Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy in mitral restenosis.

BACKGROUND Mitral restenosis often occurs within 5 to 15 years of surgical valvotomy. Percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy is well established as a safe and effective alternative to mitral stenosis surgery, but only a few small studies have reported on the procedure. AIM (i) To evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy in patients with mitral restenosis. (ii) To evaluate the intermediate-term outcome of patients undergoing balloon mitral valvotomy after previous surgical valvotomy. (iii) To compare these patients with those undergoing balloon mitral valvotomy as the initial procedure. METHODS We analysed our experience of 614 consecutive patients undergoing balloon valvotomy and identified 84 patients (13.7%) with mitral restenosis following prior surgical valvotomy (Group I). The remaining 530 patients (86.3%) had not undergone previous surgery (Group II). The incidence of atrial fibrillation (19% vs 5.6%), mitral valve calcification (50% vs 30.6%) and total echo score > 8 (54.8% vs 24.15%) was significantly higher in Group I. Both groups were comparable as regards their functional class, technique of valvotomy, mitral valve area (0.87 +/- 0.18 vs 0.87 +/- 0.15 cm2, P = ns), mean transmitral gradient (19.63 +/- 6.01 vs 19.21 +/- 5.67 mmHg, P = ns), and mean pulmonary artery pressure (42.2 +/- 19.0 vs 40.8 +/- 14.4 mmHg, P = ns). RESULTS After percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy, the final mitral valve area (1.67 +/- 0.28 vs 1.69 +/- 0.29 cm2, P = ns), mean transmitral-mitral gradient (6.12 +/- 3.68 vs 5.02 +/- 3.21 mmHg, P = ns) and mean pulmonary artery pressure (31.0 +/- 15.2 vs 28.5 +/- 11.1 mmHg, P = ns) were comparable. The success rate (93.0% vs 95.3%, P = ns) were similar in both groups. Significant mitral regurgitation was seen in four (4.8%) patients in Group I and 22 (4.1%) patients in Group II (P = ns). There were two deaths (2.4%) in Group I and five (0.9%) in Group II (P = ns). The clinical and echo Doppler follow-up (8-40 months) studies showed that both groups were of similar NYHA class, and had similar mitral valve area (1.65 +/- 0.21 vs 1.66 +/- 0.3 cm2) and transmitral gradients (7.1 +/- 3.8 vs 5.9 +/- 3.5 mmHg). CONCLUSION We conclude that percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy can be performed safely and effectively in patients with mitral restenosis following surgical valvotomy; the beneficial acute outcome is sustained, as shown at intermediate-term follow-up and is similar to that of patients undergoing balloon mitral valvotomy as an initial procedure.
Why Is Plasma Fibrinogen a Cardiovascular Risk Factor?

in assigning potency estimates to activated FVII by clotting assay (2, 3). Even successive batches of purified recombinant and plasma FVIIa preparations from the same laboratory show variations in specific activity (4). Standardization of the FVIIa assay requires that all FVIIa calibrants should be traceable to a stable primary reference material. The 1st International Standard Factor VIla concentrate (89/688) which was established by WHO in October 1993 could fulfil this requirement. This standard was calibrated by conventional one-stage clotting assay against the 1st International Standard Factors II, VII, IX, X, plasma (84/665) and assigned a single potency of 5130 International Units per ampoule (5). We propose that the FVIIa assay should be calibrated by the direct conversion of clotting times into International Units of FVII; this would have the advantage of removing the need for measurement of mass concentration and would present results of this clotting assay in units which relate to the FVII clotting unit of normal plasma. The 1st International Standard FVIIa concentrate (89/688) is available from the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control for the calibration of working standards. ©F. K. Schattauer Verlagsgesellschaft mbH (Stuttgart) 72 (4) 643-51 (1994)
Comparison of heart rate responses. Water walking versus treadmill walking.

The purpose of this study was to compare heart rate responses to water walking versus treadmill walking to determine whether the responses were of sufficient magnitude to elicit cardiorespiratory training effects. The heart rates of 12 healthy, female college students were measured immediately after walking in waist-deep water and on a treadmill at the same distance, durations, and speeds (2.55, 2.77, 3.02, and 3.31 km/hr). A significant increase in heart rate with increased speeds resulted from water walking (p less than .05); from rest to the fastest speed, it was 135% (96 bpm). For treadmill walking, the increase of 19% (13 bpm) was not significant. The heart rates for the water condition were significantly higher (p less than .05) at each speed. These findings indicate that water walking could serve as an effective exercise mode, for example, for cardiorespiratory fitness for individuals who are unable to perform such weight-bearing activities as jogging, fast walking, cycling, and dancing.
The Risk Of Transmission Of Hepatitis B From Hbsag(-), Hbcab(+), Hbigm(-) Organ Donors

Liver allografts from HBcAb(+), IgM(-), HBsAg(-) donors can transmit HBV to uninfected recipients. We currently no longer accept these livers for transplantation while continuing to accept the kidneys. The purpose of this study is to determine the risk of donor-transmitted HBV infections from HBcAb(+), HBIgM(-), HBsAg(-) organ donors and determine if the risk of donor-transmitted HBV infections and their severity is dependent on the organ being transplanted. This study consists of a retrospective review of the posttransplant course of recipients of HBcAb(+), HBIgM(-), HBsAg(-) donors accepted at UCSF from 6/85 to 12/93. Transmitted HBV infection was defined as one in which the recipient changed from HBsAg(-) prior to transplantation to HBsAg(+) posttransplant, with no other source. There were 25 of 1190 donors who were HBcAb(+), HBIgM(-), HBsAg(-); 1/42 kidney, 3/6 liver, and 0/7 heart HBsAg(-) transplant recipients of organs from these donors became HBsAg(+) after transplantation. This difference in infection rate (liver vs. kidney and heart) is statistically significant. The clinical course of the liver recipients was also more severe. All of the patients who became infected were HBsAb(-) and HBcAb(-) prior to transplant. We conclude that (1) HBV can be transmitted from HBcAb(+), HBIgM(-), HBsAg(-) organ donors, (2) the rate of transmission is highest and severity of infection is worst in the liver recipients; and (3) we will continue to transplant kidneys from these donors, preferably into immunized recipients.
C57BL/6 and Congenic Interleukin-10-Deficient Mice Can Serve as Models of Campylobacter jejuni Colonization and Enteritis

ABSTRACT Campylobacter jejuni is a globally distributed cause of human food-borne enteritis and has been linked to chronic joint and neurological diseases. We hypothesized that C. jejuni 11168 colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of both C57BL/6 mice and congenic C57BL/6 interleukin-10-deficient (IL-10−/−) mice and that C57BL/6 IL-10−/− mice experience C. jejuni 11168-mediated clinical signs and pathology. Individually housed mice were challenged orally with C. jejuni 11168, and the course of infection was monitored by clinical examination, bacterial culture, C. jejuni-specific PCR, gross pathology, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and anti-C. jejuni-specific serology. Ceca of C. jejuni 11168-infected mice were colonized at high rates: ceca of 50/50 wild-type mice and 168/170 IL-10−/− mice were colonized. In a range from 2 to 35 days after infection with C. jejuni 11168, C57BL/6 IL-10−/− mice developed severe typhlocolitis best evaluated at the ileocecocolic junction. Rates of colonization and enteritis did not differ between male and female mice. A dose-response experiment showed that as little as 106 CFU produced significant disease and pathological lesions similar to responses seen in humans. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated C. jejuni antigens within gastrointestinal tissues of infected mice. Significant anti-C. jejuni plasma immunoglobulin levels developed by day 28 after infection in both wild-type and IL-10-deficient animals; antibodies were predominantly T-helper-cell 1 (Th1)-associated subtypes. These results indicate that the colonization of the mouse gastrointestinal tract by C. jejuni 11168 is necessary but not sufficient for the development of enteritis and that C57BL/6 IL-10−/− mice can serve as models for the study of C. jejuni enteritis in humans.
Determinants of web site information by Spanish city councils

Purpose - The purpose of this research is to analyse the web sites of large Spanish city councils with the objective of assessing the extent of information disseminated on the internet and determining what factors are affecting the observed levels of information disclosure.Design/methodology/approach - The study takes as its reference point the existing literature on the examination of the quality of web sites, in particular the provisions of the Web Quality Model (WQM) and the importance of content as a key variable in determining web site quality. In order to quantify the information on city council web sites, a Disclosure Index has been designed which takes into account the content, navigability and presentation of the web sites. In order to contrast which variables determine the information provided on the web sites, our investigation bases itself on the studies about voluntary disclosure in the public sector, and six lineal regressions models have been performed.Findings - The empirical evidence obtained reveals low disclosure levels among Spanish city council web sites. In spite of this, almost 50 per cent of the city councils have reached the "approved" level and of these, around a quarter obtained good marks. Our results show that disclosure levels depend on political competition, public media visibility and the access to technology and educational levels of the citizens. Practical implications - The strategy of communication on the internet by local Spanish authorities is limited in general to an ornamental web presence but one that does not respond efficiently to the requirements of the digital society. During the coming years, local Spanish politicians will have to strive to take advantage of the opportunities that the internet offers to increase both the relational and informational capacity of municipal web sites as well as the digital information transparency of their public management.Originality/value - The internet is a potent channel of communication that is modifying the way in which people access and relate to information and each other. The public sector is not unaware of these changes and is incorporating itself gradually into the new network society. This study systematises the analysis of local administration web sites, showing the lack of digital transparency, and orients politicians in the direction to follow in order to introduce improvements in their electronic relationships with the public.
The Leapfrog Volume Criteria May Fall Short in Identifying High-Quality Surgical Centers

Objective: The original Leapfrog Initiative recommends selective referral based on procedural volume thresholds (500 coronary artery bypass graft [CABG] surgeries, 30 abdominal aortic aneurysm [AAA] repairs, 100 carotid endarterectomies [CEA], and 7 esophagectomies annually). We tested the volume-mortality relationship for these procedures in the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Clinical DatabaseSM, a database of all payor discharge abstracts from UHC academic medical center members and affiliates. We determined whether the Leapfrog thresholds represent the optimal cutoffs to discriminate between high- and low-mortality hospitals. Methods: Logistic regression was used to test whether volume was a significant predictor of mortality. Volume was analyzed in 3 different ways: as a continuous variable, a dichotomous variable (above and below the Leapfrog threshold), and a categorical variable. We examined all possible thresholds for volume and observed the optimal thresholds at which the odds ratio is the highest, representing the greatest difference in odds of death between the 2 groups of hospitals. Results: In multivariate analysis, a relationship between volume and mortality exists for AAA in all 3 models. For CABG, there is a strong relationship when volume is tested as a dichotomous or categorical variable. For CEA and esophagectomy, we were unable to identify a consistent relationship between volume and outcome. We identified empirical thresholds of 250 CABG, 15 AAA, and 22 esophagectomies, but were unable to find a meaningful threshold for CEA. Conclusions: In this group of academic medical centers and their affiliated hospitals, we demonstrated a significant relationship between volume and mortality for CABG and AAA but not for CEA and esophagectomy, based on the Leapfrog thresholds. We described a new methodology to identify optimal data-based volume thresholds that may serve as a more rational basis for selective referral.
Ozone-Sensitive Arabidopsis rcd1 Mutant Reveals Opposite Roles for Ethylene and Jasmonate Signaling Pathways in Regulating Superoxide-Dependent Cell Death

We have isolated a codominant Arabidopsis mutant, radical-induced cell death1 (rcd1), in which ozone (O3) and extracellular superoxide (O2•–), but not hydrogen peroxide, induce cellular O2•– accumulation and transient spreading lesions. The cellular O2•– accumulation is ethylene dependent, occurs ahead of the expanding lesions before visible symptoms appear, and is required for lesion propagation. Exogenous ethylene increased O2•–-dependent cell death, whereas impairment of ethylene perception by norbornadiene in rcd1 or ethylene insensitivity in the ethylene-insensitive mutant ein2 and in the rcd1 ein2 double mutant blocked O2•– accumulation and lesion propagation. Exogenous methyl jasmonate inhibited propagation of cell death in rcd1. Accordingly, the O3-exposed jasmonate-insensitive mutant jar1 displayed spreading cell death and a prolonged O2•– accumulation pattern. These results suggest that ethylene acts as a promoting factor during the propagation phase of developing oxyradical-dependent lesions, whereas jasmonates have a role in lesion containment. Interaction and balance between these pathways may serve to fine-tune propagation and containment processes, resulting in alternate lesion size and formation kinetics.
Adherence to aspirin in the prevention of myocardial infarction. The Physicians' Health Study.

BACKGROUND The primary aim of this article was to explore, in subgroup analyses, whether participants with differing frequencies of aspirin consumption in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, primary prevention trial had different magnitudes of benefit in the prevention of myocardial infarction. Secondary aims were to identify factors associated with adherence and to examine the relationship of adherence with cardiovascular outcomes in the placebo group. METHODS The Physicians' Health Study randomized 22071 US male physicians who were free of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular disease at baseline. The average follow-up during the aspirin component of the trial was 60.2 months. Baseline cardiovascular risk factors and adherence to therapy during the trial were assessed by questionnaire; cardiovascular outcomes were reported by questionnaire and confirmed by record review by an Endpoints Committee. RESULTS Several cardiovascular disease risk factors assessed at baseline were related to poor adherence (taking < 50% of study tablets): cigarette smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and history of angina. After adjusting for baseline differences in risk factors, participants in the aspirin group with excellent adherence (taking at least 95% of study tablets) had a statistically significant 51% reduction in myocardial infarction compared with those with excellent adherence in the placebo group. Those in the aspirin group with poor adherence had a smaller, non-significant reduction in risk of myocardial infarction (a 17% reduction associated with taking < 50% of study tablets). In the placebo group better adherence was not associated with decreased risk of myocardial infarction, but was strongly associated with decreased risk of death. CONCLUSIONS These subgroup data raise the possibility that a less than alternate day aspirin regimen may yield lower benefits in the prevention of myocardial infarction. Alternate explanations are that these analyses reflect either the play of chance or effects of uncontrolled confounding since comparisons were no longer randomized. Randomized trials are necessary to address the question of frequency of administration of aspirin to achieve optimal benefits in primary prevention of myocardial infarction.
Hinokinin biosynthesis in Linum corymbulosum Reichenb.

SUMMARY Due to their peculiar stereochemistry and numerous biological activities, lignans are of widespread interest. As only a few biosynthetic steps have been clarified to date, we aimed to further resolve the molecular basis of lignan biosynthesis. To this end, we first established that the biologically active lignan (-)-hinokinin could be isolated from in vitro cultures of Linum corymbulosum. Two hypothetical pathways were outlined for the biosynthesis of (-)-hinokinin. In both pathways, (+)-pinoresinol serves as the primary substrate. In the first pathway, pinoresinol is reduced via lariciresinol to secoisolariciresinol by a pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase, and methylenedioxy bridges are formed later. In the second pathway, pinoresinol itself is the substrate for formation of the methylenedioxy bridges, resulting in consecutive production of piperitol and sesamin. To determine which of the proposed hypothetical pathways acts in vivo, we first isolated several cDNAs encoding one pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase (PLR-Lc1), two phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductases (PCBER-Lc1 and PCBER-Lc2), and two PCBER-like proteins from a cDNA library of L. corymbulosum. PLR-Lc1 was found to be enantiospecific for the conversion of (+)-pinoresinol to (-)-secoisolariciresinol, which can be further converted to give (-)-hinokinin. Hairy root lines with significantly reduced expression levels of the plr-Lc1 gene were established using RNAi technology. Hinokinin accumulation was reduced to non-detectable levels in these lines. Our results strongly indicate that PLR-Lc1 participates in (-)-hinokinin biosynthesis in L. corymbulosum by the first of the two hypothetical pathways via (-)-secoisolariciresinol.
Long Workdays versus Restdays: Assessing Fatigue and Alertness with a Portable Performance Battery

A test battery designed to assess psychological/behavioral fatigue was used to compare restdays to a workweek of five 12-hr days at a data entry job simulation. Across both workdays and restdays, the battery was presented at regular intervals to test for fatigue effects and diurnal variations. Increased data entry errors across the workday and the workweek as well as subjective reports of increased tiredness on workdays indicated that the work regimen was fatiguing. Test battery performance paralleled those results. On workdays, as compared with restdays, grammatical reasoning was faster but less accurate; digit addition was slower; simple, dual, and choice reaction times were slower; and hand steadiness decreased. The results demonstrated the sensitivity of the battery to long hours of work. The results are discussed in terms of work-rest differences, changes across the workweek, diurnal variations, and cognitive demand.
Essays on political budget and legislative cycles

Constituee de quatre chapitres, cette these s’interesse aux cycles politiques dans les annonces et les realisations budgetaires ainsi que dans la production legislative. Ainsi, le premier chapitre analyse les determinants et les consequences electorales d'une variation des depenses communales en France et teste la presence d’effets non-lineaires entre cette variation et la marge electorale. Les resultats montrent que l'opportunisme paie electoralement et cet opportunisme augmente avec le degre de concurrence electorale. Le chapitre 2 compare la nature et les determinants des biais dans les annonces budgetaires des departements francais et des communes portugaises. Nous montrons que ces biais sont principalement lies au calendrier electoral et aux facteurs institutionnels comme l'autonomie financiere. Dans le troisieme chapitre, le concept de biais d’optimisme et son impact sur l'ampleur du cycle politique est analyse theoriquement et empiriquement. Le resultat montre un effet positif du biais d’optimisme sur la structure budgetaire en faveur des depenses d’investissement. Enfin, le chapitre 4 etudie l’impact de la production legislative et reglementaire sur la popularite du President et du Premier Ministre francais au cours de la periode 1990-2010. Les resultats montrent que la popularite de l'executif est en partie liee a la production de lois et decrets; ce qui pousse l'executif a legiferer frenetiquement tout en adoptant un agenda strategique. Les resultats confirment egalement l'hypothese selon laquelle les electeurs tiennent les decideurs politiques pour responsables de la situation economique.
A Benchmark Problem for Robust Control Design

The purpose of this paper is to formulate a simple, yet meaningfAl, control problm to highlight isses in robus controller design. The probkm has been studied by several researchers under a variety of assumptions (see 11-4)). In our formulion of the problem certain aspects, such as parameter uncertainty with given nominal parameter values and nominal desired performance, are given concretely, while other aspects, such the measurement noise model, definition of settling time, meare of control effort and conoUler complexity, etc., are deliberately lft vaue. Each designer is thus free to inject into the problem any desied level of realism.
Efficiency of Two Models for Prediction of Exchangeable Sodium Percentage from Sodium Adsorption Ratio on Saline and Non Saline Soil

The relationships between soil physical and chemical properties play a key role in facilitating the measurement of soil properties, particularly Exchangeable Sodium percentage (ESP) measurement, which is often using laborious and time-consuming laboratory tests. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficiency of the United States Salinity Laboratory (USSL) model and the ESP-SAR model for prediction of exchangeable Sodium percentage (ESP) from Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) on saline and non-saline soil samples. For this purpose, 23 soil samples were collected from the field of experiment, Jabal Awliya, south of Khartoum state, Sudan. Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP) was estimated as a function of soil SAR in order to compare the predicted results with measured ESP using laboratory tests. The results show that on saline soil samples, the Standard Error of Mean (SEM) of predicted ESP obtained by USSL model and ESP-SAR model was (1.084) and (1.463) respectively. On non- saline soil samples, the Standard Error of Mean (SEM) of predicted ESP acquired by USSL model was (0.7034) and (0.6070) for ESP-SAR model. The statistical results indicated that USSL model has a good prediction on saline soil samples compared with ESP-SAR model. On non-saline soil samples, USSL model showed less prediction performance than ESP-SAR model. It can be concluded that the United States Salinity Laboratory model can be recommended on saline soil samples and ESP-SAR model is more reliable on non-saline soil samples.