Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chest pain after partial upper versus complete sternotomy for aortic valve surgery

Objective — The aim of this study was to evaluate pain and pulmonary function after partial upper versus complete sternotomy for aortic valve surgery. Methods and results — In a prospective study of 31 adult patients, 15 individuals underwent aortic valve replacement via partial upper sternotomy, and 16 patients were operated on by means of a full median sternotomy. Chest pain was assessed at rest, after spirometry and coughing, using the visual analogue scale and a structured questionnaire. Forced expiratory volume at 1 second and forced vital capacity were measured by a hand-held spirometer. Minimal-access patients had less postoperative pain and improved pulmonary function in comparison with conventional aortic valve replacement. After partial upper sternotomy, the postoperative chest pain was confined to the sternal area, while after standard sternotomy a more generalized chest pain occurred. Differences in pain scores could still be demonstrated one month after discharge. Conclusions — This study suggests that partial upper sternotomy improves pulmonary function and reduces pain in comparison with standard full sternotomy.
Communication training interventions for family and professional carers of people living with dementia: a systematic review of effectiveness, acceptability and conceptual basis

ABSTRACT Objectives: To update previous reviews and provide a more detailed overview of the effectiveness, acceptability and conceptual basis of communication training-interventions for carers of people living with dementia. Method: We searched CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE and PsycINFO using a specific search and extraction protocol, and PRISMA guidelines. Two authors conducted searches and extracted studies that reported effectiveness, efficacy or acceptability data regarding a communication training-intervention for carers of people living with dementia. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Quality of qualitative studies was also systematically assessed. Results: Searches identified 450 studies (after de-duplication). Thirty-eight studies were identified for inclusion in the review. Twenty-two studies focused on professional carers; 16 studies focused mainly on family carers. Training-interventions were found to improve communication and knowledge. Overall training-interventions were not found to significantly improve behaviour that challenges and caregiver burden. Acceptability levels were high overall, but satisfaction ratings were found to be higher for family carers than professional carers. Although many interventions were not supported by a clear conceptual framework, person-centred care was the most common framework described. Conclusion: This review indicated that training-interventions were effective in improving carer knowledge and communication skills. Effective interventions involved active participation by carers and were generally skills based (including practicing skills and discussion). However, improvements to quality of life and psychological wellbeing of carers and people living with dementia may require more targeted interventions.
Effect of Incremental Doses of Folate on Homocysteine and Metabolically Related Vitamin Concentrations in Nondiabetic Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis

The role of folate supplementation in reducing hyperhomocystinemia in patients on dialysis has been reported, but the optimal dose of folate is still unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether greater than 5 mg/day folate supplementation provides any additional effect on plasma homocysteine (HCY) levels. The study was prospective, open, and had no control group. Of the 64 eligible nondiabetic patients on peritoneal dialysis with hyperhomocystinemia (>20 &mgr;mol/L), 56 were given oral folate (5 mg/day) for 3 months. When Hcy did not fall below 20 &mgr;mol/L, folate doses were increased by 5 mg every 3 months to up to 15 mg/day. With 5 mg/day supplementation, serum folate concentrations increased above the upper confidence limit in 23 patients and erythrocyte folate concentrations in 27 patients. Hcy levels decreased to less than 15 &mgr;mol/L in 6 cases and by more than 50% in 12 cases. Nineteen of the remaining patients were given 10 mg/day folate. After increasing the dose, serum and erythrocyte folate levels rose above the upper detection limit. In one patient, plasma Hcy concentrations decreased to less than 15 &mgr;mol/L. Ten patients were given 15 mg/day oral folate for an additional 3 months with no effect on homocystinemia. This study confirms that oral folate supplementation may improve hyperhomocystinemia even in patients on dialysis with normal serum or erythrocyte folate concentrations. In fact, serum and erythrocyte levels cannot predict the effect of supplementation on plasma Hcy levels. However, 5 mg/day folate supplementation normalized Hcy in 10% of cases and reduced Hcy levels in another 21%. Increasing the folate dose to greater than 5 mg/day had a minimal (10 mg/day) or no (15 mg/day) additional effect on Hcy concentrations. Despite the minimal effect of increasing folate doses, given the low cost, the absence of side effects, and the high cardiovascular risk for patients on peritoneal dialysis, a careful attempt to increase the dose of oral folate up to 10 mg/day might be suggested.
Exogenous normal lymph alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute kidney injury in rats

Abstract Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common pathological process which occurs in hemorrhage, intoxication, etc. It has been shown that the lymphatic circulation plays an important regulatory role in the pathogenesis of hemorrhage shock, and that exogenous normal lymph (ENL) has a beneficial effect on multiple organ injuries. In the present study, we investigated the effect of ENL on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced AKI in rats. Methods: The AKI was induced by the jugular vein injection of LPS (iv, 15 mg/kg). After 15 min of LPS injection, saline or ENL without cell components (5 mL/kg) was iv infused at the speed of 0.5 mL per minute. Then, the renal function indices in plasma and renal histomorphology, and the levels of P-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and Na+-K+-ATPase in renal tissue were assessed at 3 or 6 h after LPS injection. Results: LPS induced a severe kidney injury including increased levels of urea, creatinine in plasma, aggrandized activities of ICAM-1 and MPO in renal tissue, and decreased the Na+-K+-ATPase activity in renal cells. These deleterious effects of LPS were significantly ameliorated by ENL treatment. Conclusion: The present results indicate that ENL protect against LPS-induced AKI, suggesting an alternative therapeutic strategy for treatment of kidney injury accompanied with severe infection or sepsis.
Overweight and obesity in pediatric liver transplant recipients: Prevalence and predictors before and after transplant, United Network for Organ Sharing Data, 1987–2010

Perito ER, Glidden D, Roberts JP, Rosenthal P. Overweight and obesity in pediatric liver transplant recipients: Prevalence and predictors before and after transplant, United Network for Organ Sharing Data, 1987–2010. Pediatr Transplantation 2012: 16: 41–49. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Effects of peptide dimerization on pore formation: Antiparallel disulfide-dimerized magainin 2 analogue.

To elucidate the effects of peptide dimerization on pore formation by magainin 2 (MG2), a covalently linked antiparallel dimer of the MG2 analogue [(F5Y, L6C, F16W, I20C-MG2)(2): II] was synthesized based on the dimer structure revealed by our NMR study. The interactions of the dimer with lipid bilayers were investigated by CD and fluorescence in comparison with a monomer analogue (F5Y, F16W-MG2: I). Similar to I, II was found to form a peptide-lipid supramolecular complex pore accompanied with lipid flip-flop and peptide translocation. The pore formed by II was characterized by a slightly larger pore diameter and a threefold longer lifetime than that of I, although the pore formation rate of the dimer was lower than that of the monomer. The coexistence of the dimer and the monomer exhibited slight but significant synergism in membrane permeabilization, which was maximal at a monomer/dimer ratio of 3. Therefore, we concluded that a pentameric pore composed of one pore-stabilizing dimer and three monomers maximized the overall leakage activity in keeping with our kinetic prediction.
DISSECTING THE GENETIC ARCHITECTURE OF F1 HYBRID STERILITY IN HOUSE MICE

Hybrid sterility as a postzygotic reproductive isolation mechanism has been studied for over 80 years, yet the first identifications of hybrid sterility genes in Drosophila and mouse are quite recent. To study the genetic architecture of F1 hybrid sterility between young subspecies of house mouse Mus m. domesticus and M. m. musculus, we conducted QTL analysis of a backcross between inbred strains representing these two subspecies and probed the role of individual chromosomes in hybrid sterility using the intersubspecific chromosome substitution strains. We provide direct evidence that the asymmetry in male infertility between reciprocal crosses is conferred by the middle region of M. m. musculus Chr X, thus excluding other potential candidates such as Y, imprinted genes, and mitochondrial DNA. QTL analysis identified strong hybrid sterility loci on Chr 17 and Chr X and predicted a set of interchangeable autosomal loci, a subset of which is sufficient to activate the Dobzhansky–Muller incompatibility of the strong loci. Overall, our results indicate the oligogenic nature of F1 hybrid sterility, which should be amenable to reconstruction by proper combination of chromosome substitution strains. Such a prefabricated model system should help to uncover the gene networks and molecular mechanisms underlying hybrid sterility.
Learning discrete graphical models via generalized inverse covariance matrices

This project investigates the relationship between the structure of a discrete graphical model and the support of the inverse of a generalized covariance matrix. This work extends results that have previously been established only in the context of multivariate Gaussian graphical models. The population-level results in Loh and Wainwright 2013 have theoretically rigorous consequences for global graph selection methods and local neighborhood selection methods. Furthermore, these methods are easily adapted to corrupted observations and missing data.
Proteomic approach to human kidney glomerulus prepared by laser microdissection from frozen biopsy specimens: Exploration of proteome after removal of blood‐derived proteins

Abundance of blood‐derived proteins in glomeruli prepared by laser microdissection from human kidney biopsy specimens has hampered in‐depth proteomic analysis of glomeruli. We attempted to establish experimental platform for in‐depth proteomic analysis of glomeruli by removal of blood‐derived proteins from frozen biopsy samples.
Involvement of TRPV1 and TRPA1 in Incisional Intraoral and Extraoral Pain

Thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity in the injured region is a common complication. Although it is well known clinically that thermal and mechanical sensitivity of the oral mucosa is different from that of the skin, the mechanisms underlying injured pain of the oral mucosa remain poorly understood. The transient receptor potential (TRP) vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and TRP ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) in primary afferent neurons are known to contribute to pathological pain. Therefore, we investigated whether TRPV1 and/or TRPA1 contribute to thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity following oral mucosa or whisker pad skin incision. Strong heat and mechanical and cold hypersensitivity was caused in the buccal mucosa and whisker pad skin following incisions. On day 3 after the incisions, the number of TRPV1-immunoreactive (IR) and TRPA1-IR trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons innervating the buccal mucosa and whisker pad skin was significantly increased, and the number of TRPV1/TRPA1-IR TG neurons innervating whisker pad skin, but not the buccal mucosa, was significantly increased. Administration of the TRPV1 antagonist, SB366791, to the incised site produced a significant suppression of heat hyperalgesia in both the buccal mucosa and whisker pad skin, as well as mechanical allodynia in the whisker pad skin. Administration of the TRPA1 antagonist, HC-030031, to the incised site suppressed mechanical allodynia and cold hyperalgesia in both the buccal mucosa and whisker pad skin, as well as heat hyperalgesia in the whisker pad skin. These findings indicate that altered expressions of TRPV1 and TRPA1 in TG neurons are involved in thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity following the buccal mucosa and whisker pad skin incision. Moreover, diverse changes in the number of TRPV1 and TRPA1 coexpressed TG neurons in whisker pad skin-incised rats may contribute to the intracellular interactions of TRPV1 and TRPA1 associated with whisker pad skin incision, whereas TRPV1 and TRPA1 expression in individual TG neurons is involved in buccal mucosa–incised pain.
Efficient Bayesian Social Learning on Trees

We consider a set of agents who are attempting to iteratively learn the 'state of the world' from their neighbors in a social network. Each agent initially receives a noisy observation of the true state of the world. The agents then repeatedly 'vote' and observe the votes of some of their peers, from which they gain more information. The agents' calculations are Bayesian and aim to myopically maximize the expected utility at each iteration. This model, introduced by Gale and Kariv (2003), is a natural approach to learning on networks. However, it has been criticized, chiefly because the agents' decision rule appears to become computationally intractable as the number of iterations advances. For instance, a dynamic programming approach (part of this work) has running time that is exponentially large in min(n; (d - 1)^t), where n is the number of agents. We provide a new algorithm to perform the agents' computations on locally tree-like graphs. Our algorithm uses the dynamic cavity method to drastically reduce computational effort. Let d be the maximum degree and t be the iteration number. The computational effort needed per agent is exponential only in O(td) (note that the number of possible information sets of a neighbor at time t is itself exponential in td). Under appropriate assumptions on the rate of convergence, we deduce that each agent is only required to spend polylogarithmic (in 1=є) computational effort to approximately learn the true state of the world with error probability є, on regular trees of degree at least five. We provide numerical and other evidence to justify our assumption on convergence rate. We extend our results in various directions, including loopy graphs. Our results indicate efficiency of iterative Bayesian social learning in a wide range of situations, contrary to widely held beliefs.
Optimizing bandwidth power efficiency of a CMOS transconductor

A novel figure of merit to describe the bandwidth power efficiency of CMOS transconductors-g/sub ac//P/sub diss/ is proposed. The analytical g/sub ac//P/sub diss/ expressions of cross-coupled differential pair transconductor are derived and optimized in two different ways: univariable unconstrained and multivariable constrained optimization. Linearity characteristic of the optimally biased transconductor is also studied for every possible transconductance expression. The analytical results are verified by numerical and HSPICE simulation results.
Psychosocial support and cognitive deficits in adults with schizophrenia

Background: In recent decades there has been an increasing interest in cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. However, only a few studies have examined the impact of psychosocial support on the prevention of cognitive deterioration in patients who suffer from schizophrenia. Aim: The aims of the present study are: (1) to confirm the presence of cognitive deficits among patients with schizophrenia; (2) to explore any correlations between such deficits and a range of clinical and/or demographic characteristics of the patients; and (3) to investigate any association between cognitive deficits and psychosocial support. Method: A total of 118 patients with schizophrenia (the patient group) and 102 healthy volunteers (the control group) had a cognitive assessment using a battery of neuropsychological tests. The patients were allocated to one of the following groups: (1) patients under routine outpatient follow-up; or (2) patients receiving or having recently received intensive psychosocial support, in addition to follow-up. This included daily participation in vocational and recreational activities provided by dedicated mental health day centers. The findings of the neuropsychological testing of individuals in all groups were compared, after controlling for clinical or demographic factors. Results: The scores in the neuropsychological tests were lower overall in the patients group compared to healthy volunteers. Within the patients group, those receiving/having received psychosocial support had higher scores compared to those on routine follow-up alone. There were no significant differences between patients currently receiving psychosocial support and those having received it in the past. Lower education, age and illness duration (but not severity of positive or negative symptoms) were factors associated with lower test scores. Conclusions: The study provides some evidence that psychosocial support may be beneficial for the cognitive functioning of patients with schizophrenia and this benefit may be a lasting one.
Classical diphtheria caused by Corynebacterium ulcerans in Germany: amino acid sequence differences between diphtheria toxins from Corynebacterium diphtheriae and C. ulcerans.

2 Ser Asn Asn Asn 14 Leu Ile Leu Leu 22 Ser Ser Leu Leu 31 Val Asp Val Val 67 Thr Ala Thr Ala 116 Val Ile Ile Ile 183 Ala Ala Glu Glu 210 Ala Ser Ser Ser 233 Val Ala Ala Ala 262 Thr Ile Thr Thr 277 Gln Gln Arg Gln 294 Thr Val Val Val 296 Pro Ser Ser Ser 305 Ala Ser Ser Ser 314 Ile Val Val Val 317 Glu Lys Lys Lys 378 Ile Leu Leu Leu 415 Leu Val Val Val 417 Asp Gly Gly Gly 421 Val Ala Ala Ala 432 Arg Lys Lys Lys 491 Gly Asp Asp Asp 492 Asp Ala Ala Ala 493 Val Thr Thr Thr 500 Ser Thr Thr Thr 518 Arg Arg Thr Arg 527 Asn Asp Asp Asp 529 Ile Thr Thr Thr 530 Ser Pro Pro Pro 531 Ser Leu Leu Leu 532 Asp Ser Ser Ser 535 Gly Asp Asp Asp 556 Phe Ala Ala Ala 558 Ile Val Val Val
Students learn about the scientific process and gain critical thinking skills through disc diffusion assays

comes a vehicle for inquiry-based science when students choose what substances to test for antimicrobial properties. This procedure agar, forming a concentration gradient. Agar near the disc has a higher concentration of antibiotic than the agar farther from the disc. If the organism is killed or its growth is inhibited, no bacteria will be found in the immediate area around the disc. Using this modification of the assay, we encourage inquiry by providing students with plain paper discs, which they impregnate with the substance they choose for testing. According to Lederman (2002), scientific inquiry goes beyond the development of process skills such as questioning, observing, measuring, interpreting, and analyzing data (inquiry as skills students learn) and joins these processes with knowledge, reasoning, and critical thinking to construct new scientific knowlStudents learn about the scientific process and gain critical thinking skills through disc diffusion assays
Zidovudine treatment in HIV-infected pregnant women is associated with fetal cardiac remodelling

Objective:To evaluate the cardiac structure and function of the fetuses of pregnant women with HIV infection on combined antiretroviral treatment (cART) and the HIV-related and nonrelated determinants of abnormal findings. Design:A prospective cohort study including 42-noninfected fetuses from HIV pregnant women on cART and 84 fetuses from non-HIV-infected women. Methods:Fetal echocardiography was performed at 26–32 weeks of pregnancy to assess cardiac structure and function. The impact of maternal and perinatal factors on fetal cardiac remodelling was evaluated by multivariate regression analysis. Results:Fetuses from HIV pregnant women on cART presented larger hearts and pericardial effusion together with thicker myocardial septal walls (mean 3.56 mm (SD 0.88) vs non-HIV mean 2.75 mm (SD 0.77); P = 0.002) and smaller left ventricular cavities (10.81 mm (SD 2.28) vs 12.3 mm (SD 2.54); P = 0.033). Fetuses from HIV women also presented signs of systolic (mitral systolic annular peak velocity 5.85 cm/s (SD 0.77) vs non-HIV 6.25 cm/s (SD 0.97); P = 0.007) and diastolic (isovolumic relaxation time 52 ms (SD 8.91) vs non-HIV 45 ms (SD 7.98); P < 0.001) dysfunction. In the multivariate analysis, maternal treatment with zidovudine was the only factor significantly associated with fetal cardiac changes (P = 0.014). Conclusion:Fetuses from HIV-infected mothers on cART have cardiac remodelling and dysfunction, which might explain the cardiovascular changes described in childhood. Fetal cardiac remodelling was essentially associated with maternal treatment with zidovudine which challenges its use during pregnancy.
Left Ventricular Lead Placement In The Latest Activated Region Guided By Coronary Venous Electroanatomic Mapping

www.jafib. com October 2015|Special Issue Abstract Introduction: Left ventricular (LV) lead placement in the latest activated region is an important determinant of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Purpose: Aim of this study was to evaluated the latest activated region in coronary sinus (CS) in patients underwent CRT devices implant. Methods and results: 46 consecutive CRT patients (38 males, age 72.9±7.3 years), underwent intra-procedural coronary venous EAM using EnSite NavX. A guidewire was used to map the coronary veins during intrinsic activation. The latest activated region were reported in Table 1. Conclusions: Coronary venous EAM can be used intraprocedurally to guide LV lead placement to the latest activated region. This approach especially contributes to optimization of LV lead electrical delay in patients with multiple target veins. Conventional anatomical LV lead placement strategy does not target the vein with maximal electrical delay in many of these patients.
Temporal progression of alcohol dependence symptoms in the U.S. household population: results from the National Comorbidity Survey.

General population data are presented on patterns and predictors of temporal progression of alcohol dependence symptoms in the general population. The data come from the National Comorbidity Survey, a nationally representative general population survey of respondents ages 15-54. Lifetime symptom classes were estimated with latent class analysis (LCA). A 4-class LCA solution, including a 1st asymptomatic class and 3 progressively more serious symptomatic classes, was found to fit the data. Probability of initial symptom onset among drinkers was found to be highest in the 10-24 age range, to be higher among men than women, and to have increased dramatically in the past 4 decades. Age, gender, and cohort effects were less powerful in predicting symptom progression. A narrowing of the gender difference over time was due largely to a convergence in initial symptom onset among men and women ages 10-24. These results suggest that a rise in initial problems was more important than an increase in the transition from problems to dependence in accounting for the growing prevalence of alcohol dependence during the post-World War II years in the United States.