Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
VALUE OF MULTI-DETECTOR CT ANGIOGRAPHY IN CHRONIC ISCHEMIA OF LOWER LIMBS IN COMPARISON WITH THE DOPPLER ULTRASOUND

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases in developed countries and is an emerging problem in developing countries. Duplex ultrasonography (DUS) has been used as the initial imaging modality in mild symptomatic PAD. Multi-slice helical CT angiography of arteries of the thigh represents a reliable means for the detection of relevant stenoses in patients with peripheral occlusive artery disease. Objective: To assess value of multi-detector computed tomography angiography (MDCTA) and to compare it with DUS to diagnose chronic ischemia of lower limbs. Methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted on 30 patients with chronic lower limbs ischemia of both limbs during the period from September 2015 to September 2016 at the Department of Diagnostic Radiology of Al-Imamein Al-Kadhimein Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq. DUS was done for all the patients and then MDCTA was done. Results: Thirty patients (20 males and 10 females) with a mean age of 57.1 ± 8.5 (range: 33 –80) years were included in this study. MDCTA detects 69 lesions (41 occluded segments and 28 stenotic segments) and DUS detects 58 lesions (35 occluded segments and 43 stenotic segments). In MDCTA, 8 patients (26.7%) had lesion in only one arterial segment, 13 patients (43.3%) had two segment lesions, 3 patients (10%) had three segment lesions, 4 patients (13.3%) with four lesions and only two patients (6.7%) had lesions in five arterial segments. Regarding the findings of the DUS one segment lesion was detected in 13 patients (43.3%), two segment lesions in 11 (36.7%), three segment lesions in 2 (6.7%), four segment lesions in 3 (10.0%) and only five segment lesions in only one patient (3.3). Furthermore, the measure of agreement between both MDCTA and DUS in the number of lesions detected revealed a good agreement between both tests, (Kappa = 0.81) with a percent agreement of (86.6%). Conclusion: Multi-detector CT angiography is a fast, accurate, safe and a minimally-invasive imaging modality which may be used in cases of PAD for diagnosis, grading and for preoperative assessment of lower limb arterial disease. Keywords: Multi-detector CT Angiography, chronic ischemia of lower limbs, doppler ultrasound Citation: Kadhim MA, Eisa YA, Mohammed SJ. Value of multi-detector CT angiography in chronic ischemia of lower limbs in comparison with the doppler ultrasound. Iraqi JMS. 2018; 16(2): 144-151. doi: 10.22578/IJMS.16. 2.5
Hormonally induced defects of DNA damage repair genes: an oncogenic driver of prostate cancer

2 Declaration . 4 Preface . 5 Acknowledgements . 6 Publications and Conference Presentations . 8 Publications . 8 Submitted Publications . 8 Conference Presentations . 10 Abbreviations . 12 Table of
Incidental Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among Patients with Confirmed and Unconfirmed Prediabetes

Objective To determine the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) diagnosis among patients with confirmed and unconfirmed prediabetes (preDM) relative to an at-risk group receiving care from primary care physicians over a 5-year period. Study Design Utilizing data from the Intermountain Healthcare (IH) Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) from 2006–2013, we performed a prospective analysis using discrete survival analysis to estimate the time to diagnosis of T2DM among groups. Population Studied Adult patients who had at least one outpatient visit with a primary care physician during 2006–2008 at an IH clinic and subsequent visits through 2013. Patients were included for the study if they were (a) at-risk for diabetes (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and one additional risk factor: high risk ethnicity, first degree relative with diabetes, elevated triglycerides or blood pressure, low HDL, diagnosis of gestational diabetes or polycystic ovarian syndrome, or birth of a baby weighing >9 lbs); or (b) confirmed preDM (HbA1c ≥ 5.7–6.49% or fasting blood glucose 100–125 mg/dL); or (c) unconfirmed preDM (documented fasting lipid panel and glucose 100–125 mg/dL on the same day). Principal Findings Of the 33,838 patients who were eligible for study, 57.0% were considered at-risk, 38.4% had unconfirmed preDM, and 4.6% had confirmed preDM. Those with unconfirmed and confirmed preDM tended to be Caucasian and a greater proportion were obese compared to those at-risk for disease. Patients with unconfirmed and confirmed preDM tended to have more prevalent high blood pressure and depression as compared to the at-risk group. Based on the discrete survival analyses, patients with unconfirmed preDM and confirmed preDM were more likely to develop T2DM when compared to at-risk patients. Conclusions Unconfirmed and confirmed preDM are strongly associated with the development of T2DM as compared to patients with only risk factors for disease.
25th Anniversary Article: Organic Field-Effect Transistors: The Path Beyond Amorphous Silicon

Over the past 25 years, organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) have witnessed impressive improvements in materials performance by 3–4 orders of magnitude, and many of the key materials discoveries have been published in Advanced Materials. This includes some of the most recent demonstrations of organic field‐effect transistors with performance that clearly exceeds that of benchmark amorphous silicon‐based devices. In this article, state‐of‐the‐art in OFETs are reviewed in light of requirements for demanding future applications, in particular active‐matrix addressing for flexible organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) displays. An overview is provided over both small molecule and conjugated polymer materials for which field‐effect mobilities exceeding > 1 cm2 V–1 s–1 have been reported. Current understanding is also reviewed of their charge transport physics that allows reaching such unexpectedly high mobilities in these weakly van der Waals bonded and structurally comparatively disordered materials with a view towards understanding the potential for further improvement in performance in the future.
Obstacle and Boundary Determination from Scattering Data

In this paper, we are concerned with the identification of complex obstacles from the scattering data for the acoustic problem. The complex obstacle is characterized by its shape and the boundary values of the impedance coefficient. We establish pointwise formulas which can be used to reconstruct the shape of the obstacle and give explicitly the values of the surface impedance as a function of the far field. In addition, these formulas enable us to distinguish and recognize the coated and the noncoated parts of the obstacle.
Inherited platelet dysfunction and hematopoietic transcription factor mutations

Abstract Transcription factors (TFs) are proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences and regulate expression of genes. The molecular and genetic mechanisms in most patients with inherited platelet dysfunction are unknown. There is now increasing evidence that mutations in hematopoietic TFs are an important underlying cause for the defects in platelet production, morphology, and function. The hematopoietic TFs implicated in the patients with impaired platelet function include Runt related TF 1 (RUNX1), Fli-1 proto-oncogene, ETS TF (FLI1), GATA-binding protein 1 (GATA1), and growth factor independent 1B transcriptional repressor (GFI1B). These TFs act in a combinatorial manner to bind sequence-specific DNA within a promoter region to regulate lineage-specific gene expression, either as activators or as repressors. TF mutations induce rippling downstream effects by simultaneously altering the expression of multiple genes. Mutations involving these TFs affect diverse aspects of megakaryocyte biology and platelet production and function, culminating in thrombocytopenia, platelet dysfunction, and associated clinical features. Mutations in TFs may occur more frequently in the patients with inherited platelet dysfunction than generally appreciated. This review focuses on the alterations in hematopoietic TFs in the pathobiology of inherited platelet dysfunction.
Penggunaan Model Regresi Klasik untuk Mengetahui Faktor-Faktor yang Mempengaruhi Angka Kemiskinan di Provinsi Sulawesi Selatan

Salah satu sasaran pembangunan nasional adalah menurunkan tingkat kemiskinan. Kemiskinan merupakan salah satu penyakit dalam ekonomi, sehingga harus disembuhkan atau paling tidak dikurangi. Pada penelitian ini digunakan model regresi klasik atau Common Effect Model (CEM) untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor atau variabel yang mempengaruhi angka kemiskinan di Provinsi Sulawesi Selatan pada tahun 2005-2008. Parameter-parameter pada model regresi klasik diestimasi dengan metode Ordinary Least Square (OLS). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat 2 variabel independen yang berpengaruh secara signifikan pada angka kemiskinan di Provinsi Sulawesi Selatan yaitu laju pertumbuhan ekonomi dan angka harapan hidup. Hasil juga menunjukkan bahwa pengujian nilai tengah untuk angka kemiskinan per tahun selama 4 tahun periode waktu amatan tidak menunjukkan perbedaan yang nyata. Dapat dikatakan bahwa program-program pengentasan kemiskinan yang dilakukan dalam periode waktu amatan selama 4 tahun ini belum memperlihatkan hasil sesuai yang diharapkan.
A Text Messaging Intervention to Improve Heart Failure Self-Management After Hospital Discharge in a Largely African-American Population: Before-After Study

Background There is increasing interest in finding novel approaches to reduce health disparities in readmissions for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Text messaging is a promising platform for improving chronic disease self-management in low-income populations, yet is largely unexplored in ADHF. Objective The purpose of this pre-post study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a text message–based (SMS: short message service) intervention in a largely African American population with ADHF and explore its effects on self-management. Methods Hospitalized patients with ADHF were enrolled in an automated text message–based heart failure program for 30 days following discharge. Messages provided self-care reminders and patient education on diet, symptom recognition, and health care navigation. Demographic and cell phone usage data were collected on enrollment, and an exit survey was administered on completion. The Self-Care of Heart Failure Index (SCHFI) was administered preintervention and postintervention and compared using sample t tests (composite) and Wilcoxon rank sum tests (individual). Clinical data were collected through chart abstraction. Results Of 51 patients approached for recruitment, 27 agreed to participate and 15 were enrolled (14 African-American, 1 White). Barriers to enrollment included not owning a personal cell phone (n=12), failing the Mini-Mental exam (n=3), needing a proxy (n=2), hard of hearing (n=1), and refusal (n=3). Another 3 participants left the study for health reasons and 3 others had technology issues. A total of 6 patients (5 African-American, 1 White) completed the postintervention surveys. The mean age was 50 years (range 23-69) and over half had Medicaid or were uninsured (60%, 9/15). The mean ejection fraction for those with systolic dysfunction was 22%, and at least two-thirds had a prior hospitalization in the past year. Participants strongly agreed that the program was easy to use (83%), reduced pills missed (66%), and decreased salt intake (66%). Maintenance (mean composite score 49 to 78, P=.003) and management (57 to 86, P=.002) improved at 4 weeks, whereas confidence did not change (57 to 75, P=.11). Of the 6 SCHFI items that showed a statistically significant improvement, 5 were specifically targeted by the texting intervention. Conclusions Over half of ADHF patients in an urban, largely African American community were eligible and interested in participating in a text messaging program following discharge. Access to mobile phones was a significant barrier that should be addressed in future interventions. Among the participants who completed the study, we observed a high rate of satisfaction and preliminary evidence of improvements in heart failure self-management.
Population implications of lipid lowering for prevention of coronary heart disease: data from the 1995 Scottish health survey

OBJECTIVE To determine the proportion of the population, firstly, with cholesterol ⩾ 5.0 mmol/l and, secondly, with any cholesterol concentration, who might benefit from statin treatment for the following: secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD); primary prevention at CHD risk 30%, 20%, 15%, and 6% over 10 years; and primary prevention at projected CHD risk 20% over 10 years (CHD risk at age 60 years if actual age < 60 years). SUBJECTS Random stratified sample of 3963 subjects aged 35–64 years from the Scottish health survey 1995. RESULTS For secondary prevention 7.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 6.9% to 8.6%) of the population with cholesterol ⩾ 5.0 mmol/l would benefit from statins. For primary prevention, the prevalence of people at CHD risk 30%, 20%, 15%, and 6% over 10 years is 1.5% (95% CI 1.2% to 1.9%), 5.4% (95% CI 4.7% to 6.1%), 9.7% (95% CI 8.8% to 10.6%), and 32.9% (95% CI 31.5% to 34.4%), respectively. At projected CHD risk 20% over 10 years, 12.4% (95% CI 11.4% to 13.5%) would be treated with statins. Removing the 5.0 mmol/l cholesterol threshold makes little difference to population prevalence at high CHD risk. CONCLUSIONS Statin treatment would be required for 7.8% of the population for secondary prevention. For primary prevention, among other factors, guidelines should take into account the number of patients needing treatment at different levels of CHD risk when choosing the CHD risk to target. The analysis supports a policy of targeting treatment at CHD risk 30% over 10 years as a minimum, as recommended in current British guidelines, with a move to treating at CHD risk 15% over 10 years as resources permit.
Circadian phase-specific degradation of the F-box protein ZTL is mediated by the proteasome

Critical to the maintenance of circadian rhythmicity is the cyclic expression of at least some components of the central oscillator. High-amplitude cycling of mRNA and protein abundance, protein phosphorylation and nuclear/cytoplasmic shuttling have all been implicated in the maintenance of circadian period. Here we use a newly characterized Arabidopsis suspension cell culture to establish that the rhythmic changes in the levels of the clock-associated F-box protein, ZTL, are posttranscriptionally controlled through different circadian phase-specific degradation rates. This proteolysis is proteasome dependent, implicating ZTL itself as substrate for ubiquitination. This demonstration of circadian phase-regulated degradation of an F-box protein, which itself controls circadian period, suggests a novel regulatory feedback mechanism among known circadian systems.
Unilateral and bilateral brainstem auditory-evoked response abnormalities in 900 Dalmatian dogs.

In a survey of 900 Dalmatian dogs, brainstem auditory-evoked responses (BAER) and clinical observations were used to determine the incidence and sex distribution of bilateral and unilateral BAER abnormalities and their association with heterochromia iridis (HI). To assess the efficacy of BAER testing in guiding breeding programs, data from 749 dogs (subgroup A), considered to be a sample of the population at large, were compared with data from a subgroup (subgroup B; n = 151) in which selection of breeding stock had been based on BAER testing from the beginning of the 4-year survey. Brainstem auditory-evoked responses were elicited by applying click stimuli unilaterally, while applying a white noise masking sound to the contralateral ear. Under these conditions, BAER were either normal, unilaterally absent, or bilaterally absent. Dogs with bilaterally absent BAER were clinically deaf; dogs with unilaterally absent BAER were not clinically deaf but appeared dependent on their BAER-normal ears for their auditory-cued behavior. Dogs with unilaterally absent BAER often were misidentified as normal by uninformed observers. Among the 900 dogs, 648 (72.0%) were normal, 189 (21.0%) had unilateral absence of BAER, and 63 (7.0%) had bilateral absence of BAER or were clinically deaf and assumed to have bilaterally absent BAER (n = 4). Total incidence in the population sampled was assumed to be higher, because some bilaterally affected dogs that would have been members of subgroup A undoubtedly did not come to our attention. Among females, 24.0% were unilaterally abnormal and 8.2% were bilaterally abnormal whereas, among males, 17.8% were unilaterally abnormal and 5.7% were bilaterally abnormal. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Cytotoxicity of Adrenal Cortex Hormones on Normal and Malignant Lymphocytes of Man and Rat∗

Summary Cortisol succinate, Cortisol, and corticosterone in small doses were toxic to lymphocytes from rat blood and rabbit thymus. The toxicity was indicated by a reduction in in vitro survival time of the lymphocytes, according to a slide-chamber method. Minimal toxic effects were produced by 0.01 μg/ml of Cortisol succinate and Cortisol and by 0.1 μg/ml of corticosterone. In contrast, lymphocytes from the blood of normal individuals and from non-leukemic patients were resistant to 10 μg/ml of Cortisol succinate. These experiments suggest a species difference in the sensitivity of lymphocytes from man as compared to those from the rat and rabbit. Similar tests were done on the lymphocytes from the blood of 13 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or with lymphosarcoma in leukemic phase. In general, the leukemic lymphocytes were more sensitive to Cortisol succinate (10 μg/ml) than normal lymphocytes. Two of the 13 patients had lymphocytes which were very sensitive to the corticosteroid.
The vestibular nerve of the chinchilla. II. Relation between afferent response properties and peripheral innervation patterns in the semicircular canals.

1. The relation between the response properties of semicircular canal afferents and their peripheral innervation patterns was studied by the use of intra-axonal labeling techniques. Fifty physiologically characterized units were injected with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or Lucifer yellow CH (LY) and their processes were traced to the crista. The resting discharge, discharge regularity, and responses to both externally applied galvanic currents and sinusoidal head rotations were determined for most neurons. Terminal fields were reconstructed and, as in the preceding paper, the fibers were classified as calyx, bouton, or dimorphic units. 2. To determine if the intra-axonal sample was representative, the physiological properties of the labeled units were compared with those of a sample of extracellularly recorded units. A comparison was also made between the morphology of the intra-axonal units and those labeled by extracellular injection of HRP into the vestibular nerve Most of the discrepancies between the intra-axonal and the two extracellular samples can be explained by assuming that small-diameter fibers are underrepresented in the former sample. 3. A normalized coefficient of variation (CV*), independent of discharge rate, was used to classify units as regular, intermediate, or irregular. The CV* ranged from 0.020 to 0.60. Regular units (CV* less than or equal to 0.10) outnumbered irregular units (CV* greater than or equal to 0.20) by an approximately 3:1 ratio and had higher resting discharges. 4. Calyx units were invariably irregular. The one recovered bouton unit was regular. The discharge regularity of dimorphic units was related to their epithelial location, with those found in the periphery of the crista having a more regular discharge than those located more centrally. Dimorphic units, even those with quite similar morphology, can differ in their discharge regularity. Calyx and dimorphic units, which differ in their morphology, can both be irregular. These observations imply that discharge regularity is not determined by the branching pattern of a fiber or the number and types of hair cells it contacts. 5. The galvanic sensitivity (beta*) of an afferent, irrespective of its peripheral innervation pattern, was strongly correlated with CV*. This is consistent with the notion that discharge regularity and galvanic sensitivity are causally related, both being determined by postspike recovery mechanisms of the afferent nerve terminal. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Different Inhibitory Effects in Rat and Human Carboxylesterases

In vitro inhibition studies on drug-metabolizing enzyme activity are useful for understanding drug-drug interactions and for drug development. However, the profile of the inhibitory effects of carboxylesterase (CES) activity has not been fully investigated concerning species and tissue differences. In the present study, we measured the inhibitory effects of 15 drugs and 1 compound on CES activity using liver and jejunum microsomes and cytosol in human and rat. In addition, the inhibition constant (Ki values) and patterns were determined for the compounds exhibiting strong inhibition. Hydrolysis of imidapril and irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) is catalyzed mainly by CES1 and CES2, respectively. In the inhibition study, imidaprilat formation from imidapril in human liver was strongly inhibited by nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) and procainamide. The inhibition profile and pattern were similar in human liver and rat liver. The compounds showing potent inhibition were similar between liver and jejunum. The Ki value of NDGA (Ki = 13.3 ± 1.5 μM) in human liver microsomes was 30-fold higher than that in rat liver microsomes (Ki = 0.4 ± 0.0 μM). On the other hand, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38) formation from CPT-11 was not inhibited except by carvedilol, manidipine, and physostigmine. The Ki value of physostigmine (Ki = 0.3 ± 0.0 μM) in human jejunum cytosol was 10-fold lower than that in rat jejunum cytosol (Ki = 3.1 ± 0.4 μM) and was similar to that for manidipine. The present study clarified the species differences in CES inhibition. These results are useful for the development of prodrugs.