Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Medical care costs for diabetes associated with health disparities among adult Medicaid enrollees in North Carolina.

BACKGROUND Health disparities for many diseases are large and long-standing in North Carolina and the nation. This study examines medical care costs for diabetes associated with health disparities among adults (age, > or =78 years) enrolled in Medicaid in North Carolina during state fiscal year (SFY) 2007-2008 (i.e., July 7, 2007, through June 30, 2008). METHODS North Carolina Medicaid paid claims and enrollment data were used to calculate the prevalence of and medical care expenditures for diabetes among adult Medicaid enrollees overall and by white, African American, and American Indian race. The impacts of racial and economic health disparities on medical care costs for diabetes were determined by first calculating the proportionate differences between the diabetes prevalence for whites, African Americans, and American Indians enrolled in Medicaid and the diabetes prevalence among all whites in North Carolina. Then it was assumed that medical care costs for white, African American, and American Indian Medicaid recipients could be reduced by the same proportion if the overall prevalence among whites was achieved. RESULTS The diabetes prevalence among adult Medicaid enrollees was 75.7%, compared with 9.1% for all North Carolina adults. During SFY 2007-2008, the state Medicaid program in North Carolina spent $525 million for diabetes-related medical care and prescription drugs among adults. An estimated $225 million in diabetes-related expenditures could be saved each year by the North Carolina Medicaid program if both racial and economic disparities in the diabetes prevalence were eliminated. LIMITATIONS We did not have data on non-Medicaid paid health care expenditures for the Medicaid enrollees in our study. The costs of interventions to eliminate health disparities associated with diabetes are not included in the calculation of the potential savings. CONCLUSIONS The diabetes prevalence in the Medicaid population is much greater than that for all North Carolinians, and the Medicaid costs associated with this elevated prevalence are large. North Carolina health-policy makers and health-program managers should carefully evaluate investments in interventions to reduce these race- and economic-based differences in diabetes prevalence, which could potentially reduce Medicaid costs.
Matrilin-1 Is Essential for Zebrafish Development by Facilitating Collagen II Secretion*

Background: Matrilin-1 is an abundant cartilage extracellular matrix protein. Results: Morpholino knockdown of matrilin-1 in zebrafish results in growth defects, disturbed craniofacial cartilage formation, and decreased collagen II deposition. Conclusion: Matrilin-1 is indispensible for zebrafish development, presumably by facilitating secretion of collagen II. Significance: These results challenge the concept that matrilins only function as extracellular adaptor proteins. Matrilin-1 is the prototypical member of the matrilin protein family and is highly expressed in cartilage. However, gene targeting of matrilin-1 in mouse did not lead to pronounced phenotypes. Here we used the zebrafish as an alternative model to study matrilin function in vivo. Matrilin-1 displays a multiphasic expression during zebrafish development. In an early phase, with peak expression at about 15 h post-fertilization, matrilin-1 is present throughout the zebrafish embryo with exception of the notochord. Later, when the skeleton develops, matrilin-1 is expressed mainly in cartilage. Morpholino knockdown of matrilin-1 results both in overall growth defects and in disturbances in the formation of the craniofacial cartilage, most prominently loss of collagen II deposition. In fish with mild phenotypes, certain cartilage extracellular matrix components were present, but the tissue did not show features characteristic for cartilage. The cells showed endoplasmic reticulum aberrations but no activation of XBP-1, a marker for endoplasmic reticulum stress. In severe phenotypes nearly all chondrocytes died. During the early expression phase the matrilin-1 knockdown had no effects on cell morphology, but increased cell death was observed. In addition, the broad deposition of collagen II was largely abolished. Interestingly, the early phenotype could be rescued by the co-injection of mRNA coding for the von Willebrand factor C domain of collagen IIα1a, indicating that the functional loss of this domain occurs as a consequence of matrilin-1 deficiency. The results show that matrilin-1 is indispensible for zebrafish cartilage formation and plays a role in the early collagen II-dependent developmental events.
A new DNA nanostructure, the G-wire, imaged by scanning probe microscopy.

G-DNA is a polymorphic family of quadruple helical nucleic acid structures containing guanine tetrad motifs [G-quartets; Williamson, J.R. , Raghuraman, M.K. and Cech, T.R. (1989) Cell 59, 871-880; Williamson, J.R. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 3124-3124]. Guanine rich oligonucleotides that are self-complimentary, as found in many telomeric G-strand repeat sequences, form G-DNA in the presence of monovalent and/or divalent metal cations. In this report we use the atomic force microscope (AFM) to explore the structural characteristics of long, linear polymers formed by the telomeric oligonucleotide d(GGGGTTGGGG) in the presence of specific metal cations. In the AFM these polymers, termed G-wires, appear as filaments whose height and length are determined by the metal ions present during the self-assembly process. The highly ordered, controllable self-assembly of G-wires could provide a basis for developing advanced biomaterials.
Phosphorylation Down-regulates the RNA Binding Function of the Coat Protein of Potato Virus A*

Plant viruses encode movement proteins (MPs) to facilitate transport of their genomes from infected into neighboring healthy cells through plasmodesmata. Growing evidence suggests that specific phosphorylation events can regulate MP functions. The coat protein (CP) of potato virus A (PVA; genus Potyvirus) is a multifunctional protein involved both in virion assembly and virus movement. Labeling of PVA-infected tobacco leaves with [33P]orthophosphate demonstrated that PVA CP is phosphorylated in vivo. Competition assays established that PVA CP and the well characterized 30-kDa MP of tobacco mosaic virus (genus Tobamovirus) are phosphorylatedin vitro by the same Ser/Thr kinase activity from tobacco leaves. This activity exhibits a strong preference for Mn2+over Mg2+, can be inhibited by micromolar concentrations of Zn2+ and Cd2+, and is not Ca2+-dependent. Tryptic phosphopeptide mapping revealed that PVA CP was phosphorylated by this protein kinase activity on multiple sites. In contrast, PVA CP was not phosphorylated when packaged into virions, suggesting that the phosphorylation sites are located within the RNA binding domain and not exposed on the surface of the virion. Furthermore, two independent experimental approaches demonstrated that the RNA binding function of PVA CP is strongly inhibited by phosphorylation. From these findings, we suggest that protein phosphorylation represents a possible mechanism regulating formation and/or stability of viral ribonucleoproteins in planta.
Novel diagnostic procedure for determining metastasis to sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer using a semi‐dry dot‐blot method

We developed an easy, quick and cost‐effective detection method for lymph node metastasis called the semi‐dry dot‐blot (SDB) method, which visualizes the presence of cancer cells with washing of sectioned lymph nodes by anti‐pancytokeratin antibody, modifying dot‐blot technology. We evaluated the validity and efficacy of the SDB method for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in a clinical setting (Trial 1). To evaluate the validity of the SDB method in clinical specimens, 180 dissected lymph nodes from 29 cases, including breast, gastric and colorectal cancer, were examined. Each lymph node was sliced at the maximum diameter and the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the SDB method were determined and compared with the final pathology report. Metastasis was detected in 32 lymph nodes (17.8%), and the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the SDB method were 100, 98.0 and 98.3%, respectively (Trial 2). To evaluate the efficacy of the SDB method in sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy, 174 SLNs from 100 cases of clinically node‐negative breast cancer were analyzed. Each SLN was longitudinally sliced at 2‐mm intervals and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and time required for the SDB method were determined and compared with the intraoperative pathology report. Metastasis was detected in 15 SLNs (8.6%), and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and mean required time of the SDB method were 93.3, 96.9, 96.6 and 43.3 min, respectively. The SDB method is a novel and reliable modality for the intraoperative diagnosis of SLN metastasis.
Retrospective study of gemcitabine based chemotherapy for unresectable or recurrent esophagus squamous cell carcinoma refractory to first line chemotherapy.

PURPOSE To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of a combination of gemcitabine with nedaplatin (GN) or cisplatin (GC) for patients with unresectable or recurrent esophagus squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS Gemcitabine was administered at 1 g/m2 intravenously on days 1 and 8; and nedaplatin or cisplatin were administered at 80 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1. We analyzed the response rate, overall survival time, progression-free survival time, and toxicity in 21 patients treated with GN and 27 patients treated with GC. RESULTS In patients treated with gemcitabine plus nedaplatin, the ORR was 47.6%, the median progression-free survival time was 4.1 months, and the median survival time was 9.3 months. In patients treated with gemcitabine plus cisplatin, the ORR was 48.2%, the median progression-free survival time was 3.9 months, and the median survival time was 9.1 months, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in ORR, PFS and OS between the two groups. In both, the most commonly observed toxicities were thrombocytopenia and fatigue. Nausea and vomiting was more frequent in the GC group than in the GN group. CONCLUSION Gemcitabine based chemotherapy was effective and tolerable for patients with unresectable or recurrent esophagus squamous cell carcinoma refractory to first line chemotherapy.
Predictors of survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who permanently discontinued sorafenib

Treatment with sorafenib of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma is challenged by anticipated discontinuation due to tumor progression, liver decompensation, or adverse effects. While postprogression survival is clearly determined by the pattern of tumor progression, understanding the factors that drive prognosis in patients who discontinued sorafenib for any reason may help to improve patient management and second‐line trial design. Patients consecutively admitted to three referral centers who were receiving best supportive care following permanent discontinuation of sorafenib for any reason were included. Postsorafenib survival (PSS) was calculated from the last day of treatment to death or last visit available. Two hundred and sixty patients were included in this prospective study, aged 67 years, 60% with hepatitis C, 51% Child‐Pugh A, 83% performance status (PS) ≥1, 41% with macroscopic vascular invasion, and 38% with extrahepatic tumor spread. Overall, median PSS was 4.1 (3.3‐4.9) months, resulting from 4.6 (3.3‐5.7) months for 123 progressors, 7.3 (6.0‐10.0) months in 77 with adverse effects, and 1.8 (1.6‐2.4) months in 60 decompensated patients (P < 0.001). Postsorafenib survival was independently predicted by PS, prothrombin time, extrahepatic tumor spread, macrovascular invasion, and reason for discontinuation. Two hundred patients potentially eligible for second‐line therapy had a PSS of 5.3 (4.6‐7.1) months, which was dependent on reasons of discontinuation (P = 0.004), PS (P < 0.001), macrovascular invasion (P < 0.001), and extrahepatic metastases (P < 0.002). Conclusion: Discontinuation due to adverse effects in the absence of macrovascular invasion, extrahepatic metastases, and deteriorated PS predicts the best PSS in compensated patients, thereby setting the stage for both improved patient counseling and selection for second‐line therapy. (Hepatology 2015;62:784–791)
Financial markets in CEE countries and their role in transmission of euro area monetary policy shocks

This paper uses the VAR methodology to analyse stock, bond, and exchange rate markets in six Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. First, we study the influence of shocks occurring in each market on domestic economic conditions. Next, a counterfactual simulation analysis is carried out to discern the role of financial markets in the transmission of European Central Bank (ECB) monetary policy shocks into CEE economies. The results have implications for both present monetary policy-making and future euro adoptions, as well as for investors concerned with financial assets of CEE countries. While examining the estimated responses of domestic output and inflation to changes in stock, bond, and exchange rate prices, we draw conclusions on the relatively lower importance of the bond market and higher importance of stock and exchange rate markets in the economies. The study of transmission channels also points to stock markets as the main channel of transmission, especially in the case of transmission to the output. Transmission of monetary shocks to inflation takes place mainly through stock and exchange rate markets. There is also strong indication on considerable diversity across CEE countries taking place.
Do Markets (Institutions) Drive Out Lemmings or Vice Versa

We investigate, by mean of a lab experiment, a market inspired by two strands of literature on one hand we have herd behaviour in non-market situations, and on the other hand aggregation of private information in markets. The former suggests that socially undesirable herd behaviour may result when information is private; the latter suggests that socially undesirable behaviour may be eliminated through the market. As the trading mechanism might be a compounding factor, we investigate two kinds of market mechanism: the double auction, where bids, asks and trades take place in continuous time throughout a trading period; and the clearing house, where bids and asks are placed once in a trading period, and which are then cleared by an aggregating device. As a main result, this paper shows that double auction markets are, in several instances, superior to clearing house markets in terms of informational efficiency. Moreover, the employed trading institutions do not exhibit significant differences in both market volume and price volatility.
Factors of Electricity Prices in Selected Eu Member States after the Financial Crisis and During Significant Market Distortions

Analysis of the electric power market in a region of five EU countries (Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Slovenia) with one-sixth of the EU population reveals that in the period following the last financial crisis growth of 1% in electricity consumption led to 0.9% higher electric power prices for industry and 0.6% higher electricity prices for households. The situation on the German electricity market also holds a statistically significant influence. An increase in taxes in the German price of electricity (collected to raise funds intended for power generation from renewable sources) of 1% leads to 0.25% reduction in electricity prices for industrial use and 0.12% reduction in electricity prices for households in the analyzed group of EU Member States. From 2010 to 2015, Germany opened the subsidization of electricity generation from renewable sources from 12 to 24 billion euros per year (0.8% of gross domestic product in 2015). This has had the impact of increasing the supply of electricity and providing only intermittent information about the actual cost of production of these goods. Between 2011 and 2015, the electric power price on the German energy exchange (Phelix) fell 38%.
Point-of-care testing in the pharmacy: how is the field evolving?

From urgent care centers and retail clinics to telemedicine and concierge services, the past decade has seen a dramatic shift in how patients receive health care. We have gone from a centralized, rigid model that creates time and location barriers to models that allow patients access to care when they need it and where they want. With approximately 60,000 community pharmacies in the United States, many open nights, weekends, and holidays, the community pharmacist has long been recognized as the most accessible of health-care providers. Additionally, it has been estimated that 91% of Americans live within 5 miles of a community pharmacy [1]. As part of the trend toward improved patient access to care, pharmacists have begun to develop and provide clinical services beyond safeguarding of, dispensing of, and counseling on prescription medications.
Local Bradykinin Formation Is Controlled by Glycosaminoglycans1

Bradykinin is a potent inflammatory mediator that induces vasodilation, vascular leakage, and pain sensations. This short-lived peptide hormone is liberated from its large precursor protein high molecular weight kininogen (HK) through the contact system cascade involving coagulation factor XII and plasma kallikrein. Although bradykinin release is well established in vitro, the factors and mechanisms controlling bradykinin generation in vivo are still incompletely understood. In this study we demonstrate that binding of HK to glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) of the heparan and chondroitin sulfate type efficiently interferes with bradykinin release in plasma and on endothelial surfaces. Proteolytic bradykinin production on endothelial cells is restored following degradation of cell surface GAG through heparinase. Alternatively, application of HK fragments D3 or light chain, which compete with uncleaved HK for cell binding, promote kininogen proteolysis and bradykinin release. Intravital microscopy revealed that HK fragments increase bradykinin-mediated mesentery microvascular leakage. Topical application of D3 or light chain enhanced bradykinin generation and edema formation in the mouse skin. Our results demonstrate that bradykinin formation is controlled by HK binding to and detachment from GAGs. Separation of the precursor from cell surfaces is a prerequisite for its efficient proteolytic processing. By this means, fragments arising from HK processing propagate bradykinin generation, revealing a novel regulatory level for the kallikrein-kinin system.
THE VOLUME OF DISTRIBUTION OF MANNITOL AS A MEASURE OF THE VOLUME OF EXTRACELLULAR FLUID, WITH A STUDY OF THE MANNITOL METHOD.

The clearance of mannitol has been advocated by Smith and his coworkers as a measure of glomerular filtration rate (1). Newman, Bordley and Winternitz (2) modified Smith's procedure by calculating the clearance of mannitol from the rate of fall of concentration in serum after a single injection of the substance and suggested that the rate of glomerular filtration is more logically related to the volume of extracellular fluid than to body surface area. They also presented evidence that the volume of distribution of mannitol is of approximately the same magnitude as this fluid compartment. The thesis of Newman, Bordley and Winternitz that the clearance of mannitol can be calculated from the fall in serum concentration alone is valid only if mannitol reaches a constant volume of distribution in the body. The determination of the volume of distribution rests on the following assumptions: (1) that mannitol is neither formed nor destroyed in the body, (2) that it is distributed uniformly throughout some portion of the body water, (3) that its concentration in water of serum is a fair sample of its concentration throughout this portion, and (4) that it is excreted solely in the urine (3). It is the purpose of this investigation to determine whether the apparent volume of distribution of mannitol meets the above basic assumptions, and to study the relation of this volume to that of extracellular fluid. Such a study requires a precise knowledge of the errors involved in the determination of mannitol. For this reason the method of determination and its accuracy were investigated in this laboratory and certain modifications introduced to minimize the error.
Recommending Outfits from Personal Closet

We consider the outfit grading problem for outfit recommendation, where we assume that users have a closet of items and we aim at producing a score for an arbitrary combination of items in the closet. The challenge in outfit grading is that the input to the system is a bag of item pictures that are unordered and vary in size. We build a deep neural network-based system that can take variable-length items and predict a score. We collect a large number of outfits from a popular fashion sharing website, Polyvore, and evaluate the performance of our grading system. We compare our model with a random-choice baseline. The performance of our model achieves 84% in both accuracy and precision, showing our model can reliably grade the quality of an outfit. We also built an outfit recommender on top of our grader to demonstrate the practical application of our model for a personal closet assistant.
TurkuNLP Entry for Interactive Bio-ID Assignment

We participate in BioCreative VI: Interactive BioID Assignment (Bio-ID) track by developing systems capable of named entity recognition and normalization of 6 entity types, namely Protein, Cell, Organism, Tissue, Molecule and Cellular. Our named entity recognition system is based on conditional random fields. For named entity normalization, we apply fuzzy matching and rule-based system to disambiguate and assign unique identifiers to the entities. The official evaluation shows that average F1-scores of all entity types for our recognition and normalization systems on strict span offsets are 0.720 and 0.668, respectively. Keywords—CRF; fuzzy matching; rule-based; Simstring
Assessment of a fluorescent antibody test for the detection of antibodies against epizootic bovine abortion

The current study was directed at developing and validating an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) capable of detecting antibodies specific for the agent of epizootic bovine abortion (aoEBA). Sensitivity and specificity was determined by comparing antibody titers from 114 fetuses infected with aoEBA with 68 fetuses diagnosed with alternate infectious etiologies. Data established specificity at 100% and sensitivity at 94.7% when cutoff criteria for a positive test were assigned at a titer of ≥1,000. Potential cross-reactivity was noted in samples from 3 fetuses with antibody titers of 10 or100; all were infected with Gram-positive organisms. The remaining 65 fetuses infected with microbes other than aoEBA, and an additional 12 negative reference sera, did not have detectable titers. The IFAT-based serology assay is rapid, reproducible, and unaffected by fluid color or opacity. Total fetal immunoglobulin (Ig)G was also evaluated as an aid for diagnosing EBA. Significantly higher concentrations of IgG were identified in fetuses infected with aoEBA as compared to those with alternate infectious etiologies. The presence of IgG is a sensitive indicator of EBA and increases the specificity of FAT-based serologic diagnosis when titers are 10 or 100. Taken together, serology and IgG analyses suggest that the incidence of EBA may be underestimated.