Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Treatment and Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Canada: Do Older Patients Receive Efficacious Therapies?

OBJECTIVES: To review the evidence for clinical efficacy and cost‐effectiveness of proven medications in the treatment and prevention of myocardial infarction (MI) in older patients; to summarize Canadian data on treatment patterns and clinical outcomes for younger and older patients with coronary heart disease; to explore the reasons for gaps between best care, based on the evidence of efficacy from trials, and usual care, based on the population effectiveness audits; and to explore potential approaches to closing the care gaps.
Early medical abortion at home: author's response

I would like to respond to the concerns of Mr Esen1 as follows: 1. Mr Esen expresses concern that administering mifepristone on the same day as a hospital assessment may result in women being given mifepristone when they are not certain of their decision and thus consequent distress. However, women that received mifepristone in our study (and continue to do so) are those who are ‘certain’ of their decision, as indicated in our inclusion criteria.2 The two papers that Mr Esen alludes to actually show that a minority of women were ambivalent, that is, not certain of their decision.3 4 This is consistent with previous research from our abortion service using validated questionnaires that demonstrated that in the majority of cases (70%), the pregnancy was …
Self-Perception of Intelligence in Male and Female Undergraduates in Old and New Welsh Universities

In 1991 John Major's UK government announced that the binary divide in UK higher education was to be phased out as polytechnics would be given permission by the Privy Council to apply for university status. But has the binary divide really ceased to exist in higher education? Given that the ‘old’ universities typically ask for higher A-level grades than the ‘new’ ones we might ask: do students at new universities perceive themselves as being less able than those at old universities? In addition to the possibility of differences between institutions we might also ask do the sexes differ in their self-perceptions of intelligence? Over the last 25 years, a number of studies have demonstrated a robust gender difference in self-estimation of intelligence, with female undergraduates consistently producing lower ratings of their own intelligence than their male counterparts (see for example Hogan, 1978; Higgins, 1987 and Furnham, 2000, 2001). Does this situation still prevail in today's universities where more women than men now enter higher education? Finally, given the rapid rise in the proportion of the population entering higher education during the 1990s we might ask whether this rise has had an effect on the self-perception of intelligence in students. The current study was designed to throw some light on all three of these questions by simply asking undergraduate samples at an old and a new Welsh university what score they think they would achieve on an IQ test. The findings suggest that female undergraduates still rate themselves less highly than males, that students attending new universities perceive themselves as being less intelligent than those studying at old universities and finally, that during the 1990s there was a general fall in self-estimates of IQ amongst university students.
EVALUATION OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF PATIENTS, COMPLIANCE TO TREATMENT AND THE IMPACT O F PATIENT EDUCATION ON ASTHMA: A QUESTIONNAIRE BASED STUD Y ON OUTPATIENT ASTHMATICS

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patient knowledge of as thma , their compliance to treatment , providing patient education and evaluating the impact of education on asthma management. With this view an interventional study was conducted from December 2008 to March 2009 among the asthma outpatients of Department o f Respiratory Medicine, Govt. Medical College Hospital, Th iruvananthapuram, Kerala, South India. By using a semi - structured questionnaire, the study was carried out on 100 patients between the ages of 12 - 70 year . I nformation such as d emographic data, tri ggering factors and frequency of asthma attacks, history of childhood and hereditary asthma, knowledge level of patient, usage of common medication, inhaler usage, side effects , compliance to treatment and reasons for non compliance was collected by direct interview method . Pulmonary function test was performed and p atient education was provided to participants. A fter three months, all the participants were assessed again. The collected data was analyzed by using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software. The study revealed that 75 % of patients were females and 25 % were males. Majority of the patients were under the age group of 30 - 39 years (32 %). The analysis of educational status revealed that the majority of study population was liter ate. Major precipitating factors for asthma were found to be dust, weather, smoke and cold. In the study population 26 % had a history of childhood asthma, 49 % had history of hereditary asthma, 74 % used dry powder inhaler and 26 % used metered dose inhal er. It was found that Budesonide/formoterol and Salmeterol/fluticasone are the commonly prescribed combination medication and the only side effect reported was dysphonia. Cost of medication was the major reason for non compliance. In follow up, p atient e du cation was found to have a significant impact on smoking habits , inhaler usage , patient compliance and knowledge. From this study, it was clear that patient education plays an important role in the better management of asthma.
Profile and outcome of diabetic admissions at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo

The aim of this study was to determine the morbidity and mortality pattern amongst patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital Uyo, Nigeria over four consecutive years (June 2004 to June 2008). This study was a retrospective study. Data was obtained from the records register in the medical wards of the hospital. These records registers included admission and discharge records as well as outcome of the individual cases. Data extracted included age, sex, indication for admission and outcome. A total of 407 patients with DMwere admitted during the period under review. Uncontrolled DM was the commonest indication for admission accounting for 62.1% of the total admissions. Hyperglycaemic emergencies (diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar non-ketotic coma (Honk)) accounted for 18.7% of the total admissions. The overall mortality rate was 8.1%. HONK was the commonest cause of death accounting for 24.2% of the total deaths recorded. The mortality rate of diabetic ketoacidosis was 10.3%, while for HONK it was 30.3%. DM is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Uyo. Adequate health/diabetic education needs to be given to diabetic patients to enable them take care of their illness to prevent the poor outcome associated with the disease. Key words: Outcome, morbidity, mortality, diabetes, Uyo.
Traumatic Relationships and Serious Mental Disorders

A solution to get the problem off, have you found it? Really? What kind of solution do you resolve the problem? From what sources? Well, there are so many questions that we utter every day. No matter how you will get the solution, it will mean better. You can take the reference from some books. And the traumatic relationships and serious mental disorders is one book that we really recommend you to read, to get more solutions in solving this problem.
Health and social care services for women offenders: current provision and a future model of care

Secure provision for women in both the Criminal Justice System and the Health Service has evolved in the last decade, in line with emerging gender-specific policy. Notable gains have been the approach to self-harm in prison and a reduction in the inappropriately high levels of secure hospital care. Although treatment pilots in UK settings are in progress, much practice remains poorly described and insufficiently evaluated. Recent strategic initiatives by both the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Health, as well as the commissioning changes that have followed the Health and Social Care Act 2012, provide a basis for reconsideration and a further paradigm shift. Suggestions for a reinvigorated model of gender-sensitive provision are made, relying on principles of resilience and autonomy.
Emerging role of Alemtuzumab in renal and renal–pancreas transplantation

Background: Alemtuzumab is a humanized anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody that is increasingly used in solid organ transplantation. Objective: The novel mechanism by which alemtuzumab works was used to provide an understanding of its clinical efficacy and adverse effects. Methods: Human studies of alemtuzumab in adult renal and pancreas transplantation were reviewed. These studies looked at the role of alemtuzumab as a tolerogenic and induction agent as well as its role in the treatment of acute rejection. Results/conclusions: Overall, alemtuzumab induction resulted in patient and graft outcomes comparable to other induction strategies but studies failed to show development of true tolerance. Economic benefit is a major attraction for alemtuzumab use. Future studies will further identify the optimal use of alemtuzumab.
Dietary iron is associated with memory in midlife: Longitudinal cohort study

This work examined associations between dietary iron and cognitive function in mid-life adults using data from The 1946 British Birth Cohort, a representative population-based sample of men and women born in England, Scotland or Wales. Linear regression was used to determine the association between dietary iron intake or a measure of available iron (calculated by adjusting iron intake for dietary modifiers that are known to inhibit or enhance iron absorption) at ages 36, 43 and 53 years and cognitive measures at ages 43 and 53 years. Cognitive measures included verbal memory, assessed by a three-trial 15-word learning task, and speed and concentration, assessed by a timed letter search task. Examining the data cross-sectionally; dietary iron at ages 43 and 53 years was positively and significantly associated with verbal memory after adjustment for potential confounders. Examining the data longitudinally; earlier dietary iron intake was significantly associated with later verbal memory. No associations were observed between dietary iron and measures of speed and concentration when examining the data both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The current study shows that impaired cognition, specifically memory, resulting from inadequate iron intake may extend beyond childhood and also be present in midlife. This finding, coupled with the high prevalence of people reporting iron intakes below the Lower Reference Nutrition Intake in the UK, provide reason for concern.
Uncombable hair and atopic dermatitis in a case of tricho‐dento‐osseous syndrome

The tricho‐dento‐osseous syndrome is a rare genetic disorder due to a mutation in the DLX3 gene on chromosome 17q21. It can affect hair, teeth, bone and nails, causing phenotypic variability. We report on an 8‐year‐old girl with tricho‐dento‐osseous syndrome, who presented in our allergy center with severe atopic dermatitis. Additional clinical findings included light, kinky hair reminiscent of pili trianguli et canaliculi (uncombable hair), enamel hypoplasia and enlarged pulp chambers of the molar teeth (tau‐rodontism). A genetic investigation revealed a de‐novo mutation in the DLX3 gene on chromosome 17q21. Electron microscopic examination of the curly hair showed a flattened hair shaft with longitudinal grooves.
Multiwavelength Resonance Raman Characterization of the Effect of Growth Phase and Culture Medium on Bacteria

We examine the use of multiwavelength ultraviolet (UV) resonance–Raman signatures to identify the effects of growth phase and growth medium on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Escherichia coli(E. coli), Citrobacter koseri(C. koseri), Citrobacter braakii (C. braakii), and Bacillus cereus (B. cereus)were grown to logarithmic and stationary phases in nutrient broth and brain heart infusion broth. Resonance Raman spectra of bacteria were obtained at multiple wavelengths between 220 and 260 nm; a range that encompasses the resonance frequencies of cellular constituents. We find that spectra of the same bacterial species exhibit differences due to both growth condition and growth phase, but the larger differences reflect changes due to growth phase. The differences in the Raman spectra correlate with genetic differences among the species. Using a Pearson correlation based algorithm, we achieve successful identification of these bacteria in 83% of the cases.
An Integrin α4β7•IgG Heterodimeric Chimera Binds to MAdCAM-1 on High Endothelial Venules in Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue

Lymphocyte homing is regulated by a multistep process mediated by sequential adhesive interactions between circulating lymphocytes and high endothelial venules (HEVs). In gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), the initial interactive step, “tethering and rolling,” is partly mediated by integrin α4β7 expressed on GALT-homing lymphocytes and its ligand MAdCAM-1, which is exclusively expressed on HEVs in GALT. To probe functional MAdCAM-1 in tissue sections, we developed a soluble integrin α4β7 heterodimeric IgG chimera by joining the extracellular region of mouse integrin α4 and β7 subunits to a human IgG Fc domain. Western blot analysis revealed that co-transfection of HEK 293T cells with expression vectors encoding integrin α4•IgG and β7•IgG results in the formation of α4β7•IgG heterodimeric chimeras. This complex preferentially binds to CHO cells expressing MAdCAM-1 and, to a lesser extent, to cells expressing VCAM-1, but not to cells expressing ICAM-1. Moreover, α4β7•IgG specifically binds to HEVs in GALT in situ in a divalent cation–dependent fashion and inhibits lymphocyte binding to HEVs in GALT. These findings indicate that α4β7•IgG can be used as a probe for functional MAdCAM-1 expressed on HEVs in GALT and could potentially serve as an anti-inflammatory drug inhibiting GALT-specific lymphocyte migration.
Tropomodulin 1 Constrains Fiber Cell Geometry during Elongation and Maturation in the Lens Cortex

Lens fiber cells exhibit a high degree of hexagonal packing geometry, determined partly by tropomodulin 1 (Tmod1), which stabilizes the spectrin-actin network on lens fiber cell membranes. To ascertain whether Tmod1 is required during epithelial cell differentiation to fiber cells or during fiber cell elongation and maturation, the authors quantified the extent of fiber cell disorder in the Tmod1-null lens and determined locations of disorder by confocal microscopy and computational image analysis. First, nearest neighbor analysis of fiber cell geometry in Tmod1-null lenses showed that disorder is confined to focal patches. Second, differentiating epithelial cells at the equator aligned into ordered meridional rows in Tmod1-null lenses, with disordered patches first observed in elongating fiber cells. Third, as fiber cells were displaced inward in Tmod1-null lenses, total disordered area increased due to increased sizes (but not numbers) of individual disordered patches. The authors conclude that Tmod1 is required first to coordinate fiber cell shapes and interactions during tip migration and elongation and second to stabilize ordered fiber cell geometry during maturation in the lens cortex. An unstable spectrin-actin network without Tmod1 may result in imbalanced forces along membranes, leading to fiber cell rearrangements during elongation, followed by propagation of disorder as fiber cells mature.
Superstition, Family Planning, and Human Development

Are wanted and unwanted children treated equally by their parents? To address this question, the authors rely on the observation that, according to Vietnamese astrology, dates of birth are believed to be determinants of success, luck, character, and good match between individuals. They then examine fertility decisions made in Vietnam between 1976 and 1996. The authors find that birth cohorts in auspicious years are significantly larger than in other years. Children born in auspicious years moreover do better both in health and education. While parental characteristics seem to affect fertility choices and human development simultaneously, their analysis suggests that family planning is one key mechanism leading to the observed differences in outcomes: in a society in which superstition is widespread, children born in auspicious years are more likely to have been planned by their parents, thus benefiting from more favorable financial, psychological, or emotional conditions for better human development.
Immunohistological Localization of Endogenous Unlabeled Stem Cells in Wounded Skin

Various types of endogenous stem cells (SCs) participate in wound healing in the skin at different anatomical locations. SCs need to be identified through multiple markers, and this is usually performed using flow cytometry. However, immunohistological identification of endogenous stem cells in the skin at different anatomical locations by co-staining multiple SC markers has been seldom explored. We examined the immunohistological localization of four major types of SCs in wounded skin by co-staining for their multiple markers. Hematopoietic SCs were co-stained for Sca1 and CD45; mesenchymal SCs for Sca1, CD29, and CD106; adipose SCs for CD34, CD90, and CD105; and endothelial progenitor cells and their differentiated counterparts were co-stained for CD34, Tie2, and von Willebrand factor. We found Sca1+CD45+ SCs in the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis of wounded skin. Sca1+CD29+ and Sca1+CD106+ mesenchymal SCs, CD34+CD105+, CD34+CD90+, and CD90+CD105+ adipose SCs, as well as CD34+Tie2+ endothelial progenitor cells were also located in the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using immunohistological staining to determine the location of SCs in wounded skin and the intracellular distribution of their molecular markers.
Defibrotide: a review on clinical use and future development

Background: Defibrotide is a deoxyribonucleic acid derivative that has been developed for the treatment of different vascular disorders. Objective: The authors reviewed the literature to give due representation to the spectrum of pharmacological properties and clinical application of this drug, evaluating consolidate and innovative application. Methods: The authors used PubMed from November 1982 to December 2007 and meeting abstracts (form American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting) with updated data as the sources for this review and selecting the most relevant papers when two or more articles covered the same point of interest. Conclusions: Defibrotide has been used effectively in the treatment of endothelial complications of allogeneic stem cell transplantation and recent preclinical evidences suggest an antiangiogenic effect and an anticancer activity. Further in vivo and in vitro investigations are needed.
Biological Integrity: A Long-Neglected Aspect of Water Resource Management.

Water of sufficient quality and quantity is critical to all life. Increasing human population and growth of technology require human society to devote more and more attention to protection of adequate supplies of water. Although perception of biological degradation stimulated current state and federal legislation on the quality of water resources, that biological focus was lost in the search for easily measured physical and chemical surrogates. The "fishable and swimmable" goal of the Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 (PL 92-500) and its charge to "restore and maintain" biotic integrity illustrate that law's biological underpinning. Further, the need for operational definitions of terms like "biological integrity" and "unreasonable degradation" and for ecologically sound tools to measure divergence from societal goals have increased interest in biological monitoring. Assessment of water resource quality by sampling biological communities in the field (ambient biological monitoring) is a promising approach that requires expanded use of ecological expertise. One such approach, the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), provides a broadly based, multiparameter tool for the assessment of biotic integrity in running waters. IBI based on fish community attributes has now been applied widely in North America. The success of IBI has stimulated the development of similar approaches using other aquatic taxa. Expanded use of ecological expertise in ambient biological monitoring is essential to the protection of water resources. Ecologists have the expertise to contribute significantly to those programs.
Long-Term Forage Production of North American Shortgrass Steppe.

We evaluated the relationship between annual forage production and annual and seasonal precipitation and temperature at a shortgrass steppe site in north-central Colorado using a long-term data set (52 yr). We also constructed a relationship between forage production and aboveground net primary production (ANPP). Precipitation fluctuated randomly, but temperature had clear warming and cooling trends including a 17-yr warming trend from 1974 to 1990. Forage production was significantly related to both annual and seasonal precipitation but not temperature. Precipitation events between 15 and 30 mm accounted for most of the variability in production because they accounted for most of the variability in precipitation and because they wetted the soil layers that have the largest effect on production. Forage production amplified variability in annual precipitation. Production showed time lags of several years in responding to increases in precipitation. Change in vegetation structure has a characteristic response time, which contrains production responses in wet years. Constraint caused by vegetation structure is the reason why regional ANPP-precipitation models have a steeper slope than long-term models and point out a weakness of exchanging space for time in predicting production patterns.
TGF-β/SMAD Pathway and Its Regulation in Hepatic Fibrosis

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), a key member in the TGF-β superfamily, plays a critical role in the development of hepatic fibrosis. Its expression is consistently elevated in affected organs, which correlates with increased extracellular matrix deposition. SMAD proteins have been studied extensively as pivotal intracellular effectors of TGF-β1, acting as transcription factors. In the context of hepatic fibrosis, SMAD3 and SMAD4 are pro-fibrotic, whereas SMAD2 and SMAD7 are protective. Deletion of SMAD3 inhibits type I collagen expression and blocks epithelial-myofibroblast transition. In contrast, disruption of SMAD2 upregulates type I collagen expression. SMAD4 plays an essential role in fibrosis disease by enhancing SMAD3 responsive promoter activity, whereas SMAD7 negatively mediates SMAD3-induced fibrogenesis. Accumulating evidence suggests that divergent miRNAs participate in the liver fibrotic process, which partially regulates members of the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway. In this review, we focus on the TGF-β/SMAD and other relative signaling pathways, and discussed the role and molecular mechanisms of TGF-β/SMAD in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. Moreover, we address the possibility of novel therapeutic approaches to hepatic fibrosis by targeting to TGF-β/SMAD signaling.