Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Safety of transvenous lead extraction according to centre volume: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Transvenous lead extraction (TLE) is a complex invasive procedure and the experience of the operator and the team is a major determinant of procedural outcomes. AIM Because of very limited data available on minimum procedural volumes to enable training and ongoing competency for TLEs, we performed a meta-analysis aimed at assessing the outcomes of TLE in the centres with low, medium, and high volume of procedures. METHODS Of the 280 papers initially retrieved until February 2013, 66 observational studies met inclusion criteria and were included in at least one stratified meta-analysis: 17 were prospective studies; 47 had a retrospective design; and 2 were defined 'experience studies'. We included only articles published after the introduction of laser technique (year 1999). We divided the studies in low, medium, and high volume centres utilizing either the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) or Lexicon classification criteria. RESULTS When meta-analyses were carried out separately for the studies with larger and smaller sample sizes, either using EHRA or Lexicon classification criteria, no clear differences emerged in the combined rate of major complications or intraoperative deaths. In contrast, both minor complications and mortality at 30 days decreased as centre volume increased. CONCLUSIONS In our meta-analysis of observational studies, patients who have been treated in higher volume centres have a lower probability of minor complications and death at 30 days regardless of the infection rate, length of lead duration, type of device, and type of extraction.
The application of the seven‐point check‐list in the assessment of benign pigmented lesions

One hundred consecutive histologically benign lesions seen at a pigmented lesion clinic were studied prospectively to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the seven‐point check‐list. Lesions were scored by both patient and physician. Thirty per cent of lesions attained a suspicious score. While there was a high level of agreement between patient and clinician regarding the individual characteristics of a lesion as defined in the check‐list, final assessments differed. Most patients considered their lesions suspicious, whereas the clinicians correctly recognized that in 94% cases they were benign. The seven‐point check‐list often fails to exclude common benign pigmented lesions. The revised (1989) check‐list is even less specific (70% of lesions achieving a suspicious score). Such check‐lists are difficult for the inexperienced to interpret. Clinical familiarity is required in order to provide a confident diagnosis. Future emphasis should be directed towards improving screening in primary care.
Functional Specificity of Superior Parietal Mediation of Spatial Shifting

Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) we determined how brain activity changes when an attended target shifts its location. In the main experiment, a white square could appear at 10 possible eccentricities along the horizontal meridian. It remained on the screen for a variable period of time and then changed location. At any time the stimulus could dim briefly. Subjects had to press a button when the stimulus dimmed. In order to perform this task attention had to be locked onto the target and shift with it. Half of the runs were performed overtly and half covertly. The event of interest consisted of the shift in the location of the attentional target. The state of maintained attention occurring in between the shifts constituted the baseline. The superior parietal gyrus was activated bilaterally in response to attentional shifts. No other area showed a significant response to shifting. On the left side the amplitude of the superior parietal response correlated positively with the distance of the shift. On the right side a significant correlation was present only for overt shifts. In a separate experiment we compared the maintaining of attention at a single spatial location to passive fixation: the frontal eye fields, anterior cingulate, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and inferior parietal lobule were significantly activated, indicating that the absence of a shift-related response in these areas in the main experiment was due to the fact that they were equally activated by maintaining and shifting attention. The response to spatial shifts and the correlation with the distance between the original and the new location points to a specific role of the superior parietal gyrus in shifting the locus of spatial attention.
Human-preference-based control design: Adaptive robot admittance control for physical human-robot interaction

Aiming at the application in physical human-robot interaction, this paper presents a novel adaptive admittance control scheme for robotic manipulators. Special emphasis is drawn on the avoidance of oscillatory behavior in the presence of closed kinematic chains while keeping the rendered impedance low. The approach uses an online fast Fourier transform of the measured manipulator endeffector forces in order to detect oscillations and to adapt the admittance parameters dynamically. As a novel method towards human-centered control design the adaptation strategy is determined in a user study evaluated with a machine-learning algorithm. Experiments conducted with ten human participants show superiority over the non-adaptive admittance control scheme.
Physical activity patterns associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and reduced mortality: the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVES This study examined cross sectionally the physical activity patterns associated with low, moderate, and high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. METHODS Physical activity was assessed by questionnaire in a clinic population of 13,444 men and 3972 women 20 to 87 years of age. Estimated energy expenditure (kcal.wk-1) and volume (min.wk-1) of reported activities were calculated among individuals at low, moderate, and high fitness levels (assessed by maximal exercise tests). RESULTS Average leisure time energy expenditures of 525 to 1650 kcal.wk-1 for men and 420 to 1260 kcal.wk-1 for women were associated with moderate to high levels of fitness. These levels of energy expenditure can be achieved with a brisk walk of approximately 30 minutes on most days of the week. In fact, men in the moderate and high fitness categories walked between 130 and 138 min.wk-1, and women in these categories walked between 148 and 167 min.wk-1. CONCLUSIONS Most individuals should be able to achieve these physical activity goals and thus attain a cardiorespiratory fitness level sufficient to result in substantial health benefits.
Intravenous ketamine therapy in a patient with a treatment-resistant major depression.

BACKGROUND Recently, reports from North America have indicated that the intravenous infusion of ketamine hydrochloride (an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist) results in a sudden and robust improvement of depression symptoms. OBJECTIVE To corroborate antidepressant effectiveness of IV ketamine in a patient with a co-occurring substance use disorder for the first time in a European clinical setting. DESIGN Open label trial Methods: A 55-year-old male subject with a treatment-resistant major depression and a co-occurring alcohol and benzodiazepine dependence received an intravenous infusion of 0.5 mg/kg ketamine over a period of 50 minutes. Effects were assessed by means of a clinical interview, the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HDRS), and the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at baseline, 1 hour, 1 day, 2 days, and 7 days after intervention. RESULTS Following the administration of ketamine the subject experienced a significant improvement of his symptoms peaking on the 2nd day post infusion (HDRS from 36 to 16; -56.6%, BDI from 26 to 9; -65.4%). The subject first reported improvements 25 min. into the infusion and continued to describe positive effects throughout the subsequent 7 days. CONCLUSION Ketamine not only seems to have strong antidepressant effects but also to act very swiftly. These actions were unaffected by an alcohol or benzodiazpine dependence.
Antisera induced by infusions of autologous Ad-CD154-leukemia B cells identify ROR1 as an oncofetal antigen and receptor for Wnt5a

We examined the sera of six patients before and after i.v. infusions of autologous chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells transduced ex vivo with an adenovirus encoding CD154 (Ad-CD154). Five patients made high-titer antibodies against adenovirus and three made IgG reactive with a leukemia-associated surface antigen, which we identified as ROR1. Anti-ROR1 antibodies were not detected in the sera of untreated patients. We generated anti-ROR1 mAbs and found they reacted specifically with the CLL cells of all patients, but not with nonleukemic leukocytes, a wide variety of normal adult tissues, or blood mononuclear cells, including CD5+ B cells of healthy adults. ROR1 could bind Wnt5a, which induced activation of NF-κB when coexpressed with ROR1 in HEK293 cells and enhanced the survival of CLL cells in vitro, an effect that could be neutralized by posttreatment anti-ROR1 antisera. We conclude that patients with CLL can break immune tolerance to ROR1, which is an oncofetal surface antigen and survival-signaling receptor in this neoplastic disease.
The Revolving Door Phenomenon in an Italian Acute Psychiatric Ward: A 5-Year Retrospective Analysis of the Potential Risk Factors

Abstract To highlight the revolving door (RD) phenomenon in an acute psychiatric ward, we retrospectively identified the patients hospitalized three or more times in a calendar year from 1/1/2009 to 31/12/2013 as RD patients (RDP). We collected sociodemographic and clinical variables of RDP and statistically analyzed the potential RD risk factors. We divided RDP into “high” and “extremely high” utilizers and evaluated the variables related to more frequent readmissions. RDP represented 5.68% of all patients and their hospitalizations (RDH) 25% of all admissions. The statistically significant risk factors for all RDH were “disability pension,” “substance abuse/dependence,” “mild/severe aggressiveness,” and “psychiatric and social rehabilitative programs”. The comparison between “high” and “extremely high” utilizers showed that “manic episodes” and “personality disorders,” among the diagnoses, “familial relational conflicts” and “violence/suicidality”, among the hospitalization reasons, were statistically significant risk factors for more frequent readmissions. RD phenomenon was greatly affected by severe clinical conditions with social disability.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists: novel members of the azaline B family.

A series of antagonists of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) homologous to azaline B ([Ac-DNal1,DCpa2,DPal3,Aph5(Atz),DAph6+ ++(Atz),ILys8,DAla10]GnRH) was synthesized, characterized, and tested in a rat antiovulatory assay (AOA). Selected analogues were also tested in both an in vitro dispersed rat pituitary cell culture assay for inhibition of GnRH-stimulated luteinizing hormone release and an in vitro histamine release assay. The duration of action of some of the most potent and safest analogues in those assays was also determined in the castrated male rat in order to measure the extent (efficacy and duration of action) of inhibition of luteinizing hormone release. Structurally, this series of analogues has novel substitutions (X and Y) in the structure of the azaline B precursor: [Ac-DNal1,DCpa2,DPal3,-Aph5(X),DAph6(Y),++ +ILys8,DAla10]GnRH. These substitutions were designed to confer increased hydrophilicity as compared to that of azaline B (determined by relative retention times on a C18 reverse phase column using a triethylammonium phosphate buffer at pH 7.3) or to make them more easily accessible synthetically. Some bulky substituents were introduced in order to probe the spatial limitations of the receptor's cavity. These substitutions include acylated 4-aminophenylalanine at positions 5 and/or 6 (29 analogues), N alpha-methylated backbone substitutions (six analogues), N omega-isopropylaminophenylalanine at position 8, and hydrophilic amino acids at position 1. Out of 20 novel analogues tested for long duration of action in this series, only seven ([Ac-DNal1,DCpa2,DPal3,Aph5,DAph6,ILys8 ,DAla10]GnRH, [Ac-DNal1,DCpa2,DPal3,Aph5(For),DAph6(For) ,ILys8,DAla10]GnRH, [Ac-DNal1,DCpa2,DPal3,Aph5(Ac),DAph6(Ac),- ILys8,DAla10]GnRH (acyline), [Ac-DNal1,DCpa2,DPal3,Aph5(Pio),DAph6++ +(Pio),ILys8,DAla10]GnRH, [Ac-DNal1,DCpa2,DPal3,Aph5(Atz),DAph6++ +(Ac),ILys8,DAla10]GnRH, [Ac-DNalDCpa2,DPal3,Aph5(Atz-beta Ala),DAph6(Atz-beta Ala),ILys8, DAla10]GnRH, [Ac-DNal1,DCpa2,DPal3,Aph5(Atz-Gab), DAph6(Atz-Gab),ILys8,DAla10]GnRH) had relative potencies and/or duration of action comparable to those of azaline B. The others were one-half to one-tenth as effective as azaline B. N alpha-Methylated backbone substitutions at position 5 yielded analogues that were significantly more hydrophilic presumably because of the breakage of the NH alpha-Tyr5 to Arg8-CO hydrogen bond reported to stabilize a beta-turn encompassing residues 5-8 and which favored beta-sheet formation as shown earlier by Haviv et al. This substitution resulted, however, in an increased potency in the histamine release assay and in significantly shorter duration of action. Similarly, attempts at replacing isopropyllysine in position 8 by either isopropyl-4-aminophenylalanine or isopropyl-4-(aminomethyl)phenylalanine resulted in loss of potency in the AOA. Changes in chirality at position 1 or 10 resulted in analogues that were one-tenth and one-half as potent, respectively, as acyline. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The Importance of Pronouns to Sentiment Analysis: Online Cancer Survivor Network Case Study

Online health communities are a major source for patients and their informal caregivers in the process of gathering information and seeking social support. The Cancer Survivors Network of the American Cancer Society has many users and presents a large number of user interactions with regards to coping with cancer. Sentiment analysis is an important process in understanding members' needs and concerns and the impact of users' responses on other members. It aims to determine the participants' subjective attitude and reflect their emotions. Analyzing the sentiment of posts in online health communities enables the investigation of various factors such as what affects the sentiment change and discovery of sentiment change patterns. Since each writer has his or her own personality, and temporal emotional state, behavioral traits can be reflected in the writer's writing style. Pronouns are function-words which often convey some unique styling patterns into the texts. Drawing on a lexical approach to emotions, we conduct factor analysis on the use of pronouns in self-descriptions texts. Our analysis shows that the usage of pronouns has an effect on sentiment classification. Moreover, we evaluated the use of pronouns in our domain, and found it different than standard English usage.
Improvement in Glycemic Control After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation in Advanced Heart Failure Patients With Diabetes Mellitus

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have been shown to improve outcomes in advanced heart failure (HF). We hypothesized that LVADs improve glycemic control in HF patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). During a 6 year time period, 202 patients underwent mechanical circulatory support. Of these, 50 patients with DM were included. Data were collected within 2 months before LVAD implantation and at 5.6 ± 1.1 months post-LVAD implant. There was no significant difference in body mass index, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and renal function pre-LVAD and post-LVAD. Fasting blood glucose improved from 136 ± 35 to 108 ± 29 mg/dl post-LVAD (p < 0.001). In 18 patients taking insulin only, daily insulin dose decreased from 43 ± 37 to 29 ± 24 units (p = 0.02). Of the 17 patients taking oral hypoglycemic agents, four did not require antidiabetic medications, six continued the same dose, two required higher doses, and five patients were switched to insulin post-LVAD. In a subset of 22 patients with available data, hemoglobin A1c improved significantly post-LVAD (p < 0.001). C-reactive protein in a subset of 18 patients decreased post-LVAD (p = 0.059). In conclusion, diabetic patients with advanced HF appear to have significant improvement in glycemic control and require less antidiabetic medications post-LVAD.
Efficiency and Accuracy of SOS-induced DNA Polymerases Replicating Benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-diol 9,10-Epoxide A and G Adducts*

Nucleotide incorporation fidelity, mismatch extension, and translesion DNA synthesis efficiencies were determined using SOS-induced Escherichia coli DNA polymerases (pol) II, IV, and V to copy 10R and 10S isomers oftrans-opened benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-diol 9,10-epoxide (BaP DE) A and G adducts. A-BaP DE adducts were bypassed by pol V with moderate accuracy and considerably higher efficiency than by pol II or IV. Error-prone pol V copied G-BaP DE-adducted DNA poorly, forming A·G-BaP DE-S and -R mismatches over C·G-BaP DE-S and -R correct matches by factors of ∼350- and 130-fold, respectively, even favoring G·G-BaP DE mismatches over correct matches by factors of 2–4-fold. In contrast, pol IV bypassed G-BaP DE adducts with the highest efficiency and fidelity, making misincorporations with a frequency of 10−2 to 10−4 depending on sequence context. G-BaP DE-S-adducted M13 DNA yielded 4-fold fewer plaques when transfected into SOS-induced ΔdinB (pol IV-deficient) mutant cells compared with the isogenic wild-typeE. coli strain, consistent with the in vitrodata showing that pol IV was most effective by far at copying the G-BaP DE-S adduct. SOS polymerases are adept at copying a variety of lesions, but the relative contribution of each SOS polymerase to copying damaged DNA appears to be determined by the lesion's identity.
Hypocretin1/OrexinA‐containing axons innervate locus coeruleus neurons that project to the Rat medial prefrontal cortex. Implication in the sleep‐wakefulness cycle and cortical activation

The Hypocretin1/OrexinA (Hcrt1/OxA) neuropeptides are found in a group of posterolateral hypothalamus neurons and are involved in sleep‐wakefulness cycle regulation. Hcrt1/OxA neurons project widely to brainstem aminergic structures, such as the locus coeruleus (LC), which are involved in maintenance of wakefulness and EEG activation through intense projections to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Moreover, defects of the Hcrt1/OxA system are linked to narcolepsy, a disorder characterized by excessive diurnal hypersomnia and REM state disturbance. We aimed to determine whether Hcrt1/OxA neurons innervate LC neurons (noradrenergic and nonnoradrenergic) that project to the mPFC, thereby sustaining behavioral wakefulness. To assess this, we used retrograde tracing from mPFC injections and either Hcrt1/OxA or tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemical labeling in single sections of rat LC. The retrograde tracer Fluorogold (FG) was microinjected into mPFC and, at optimal survival periods, sections through the LC were processed for dual immunolabeling of anti‐FG and either anti‐Hcrt1/OxA or anti‐TH antisera. Many LC neurons projecting to mPFC were nonnoradrenergic. Electron microscopy revealed a prominent localization of Hcrt1/OxA in unmyelinated axons and axon boutons (varicosities and axon terminals) within the LC. Hcrt1/OxA‐immunoreactive axon boutons frequently apposed (104/1907) or made asymmetric excitatory‐type synapses (60/1907) with FG‐immunolabeled dendrites, indicating that Hcrt1/OxA can modulate the activity of LC neurons with cortical projections. Our results show that Hcrt1/OxA hypothalamic neurons likely excite LC neurons that project to the mPFC, and thus activate EEG and facilitate wakefulness. In narcoleptics, who are deficient in Hcrt1/OxA, impairment of this Hcrt1/OxA hypothalamic input to LC might contribute to the appearance of excessive daytime sleepiness. Synapse , 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An Evaluation Method for the Performance Measurement of an Opinion Mining System

This paper proposes an evaluation method for the performance measurement of an Opinion Mining system, parameterized according to the reviewer's point of view. The work aims to highlight and resolve some issues resulting from previous activities in evaluating the goodness of the results obtained by the analysis of the reviews. The evaluation method is based on a model of Opinion Mining system able to identify and assess the aspects included in a collection of reviews and the weighted importance of such aspects for their authors. A user profiling system will work together with the Opinion Mining system, providing the set of parameters to associate with the aspects and allowing the Opinion Mining system to configure itself according to the user preferences. For the preliminary experiments, a narrower sub-set of Yelp dataset limited to restaurants has been used.
Acute treatment of cycloid psychosis: study on a sample of naive hospitalized patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP).

INTRODUCTION In spite of the historic, clinical and therapeutic importance of cycloid psychosis, no controlled studies have been performed as yet on its treatment. Electroconvulsive therapy has classically been the treatment of choice and the first generation antipsychotics have not been indicated. This study has aimed to analyze the acute treatment (and response to it) of cycloid psychoses. METHODOLOGY In a sample of 75 hospitalized medication- naive patients treated for a First Psychotic Episode (FPE), possible cases of cycloid psychoses were detected using the Perris and Brockington operative diagnostic criteria. The sample was divided into “cycloids” and “non-cycloids” and both groups were compared based on clinical and therapeutic variables. RESULTS All the patients were treated with second generation antipsychotics. No significant differences (p=0.17; t-1.39) were found in the antipsychotic dose prescribed (equivalents of chlorpromazine). However, significant differences were observed in the improvement on hospital discharge (clinical global impression severity: CGI-S), with better response in the “cycloid” group” (p=0.002; u=162). Significant differences were also observed in the dose of benzodiazepines, there being significantly greater improvement for the “cycloid” group (p>0.001; u=28). CONCLUSIONS Without contradicting the classical idea of the treatment of cycloid psychoses, the present study contributes to the opening of a new therapeutic prospect. Thus, the use of second generation antipsychotics could have a particularly beneficial effect, especially if combined with high doses of benzodiazepines in the acute treatment of cycloid psychoses. However, controlled studies need to be carried out to confirm this.