Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High prevalence of metabolic syndrome among young women with premature coronary artery disease

BackgroundThe metabolic syndrome is more prevalent with the use of the recently defined National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria and is associated with a greater risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease than any of its individual components. This study evaluated the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in female and male patients with newly diagnosed premature coronary artery disease. MethodThe study population included 582 consecutive patients (496 men, 86 women) with newly diagnosed premature coronary artery disease (aged ≤45 years). Besides classic major coronary risk factors, all patients were evaluated for the presence of metabolic syndrome based on the NCEP ATP III criteria. ResultsThe majority of patients were male (85% versus 15%). The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 37%. Women with premature coronary artery disease were found to have a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome than men (73% versus 31% respectively, p<0.001). Furthermore, the mean number of components of metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in women compared to men (2.81±1.09 versus 1.85±1.08 respectively, p<0.001). In addition, metabolic syndrome was detected to be the most frequent coronary risk factor in women (73%). Besides, cigarette smoking was found to be significantly higher in males compared to females (70% versus 36% respectively, p<0.001) and it was the most prevalent coronary risk factor in men with premature coronary artery disease. ConclusionWe have shown for the first time a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in young females compared with young males with premature coronary artery disease. This data may be useful in directing primary and secondary preventive measures.
Silicon On-Chip One-Dimensional Photonic Crystal Nanobeam Bandgap Filter Integrated With Nanobeam Cavity for Accurate Refractive Index Sensing

A novel method for integration of high-performance 1-D photonic crystal nanobeam bandgap filter (1-D PC-NBF) and high-sensitivity 1-D PC nanobeam cavity sensor (1-D PC-NCS) is proposed on a monolithic silicon chip. The 1-D PC-NBF consists of a simple 1-D PC nanobeam waveguide, in which the bulk air-hole grating radii are kept the same. The 1-D PC-NCS consists of a common 1-D PC nanobeam cavity, in which the air-hole grating radius is parabolically tapered from center to end. By using the 3-D finite-difference time-domain (3-D-FDTD) method, the proposed 1-D PC-NBF with an effective low-pass bandgap ranging from 1533 to 1785 nm (with width > 250 nm) is demonstrated, where the resonant wavelengths lying in the bandgap are not guided. Then, by connecting an additional 1-D PC-NBF to a 1-D PC-NCS in series, a transmission spectrum only containing the specific fundamental mode of the 1-D PC nanobeam cavity for sensing purposes is created, while the other high-order modes are filtered out. Moreover, the additional 1-D PC-NBF has no influence on the properties (e.g., Q-factor, resonance position, and sensitivity) of the fundamental resonant mode of 1-D PC-NCS. In particular, the footprint of the proposed 1-D PC nanobeam integrated sensor is ultracompact around 0.7 μm × 10 μm, which is improved more than three orders of magnitude compared with the integrated sensor devices based on 2-D PC. Thus, the method presented here is promising to build highly parallel integrated sensor arrays for lab-on-a-chip applications and accurate detections.
Increased incidence of admissions for anaphylaxis in Spain 1998–2011

We report on trends in anaphylaxis admissions in the Spanish hospital system during the period 1998–2011. Data on admissions for anaphylaxis were obtained from the Spanish Information System for Hospital Data for the period 1998–2011. Patients were selected using the codes for anaphylaxis in the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD‐9‐CM). Poisson regression models were used to estimate incidence rate ratios. We recorded a 1.89‐fold increase in admissions for anaphylaxis in Spanish hospitals during the study period, particularly in patients aged 0–14 years (1.65‐ to 3.22‐fold until 2009 and 4.09‐ to 12.59‐fold until 2011) and in food anaphylaxis in all age groups (2.78‐fold until 2009 and 8.74‐fold until 2011). The incidence of anaphylaxis is perceived as having increased in recent years, especially anaphylaxis caused by food and anaphylaxis affecting the pediatric population.
Total knee replacement in the morbidly obese: a literature review

Background: The ‘obesity epidemic’ is expected to result in an increased incidence of knee osteoarthritis and hence total knee replacements (TKRs). Reviews have demonstrated the conflicting results of TKR for all obese (body mass index (BMI) >30). The aim of this literature review was to specifically evaluate outcomes of TKR in patients with morbid obesity (MO; BMI >40).
First prospective study on brain stem death and attitudes toward organ donation in India

Organ donation following brain stem death is infrequent in India. There is no prospective study on prevalence of brain stem death and causes of non‐donation. Consecutive patients admitted to intensive care unit from Sep 2006 to Sep 2008 were studied prospectively. Families of those with brain stem death were approached for organ donation by transplant coordinator. Extensive awareness drive was launched. Reasons for non‐donation, if any, were documented. Of 2820 patients admitted, 994 (35%) were on mechanical ventilator and 657 (23%) died. Brain stem death could be diagnosed in 55, 37 males, median age 46 years (range 7 to 87 years) i.e., 1.9% of all admissions and 8.3% of all deaths. Among neurology and neurosurgery patients brain stem death was seen in 45 of 1037 (4.3%) admissions and 45 of 161 (27.9%) deaths. Complications of brain stem death were hypotension in 49, diabetes insipidus in 17 and hypertension in 5 patients. Of 33 families counselled, 16(48%) consented to organ donation. In 14(42%), organs and tissues retrieved and transplanted included 13 livers, 23 kidneys, 25 corneas and 5 cardiac valves. Consent was more likely in females (10 of 14 as compared to 6 of 19 males, p = 0.037). Consent did not correlate with age of donor or medico‐legal issues (p = 0.227 & 0.579 respectively). Trained staff with requisite systems in place produced significant organ donation rates. Religious issues and medico legal concerns were not a major hurdle towards organ donation. Female patients with brain stem were more likely to become organ donors. Liver Transpl 15:1443–1447, 2009. © 2009 AASLD.
Risk Factors for Low Back Injury Among Farmers in Iowa: A Case-Control Study Nested in the Agricultural Health Study

The aim of this study was to assess risk factors for low back injury requiring medical advice or treatment among Iowa farmers. Although farmers are at risk for low back injury, few studies have addressed risk factors for farm work-related low back injury. We screened 6999 participants in the Iowa portion of the Agricultural Health Study to identify 49 male farmers who reported farm work-related low back injury requiring medical advice or treatment in the previous year. We compared them with 465 uninjured male farmer controls. Multivariable modeling identified four risk factors significantly associated with low back injury: age less than 45 years (OR = 3.32; 95% CI 1.75–6.20), doctor-diagnosed asthma (OR = 4.26; 95% CI 1.49–12.10), education beyond high school (OR = 2.12; 95% CI 1.13–3.90), and difficulty hearing normal conversation (even with a hearing aid, in the case of those using one) (OR = 1.98; 95% CI 1.02–3.80). Although hearing difficulty may be a general risk factor for occupational injury, asthma may be a more specific risk factor for low back injury. Future research to assess the risk factors, asthma and difficulty hearing, may be particularly important, since farmers are at increased risk for hearing loss, and farmers come into contact with many inhaled agents that can cause asthma.
Inhibiting Amyloid Precursor Protein C-terminal Cleavage Promotes an Interaction with Presenilin 1*

Presenilin 1 (PS1) plays a pivotal role in the production of the amyloid-β protein, which is central to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. It has been demonstrated that PS1 regulates the γ-secretase proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) C-terminal fragment (APP-C100), which is the final step in amyloid-β protein production. The mechanism and detailed pathway of this PS1 activity has yet to be fully resolved, but it may be due to a presenilin-controlled trafficking of the APP fragment or possibly an inherent PS1 proteolytic activity. We have investigated the possibility of a direct interaction of PS1 and the APP-C100 within the high molecular mass presenilin complex. However, the APP-C100 is rapidly degraded, and if it forms, then any PS1·APP complex is likely to be very transitory. To circumvent this problem, we have utilized the protease inhibitor N-acetyl-leucyl-norleucinal (LLnL) and the lysosomotropic agent NH4Cl, which inhibits the turnover of the APP-C100. Under these conditions, levels of the fragment increased appreciably, and as shown by glycerol gradient analysis, the APP-C100 shifted to a higher molecular mass complex that overlapped with PS1. Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that a significant population of the APP-C100 co-precipitated with PS1. These findings suggest that PS1 may mediate the shuttling of APP fragments and/or facilitate their presentation for γ-secretase cleavage through a direct interaction.
Does Nitrogen Dioxide Exposure Increase Airways Responsiveness?

A number of reports have suggested that exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) may cause increased airways responsiveness (AR). Twenty studies of asthmatics and five studies of healthy subjects exposed to NO2 were used to test this hypothesis using a simple method of meta-analysis. Individual data were obtained for the above studies and the direction of change in AR was determined for each subject. Only studies with available individual data were used. Subjects from these studies whose directional change in AR could not be determined were excluded. The fraction of positive responses (i.e. increased AR) was determined for all subjects within a group and tested for significance using a sign test. Data were also grouped according to NO2 concentration and by whether the exposure included exercise. There was an overall trend among asthmatics for AR to increase (60%) but this was primarily due to increased AR seen in resting exposures (70%). Among healthy subjects AR also increased with NO2 exposure but only at concentrations above 1.0 ppm. This analysis suggests that NO2 exposure causes increased airway responsiveness in healthy and asthmatic subjects but that exercise during exposure may modify this response in asthmatics.
Thrombin generation before and after multicomponent blood collection

Summary IThe development of apheresis technology has increased efficiency in donor blood use by collecting specific blood components in several combinations. The question of donor safety raised by the contact of donor blood with foreign, only in part biocompatible surfaces remains. The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of multicomponent blood collection on thrombin generation performing an overall function test of coagulation. Donors, methods: 26 blood donors were included. Per apheresis two units of platelets and one unit of RBCs were collected by two cell separators (Amicus® and Trima Accel®). Each donor underwent the procedure on both apheresis systems. Samples were collected before, immediately after, and 48 hours after apheresis. Thrombin generation was measured by means of calibrated automated thrombography (CAT). Results: CATdata changed only slightly and no significant changes were seen before, immediately after, and 48 hours after apheresis. The parameters did not differ significantly between the two different apheresis devices. Conclusion: No change in parameters of continuous thrombin generation occurred, suggesting that apheresis did not lead to severe alterations in the haemostatic system.
Designing Career Development Programs Through Understanding of Nurses' Career Needs

A nurse's career can be divided into the exploration, establishment, maintenance, and disengagement stages. Because nurses have varied career needs at different career stages, this article uses literature review and in-depth interviews with nurses to understand the features of career stages. The authors detail nurses' career needs in different stages and infer appropriate career development programs in the hospital system.
The Steroid-Sparing Effect of an Emollient Therapy in Infants with Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized Controlled Study

Background: No study has clearly demonstrated the steroid-sparing effect of emollients in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). Aim: Evaluating the effect of an emollient containing oat extracts on the amount of topical corticosteroids used in infants with moderate to severe AD. Study Design: During 6 weeks, 173 infants under 12 months old treated for inflammatory lesions by moderate- and/or high-potency topical corticosteroids randomly received the emollient or not (control group). Methods: Evaluation of corticosteroid consumption by weighing the tubes, disease severity by the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis Index (SCORAD), and infants’ and parents’ quality of life by Infant’s Dermatitis Quality of Life Index and Dermatitis Family Impact scores at D0, D21 and D42. Results: Compared to the control group, the amount of moderate- and high-potency corticosteroids used in 6 weeks decreased by 7.5% (not significant) and 42% (p < 0.05), respectively, in the emollient group. The SCORAD index, and infants’ and parents’ quality of life significantly improved (p < 0.0001) in both groups. Conclusion: The emollient treatment significantly reduced the high-potency topical corticosteroid consumption in infants with AD.
Expert decision making method based on uncertain linguistic variables

In this paper, we propose an expert decision making method, UL-TOPSIS. Through giving experts the flexibility of evaluation, they can choose two items of linguistic variables by the multiple-choice method, with an interval range of uncertain linguistic variables to express their real thinking. The method is also used to resolve the problem of too wide range of an individual expert opinion or too large differences between experts opinions. We hope that the new method can capture the opinions of experts better, integrate the opinions of all experts appropriately, and make more accurate decisions for decision makers.
Research on string similarity algorithm based on Levenshtein Distance

The application of string similarity is very extensive, and the algorithm based on Levenshtein Distance is particularly classic, but it is still insufficient in the aspect of universal applicability and accuracy of results. Combined with the Longest Common Subsequence (LCS) and Longest Common Substring (LCCS), similarity algorithm based on Levenshtein Distance is improved, and the string similarity result of the improved algorithm is more distinct, reasonable and accurate, and also has a better universal applicability. What's more in the process of similarity calculation, the Solving algorithm of the LD and LCS has been optimized in the data structure, reduce the space complexity of the algorithm from the order of magnitude. And the experimental results are analyzed in detail, which proves the feasibility and correctness of the results.
Circadian changes in the temperature of human beings.

Temperature in man measured or recorded by different means, is not constant but varies in a predictable and rhythmic fashion. Circadian (about 24-hour) rhythms have been demonstrated and studied in healthy men and women as well as in patients under a wide variety of experimental conditions and diseases. With the help of special computer programs (Halberg's cosinor) inferential statistical analyses can be performed. There validate and characterize a biological rhythm (i.e., core temperature) by several parameters: the period (tau) the acrophase (phi) (timing of the peak), the amplitude (A) and the rhythm-adjusted mean (M). Each one of these parameters is given with its confidence limits when the studied rhythm is detectable (p less than 0.05). The human temperature (oral, rectal and skin) circadian rhythm has been validated and quantified in healthy newborns, in healthy adults on various diets (including near-fasting conditions: 220 cal/24h, casein) and various type of activities. Food intake does not appear to influence the temperature circadian rhythm. The rhythm persists with a change of period and/or acrophase during isolation underground, without time dues or clues. Its acrophase can be shifted by manipulating synchronizing factors (i.e., shift-working, transmeridian flight). Alteration of circadian temperature rhythm may result from the timed administration of certain drugs (i.e. reserpine) and from certain chronic diseases (without overt fever). A first attempt to use both thermography and chronobiological method has been made independantly by Gautherie et al [40] and Smolensky [41] in the prediction of therapeutic value of a given modality during the course of breast cancer treatment.
Financial inclusion plans (FIPs) – Growing Roots in the light of ‘good governance’ of RBI

This study is an effort to investigate the status of financial inclusion in India. This paper is the clear demonstration on financial Inclusion's role in the growth of Indian financial/banking sector progress. Mobilization and circulation of funds/finance is the primary requirement of development of an economy. Especially, in case of Indian economy it becomes more essential because India is a developing country, growth in the banking and financial services can put India into a fast globalize growing path of success and development. Financial inclusion is becoming the ‘the growing roots’ in Indian banking with providing economic as well as easier banking and financial services to poor and slum peoples of the economy. RBI and other reputed government institutions like as NABARD, SIDBI, etc are also playing very dominant role for the successful implementation of this system. This paper is a clear picture regarding the status of financial inclusion in India. This paper covers RBI efforts, financial inclusion's position in different states of India and performance of various Indian banks for the on the basis of comparison of their actual achieved targets with their given targets. This study is mainly based on the secondary data and descriptive in nature, the data for the study is collected from the website of ministry of finance and little information also from RBI's website. The collected data shall be studied with the help of graphical method and suitable statistical tool. This paper also contains of the movements of RBI as governance of the FIPs.
Frequency-dependent taste-rejection by avian predation may select for defence chemical polymorphisms in aposematic prey

Chemically defended insects advertise their unpalatability to avian predators using conspicuous aposematic coloration that predators learn to avoid. Insects utilize a wide variety of different compounds in their defences, and intraspecific variation in defence chemistry is common. We propose that polymorphisms in insect defence chemicals may be beneficial to insects by increasing survival from avian predators. Birds learn to avoid a colour signal faster when individual prey possesses one of two unpalatable chemicals rather than all prey having the same defence chemical. However, for chemical polymorphisms to evolve within a species, there must be benefits that allow rare chemical morphs to increase in frequency. Using domestic chicks as predators and coloured crumbs for prey, we provide evidence that birds taste and reject proportionally more of the individuals with rare defence chemicals than those with common defence chemicals. This indicates that the way in which birds attack and reject prey could enhance the survival of rare chemical morphs and select for chemical polymorphism in aposematic species. This is the first experiment to demonstrate that predators can directly influence the form taken by prey's chemical defences.
Tumour epidermal growth factor receptor, erbB-2 and cathepsin D in node-negative invasive breast cancer: their impact on the selection of patients for systemic adjuvant therapy.

OBJECTIVE To determine the feasibility and the economic impact of tumour EGFR, erbB-2 and cathepsin-D measurements in women with node-negative breast cancer. DESIGN Consecutive tumour samples received at a regional steroid receptor laboratory from patients with node-negative breast cancer were evaluated with commercially available kits to determine EGFR, erbB-2 and cathepsin-D levels. SETTING All node-negative patients whose tumours were submitted to the steroid receptor laboratory from November 1992 to March 1994 were included (n = 142). A control group of concurrent node-negative breast cancer patients from the London Regional Cancer Centre (LRCC) database were also evaluated to determine the representativeness of our sample. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE To determine the proportion of patients who were positive for the 3 newer prognostic factors relative to their risk of relapse. RESULTS We found 75 positive values in 69 patients (48.6%). We demonstrated that each factor identified a different high-risk subgroup. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) positivity (> 10 fmol/mg protein) was found in 16.3% of patients, with 19.9% of patients positive for erbB-2 (> 250 units/mg protein) and 17.3% positive for cathepsin D (> 70 pmol/mg protein). Between 10% and 23.2% more node-negative patients currently seen in a regional cancer centre could be offered systemic adjuvant chemotherapy based on a single positive new factor. CONCLUSIONS These tumour evaluations are straightforward using material already available in a regional steroid receptor laboratory or on tumour tissue available to pathologists. The economic impact is minimal; the 1995 cost of performing all 3 evaluations is Can$425-616 (US$304-440) per patient treated depending on the number of assays per run. Prospective clinical trials incorporating tumour EGFR, erbB-2 and cathepsin D are feasible and economically viable.
Magnetically driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability with acceleration gradient

We investigate the stability properties of a slab of accelerating, current-carrying, cold, fluid when the accelerating J_ /spl times/ B_ force is nonuniform throughout the slab and leads to a gradient in the slab acceleration. A nonuniform force that squeezes (stretches) the slab while accelerating it increases (decreases) the Magnetic-Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth rate. This effect can explain recent experiments on thin, magnetically driven, imploding liner shells.
Campylobacter jejuni from Patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome Preferentially Expresses a GD1a-Like Epitope

ABSTRACT GM1- and GD1a-like ganglioside mimicry in Campylobacter jejuni lipooligosaccharide (LOS) is considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of Campylobacter-induced Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Compared with gastroenteritis-related isolates, GBS-related C. jejuni isolates were strongly associated with the expression of GD1a-like mimicry. The presence of a few genes involved in LOS ganglioside mimicry, cst-II, cgtA, and cgtB, was also associated with GBS-related strains. GD1a-like epitope expression may be an important virulence phenotype associated with the risk of developing GBS following campylobacter infection.