment episodes. However, for patients newly prescribed common neuroleptic, antidepressant, or statin agents, the risks for discontinuing disulfiram or naltrexone were 1.4 to 2.3 times greater than for discontinuing these other agents. CONCLUSIONS In clinical settings, veteran patients were likely to be dispensed either disulfiram or naltrexone for only several months or less. The contexts and reasons for these predominantly short-term treatment episodes or the benefits derived were not known and merit further study.
The Role of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Surgery in Cervical Cancer

The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in "bulky" and locally advanced cervical cancer has been of interest for the last 25 years, and in many countries, NAC has become the standard of care. In the present paper, we review our 10 years' experience with high-dose-density NAC in cervical cancer management in 141 women (CervNAC I protocol). High-dose-density neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical surgery has resulted in high clinical response rates and seems to be feasible in the management of stage IB bulky cervical cancer. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy reduces tumor volume and positivity of lymph nodes and thus minimizes the need for postoperative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Tumor size reduction and node negativity allows less radical surgical procedures such as modified radical hysterectomy or nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy. Early and especially late toxicity of our high-dose density chemotherapy is acceptable. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery represents a valid alternative to primary chemoradiotherapy in young and sexually active patients. Five-year survival in patients who underwent surgery in our study was 80.6%. Currently, 3 papers with 3 approaches have been published on NAC before fertility-sparing surgery. One of the limitations of fertility-preserving surgery is deep stromal invasion and tumors larger than 2 cm. The idea underlying NAC is to reduce the size of the cervical tumor to preserve fertility. In the present paper, we also review our experience with high-dose-density NAC in fertility-sparing surgery in 15 women (LAP3-NAC protocol).
Fundamental Indexing: An Analysis of the Returns, Risks and Costs of Applying the Strategy

We study the risk-adjusted performance of strategies based on fundamental indexation in Europe. Fundamental indexes are formed on the basis of book value of the assets, gross dividends, revenue, operating income and a composite of these values. Previous research in the US has shown that fundamental indexation provides positive risk-adjusted returns. We analyze whether the fundamental indexing strategy generates a positive alpha after correcting for risk factors and costs of managing the index portfolios. We use the three factor model of Fama and French to correct for risk. We find that fundamental indexation has a higher factor loading on the risk factors based on book-to-market (HML) and size (SMB). We also find that the strategy generates significant alpha after correcting for the three risk factors.
An Exploratory Study on the Combined Effects of External and Internal Morphology on Load Dissipation in Primate Capitates: Its Potential for an Understanding of the Positional and Locomotor Repertoire of Early Hominins

This pilot study explored whether the redirection of stress through trabeculae within morphologically constrained capitates provides information about habitual/positional behaviours unavailable from the study of external morphology alone. To assess this possibility, an experimental finite element approach was taken, whereby no attempt was made to reconstruct the actual magnitudes and loading conditions experienced by the capitates in vivo. Rather, this work addressed fundamental biological questions relating to bone plasticity, i.e. internal versus external bone morphology. The capitates of 7 species with different and – in the case of fossils – inferred locomotor behaviours were selected. Virtual models of capitates were created, scaled to the same size and subjected to the same theoretical load. In the first set of analyses, models were assigned the material properties of bone throughout, whereas in the second set, models were assigned 11 different material properties representing the trabecular architecture derived from high-resolution CT. Species with arboreal behaviours consistently redirected loads towards the ulnar aspect of the capitate when trabeculae were introduced, while terrestrial species, and the bipedal Homo, redirected stress towards the radial side. From these preliminary analyses, it is tentatively concluded that Australopithecus anamensis habitually engaged in arboreal behaviours, whereas Australopithecus afarensis did not.
Rapid emergence of ESBL producers in E. coli causing urinary and wound infections in Pakistan

Objectives: Production of extended spectrum beta -lactamases (ESBLs) by clinical isolates of pathogenic E. coli is a very serious therapeutic threat. This study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of ESBLs and associated drug resistance in E. coli isolates from urine and pus, and to report the drift from 2005 to 2009-10. Methodology: Among 173 E. coli isolates, 82 were phenotypically detected as ESBL producers by standard cefotaxime / clavulanic acid and ceftazidime / clavulanic acid disc diffusion tests. Antimicrobial resistance of all ESBL producers was assessed by disc diffusion method. Presence of CTX-M, TEM, SHV and OXA groups was investigated by PCR. Results: The prevalence of ESBL producing E. coli increased significantly from 33.7% in 2005 to 60.0% in 2009-10 (urine: 31.8% to 62.9%; pus: 41.1% to 55.5%). Resistance to cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was above 85% in both sets of isolates. Imipenem and Fosfomycin resistance was non-existent in 2005 but ranged from 3-15% in 2009-10. Remarkable increase from 9.5% to 64.7% in urinary tract isolates and from 0 to 55% in pus isolates was observed in colistin sulphate resistance. The dissemination of genes encoding ESBLs was: CTX-M 3.5%; TEM 10.7%; both CTX-M and TEM 3.5% in 2005, and CTX-M 42.5%; TEM 48.1%; both CTX-M and TEM 29.6% in 2009-10. Conclusions: Our results showed very rapid emergence of multidrug resistant ESBL producing E. coli in Pakistan posing a very serious threat in the treatment of nosocomial and community acquired infections.
Trends in the prevalence of hypertension in island and coastal areas of china: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND With the economic development in recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of hypertension in some coastal cities of China; however, the number of reports regarding the prevalence of hypertension based on a nationwide study of island and coastal areas of China is limited. We estimated the prevalence and described the trends of hypertension during the last 3 decades in these specific areas. METHODS Authoritative databases were searched for cross-sectional studies reporting the prevalence of hypertension in island and coastal areas of China published in the past 3 decades, and 37 studies that involved 760,428 individuals representing 22 different locations were identified and included in our analysis. RESULTS The estimated prevalence of hypertension was 9.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 6.3%-14.9%) in the 1980s, 18.5% (95% CI = 13.6%-24.8%) in the 1990s, and 30.0% (95% CI = 26.7%-33.6%) in the 2000s (χ(2) for trend: P = 0.00). In the 2000s, adjusted prevalence estimate of hypertension was 21.6% according to the national standard population composition in 1990, and the pooled prevalence estimate for the northern region in coastal areas of China was significantly higher than the southern region (36.2% vs. 26.2%; P = 0.002). Thus, the prevalence of hypertension in the island and coastal areas of China appears to have increased 21.5% in the last 3 decades; the increasing trend was observed in men and women. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the urgent need for public health strategies with more emphasis on improvement of primary health care in the island and coastal areas of China.
Repression of ergosterol biosynthesis is essential for stress resistance and is mediated by the Hog1 MAP kinase and the Mot3 and Rox1 transcription factors

Hyperosmotic stress triggers a complex adaptive response that is dominantly regulated by the Hog1 MAP kinase in yeast. Here we characterize a novel physiological determinant of osmostress tolerance, which involves the Hog1‐dependent transcriptional downregulation of ergosterol biosynthesis genes (ERG). Yeast cells considerably lower their sterol content in response to high osmolarity. The transcriptional repressors Mot3 and Rox1 are essential for this response. Both factors together with Hog1 are required to rapidly and transiently shut down transcription of ERG2 and ERG11 upon osmoshock. Mot3 abundance and its binding to the ERG2 promoter is stimulated by osmostress in a Hog1‐dependent manner. As an additional layer of control, the expression of the main transcriptional activator of ERG gene expression, Ecm22, is negatively regulated by Hog1 and Mot3/Rox1 upon salt shock. Oxidative stress also triggers repression of ERG2, 11 transcription and a profound decrease in total sterol levels. However, this response was only partially dependent on Mot3/Rox1 and Hog1. Finally, we show that the upc2‐1 mutation confers stress insensitive hyperaccumulation of ergosterol, overexpression of ERG2, 11 and severe sensitivity to salt and oxidative stress. Our results indicate that transcriptional control of ergosterol biosynthesis is an important physiological target of stress signalling.
Reciprocal developmental regulation of presynaptic ionotropic receptors

Activation of ionotropic glycine receptors potentiates glutamate release in mature calyceal nerve terminals of the rat medial nucleus of the trapezoid body, an auditory brainstem nucleus. In young rats, glycine and its receptors are poorly expressed. We therefore asked whether GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) might play a larger role than glycine in the regulation of glutamate release in the absence of glycine receptors. Indeed, in rats younger than postnatal day 11 (P11), and before the onset of hearing, calyces expressed high levels of ionotropic GABAA receptors but few glycine receptors. Isoguvacine, a selective agonist at GABAA receptors, strongly enhanced excitatory postsynaptic currents in young rats but had little effect in rats older than P11. Down-regulation of presynaptic GABAA receptors did not reflect global changes in receptor expression, because the magnitude of GABA and glycine responses was similar at P13 in the parent-cell bodies of the calyces, the bushy cells of the cochlear nucleus. In outside-out patches excised from the nonsynaptic face of calyces, GABA and glycine evoked single-channel currents consistent with the properties of postsynaptic GABAA and glycine receptors. Inhibitory GABAB receptors were present on the calyx at all developmental stages examined. Thus, GABA initially acts on two receptor subtypes, both promoting and inhibiting glutamate release. With age, the former role is transferred to the glycine receptor during the period in which postsynaptic glycinergic transmission is acquired.
Randomized trial of statin administration for myocardial injury: is intensive lipid-lowering more beneficial than moderate lipid-lowering before percutaneous coronary intervention?

BACKGROUND Minor myocardial damage after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with cardiac risks, which statins seem to reduce. The aim of this study was to examine whether intensive lipid-lowering therapy is more effective in decreasing the risk of cardiac injury after PCI than moderate lipid-lowering therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS Subjects comprised 42 patients with stable angina without previous statin treatment, randomly assigned to either an intensive lipid-lowering group (Group A: target low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C)<70 mg/dl) or a moderate lipid-lowering group (Group B: target LDL-C<100 mg/dl) 2 weeks before PCI. All patients took statins to reach target LDL-C levels. Incidence of periprocedural myocardial injury was assessed by analyzing levels of creatine kinase myocardial isozyme (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin T (TnT) before and 6, 12 and 24 h after PCI. Minor myocardial damage was defined as TnT elevation to >0.01 ng/ml. Frequency of minor myocardial damage was 14.2% in Group A and 47.6% in Group B (p=0.043). CK-MB was above the upper limit of normal (ULN) in 19% of Group A and 33.3% of Group B (p=0.44), and CK-MB was >3x ULN in 9.5% of Group A and 19% of Group B (p=0.66). CONCLUSIONS Intensive lipid-lowering therapy before PCI reduces minor myocardial damage during PCI with stenting compared with moderate lipid-lowering therapy.
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF POOR WOMEN WITH GRAMEEN BANK PATTERNS ON BAITUL MAL WA TAMWIL IBADURRAHMAN

The purpose of this research is to analyze the contribution of Islamic microfinance with Grameen Bank pattern to economic empowerment and poverty alleviation to BMT Ibadurrahman members. This study uses a quantitative approach. Primary data collection techniques using a questionnaire. While secondary data comes from BMT annual reports (Baitul Mal wa Tamwil), journals, and other related literature. The sampling technique used is purposive sampling. The number of samples used were 100 female poor respondents of BMT Ibadurrahman members. The analysis technique used is the Spearman correlation. This study concludes that Islamic microfinance with the Grameen Bank pattern has a positive contribution to the economic empowerment of poor women. Financial capital and social capital are the keys to success in empowering the poor. Islamic microfinance with the Grameen pattern also has a significant relationship with poverty alleviation. This research also proves that poverty can be overcome if economic development is based on human development.
Ultrasound facilitates identification of combined spinal-epidural puncture in obese parturients.

BACKGROUND The palpation method is widely used in clinical practice to identify the puncture site of combined spinal-epidural (CSE) blocks, but it is usually difficult to accurately locate the puncture site in obese parturients. Accurate identification of the puncture site is crucial for successful CSE block. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of ultrasound imaging on the success rate of CSE puncture in obese parturients. METHODS Sixty obese parturients with a body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m(2) who were scheduled for caesarean section were randomized into two equal-sized groups for location of the puncture site: an ultrasound group and a palpation group. The success rate of puncture at the first puncture site, the number of puncture attempts, duration of CSE procedure, time taken to determine the puncture site, and the depth of the epidural space were compared between groups. The frequencies of complications such as puncture site hemorrhage, neurological damage, and inadvertent dural puncture were also studied. RESULTS There were no differences in age, body weight, height, body mass index, or gestational age between the two groups. The success rate of puncture at the first puncture site was significantly higher in the ultrasound group than the palpation group (100.00% vs. 70.00%, P = 0.004). The number of puncture attempts was significantly lower in the ultrasound group than the palpation group (χ(2) = 6.708, P = 0.035). The time taken for determining the puncture site was (0.30 ± 0.12) minutes in the palpation group and (2.60 ± 0.61) minutes in the ultrasound group (P < 0.001). The duration of CSE procedure was (7.67 ± 1.52) minutes in the palpation group and (9.37 ± 1.35) minutes in the ultrasound group (P < 0.001). The depth of the epidural space was similar in both groups (P = 0.586). Puncture site hemorrhage was observed in 6 (20.00%) patients in the palpation group and 2 (6.67%) patients in the ultrasound group (P = 0.255). CONCLUSIONS Ultrasound imaging improves the rate of successful puncture at the first puncture site and decreases the number of puncture attempts. It facilitates CSE puncture in obese parturients.
Influences of cardiorespiratory fitness and other precursors on cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in men and women.

OBJECTIVE To quantify the relation of cardiorespiratory fitness to cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and to all-cause mortality within strata of other personal characteristics that predispose to early mortality. DESIGN--Observational cohort study. We calculated CVD and all-cause death rates for low (least fit 20%), moderate (next 40%), and high (most fit 40%) fitness categories by strata of smoking habit, cholesterol level, blood pressure, and health status. SETTING Preventive medicine clinic. STUDY PARTICIPANTS Participants were 25341 men and 7080 women who completed preventive medical examinations, including a maximal exercise test. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. RESULTS There were 601 deaths during 211996 man-years of follow-up, and 89 deaths during 52982 woman-years of follow-up. Independent predictors of mortality among men, with adjusted relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were low fitness (RR, 1.52;95% CI, 1.28-1.82), smoking (RR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.39-1.97), abnormal electrocardiogram (RR, 1.64;95% CI, 1.34-2.01), chronic illness (RR, 1.63;95% CI, 1.37-1.95), increased cholesterol level (RR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.13-1.59), and elevated systolic blood pressure (RR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.13-1.59). The only statistically significant independent predictors of mortality in women were low fitness (RR, 2.10; 95% Cl, 1.36-3.21) and smoking (RR, 1.99; 95% Cl, 1.25-3.17). Inverse gradients were seen for mortality across fitness categories within strata of other mortality predictors for both sexes. Fit persons with any combination of smoking, elevated blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol level had lower adjusted death rates than low-fit persons with none of these characteristics. CONCLUSIONS Low fitness is an important precursor of mortality. The protective effect of fitness held for smokers and nonsmokers, those with and without elevated cholesterol levels or elevated blood pressure, and unhealthy and healthy persons. Moderate fitness seems to protect against the influence of these other predictors on mortality. Physicians should encourage sedentary patients to become physically active and thereby reduce the risk of premature mortality.