Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The influence of sex hormones on proinflammatory cytokines in gingiva of periodontally healthy premenopausal women.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The aim of this work was to investigate any correlation between the fluctuation of levels of specific proinflammatory cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid and the fluctuation of sex hormones in peripheral blood at ovulation and progesterone peak. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eighteen premenopausal women with normal and consistent menstrual cycles and healthy periodontium were included in this study. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (i) pregnancy; (ii) use of oral contraceptives; (iii) metabolic or systemic disease that might affect the periodontium; (iv) use of antimicrobial or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during the past 6 mo; and (v) smoking. The measurements were performed at two specific time points for each participant [(i) on the day of ovulation; and (ii) on the day of the progesterone peak) and included the following: (i) plaque index; (ii) bleeding on probing; and (iii) the gingival crevicular fluid levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). RESULTS During the menstrual cycle, plaque index values remained unchanged (0.71 ± 0.07 at ovulation; 0.73 ± 0.08 at progesterone peak; p > 0.05), as did bleeding on probing (0.35 ± 0.07 at ovulation; 0.41 ± 0.07 at progesterone peak; p > 0.05). At ovulation, mean gingival crevicular fluid levels were as follows: IL-1β, 13.3 pg/sample; IL-6, 5.9 pg/sample; IL-8, 18.7 pg/sample; and TNF-α, 25.9 pg/sample. The corresponding values at progesterone peak were as follows: 14.1, 10.1, 19.5 and 26.3 pg/sample. Only IL-6 gingival crevicular fluid levels were significantly different between ovulation and progesterone peak (p < 0.05). This could reflect sensitivity to subclinical amounts of plaque and biofilm constituents. CONCLUSION The subclinical increase of IL-6 at progesterone peak is not accompanied by clinical changes in the periodontium.
Mechanisms for increased cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney dysfunction

Purpose of reviewPatients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have the highest risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Current interventions have been insufficiently effective in lessening excess incidence and mortality from CVD in patients with CKD versus other high-risk groups. This review focuses on traditional and CKD-related risks as well as key mechanisms of macrophage foam cell formation that underlie the excess CVD in the setting of CKD. Recent findingsHyperlipidemia, particularly increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, is the key factor in atherogenesis in the general population, but has not been found to be the overriding risk for greater CVD in CKD, especially as renal damage progresses. Although higher incidence of CVD in CKD is not due to higher serum lipids per se, CKD is associated with abnormal lipid metabolism that is proatherogenic. CKD-related risks, including inflammation and disturbances in mineral metabolism, have been implicated. In addition, perturbations of the macrophage, a cell that is central in atherogenesis, may be important. SummaryThe mechanisms underlying the heightened risk for CVD in CKD have been the focus of intense study and may relate to the combined effects of traditional and CKD-specific risks involving inflammation and lipid metabolism, especially perturbation of macrophage cholesterol homeostasis.
Asociación entre actividad física y percepción de la imagen corporal en adolescentes madrileños

En el presente estudio se pretende evaluar la relacion entre la composicion corporal, la auto-percepcion de la imagen y el tipo e intensidad del ejercicio fisico practicado en un grupo de jovenes madrilenos de 13 a 19 anos. Estas asociaciones son fundamentales en la adolescencia, periodo de importantes cambios fisicos y psicologicos que esta fuertemente influenciado por una sociedad centrada en el culto al cuerpo. La metodologia utilizada ha sido, en primer lugar la entrega de encuestas en las que se interrogaba a los jovenes sobre el ejercicio fisico realizado fuera del aula. En segundo termino un cuestionario para la percepcion de su imagen corporal basado en la eleccion de siluetas (asociadas a distintos Indices de Masa Corporal o IMC) y finalmente la toma de dimensiones antropometricas encaminadas a la valoracion de la composicion corporal. Los resultados obtenidos confirman que existe una distorsion de la percepcion corporea en ambos sexos. Sin embargo, es curioso comprobar que, aunque dicha alteracion es mayor en el sexo masculino, los varones no muestran deseos de adelgazar mientras que la mayoria de las mujeres si tienen dicha pretension. Este hecho influye en el tipo de actividad fisica escogida ya que, sobre todo las chicas, escogen actividades de tipo individual aerobico cuya finalidad suele ser disminuir el IMC, mientras que ellos denotan preferencia por los deportes en equipo que no muestran dicho proposito.
Potentially inappropriate prescribing for geriatric inpatients: an acute care of the elderly unit compared to a general medicine service.

OBJECTIVE To compare potentially inappropriate medication prescribing, as defined by the updated Beers criteria, in an acute care of the elderly (ACE) unit and a general medicine service. DESIGN Non-concurrent cohort study of admitting and discharge summaries from an electronic medical record system. SETTING A general medicine service and ACE unit at an 880-bed, tertiary care, teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS 176 patients from the ACE unit and 173 from the general medicine service who were 65 years of age or older, admitted after October 1, 1999, and discharged before February 29, 2000. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Numbers of high- and low-severity potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and total medications on admission and discharge. RESULTS The average number of all medications added on discharge was lower for the ACE unit versus general medicine service, 0.13 versus 0.75, respectively (P = .027). In the ACE unit, 11% of patients were prescribed PIMs with high-severity outcomes on discharge, either independent or dependent of diagnosis, compared with 12.7% in the general medicine service. The mean change in potentially inappropriate diagnoses independent medications upon discharge was - 0.09 in the ACE unit versus + 0.09 in the general medicine service (P = .011). CONCLUSION Although detected differences were small, PIMs were less likely to be prescribed and more likely to be discontinued in the ACE unit. No differences were found in the majority of comparisons between groups.
The Economic Impact of Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Exacerbation Definition: A Review

ABSTRACT Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) poses a significant economic burden on society, and a substantial portion is related to exacerbations of COPD. A literature review of the direct and indirect costs of COPD exacerbations was performed. A systematic search of the MEDLINE database from 1998–2008 was conducted and supplemented with searches of conference abstracts and article bibliographies. Articles that contained cost data related to COPD exacerbations were selected for in-depth review. Eleven studies examining healthcare costs associated with COPD exacerbations were identified. The estimated costs of exacerbations vary widely across studies: $88 to $7,757 per exacerbation (2007 US dollars). The largest component of the total costs of COPD exacerbations was typically hospitalization. Costs were highly correlated with exacerbation severity. Indirect costs have rarely been measured. The wide variability in the cost estimates reflected cross-study differences in geographic locations, treatment patterns, and patient populations. Important methodological differences also existed across studies. Researchers have used different definitions of exacerbation (e.g., symptom- versus event-based definitions), different tools to identify and measure exacerbations, and different classification systems to define exacerbation severity. Unreported exacerbations are common and may influence the long-term costs of exacerbations. Measurement of indirect costs will provide a more comprehensive picture of the burden of exacerbations. Evaluation of pharmacoeconomic analyses would be aided by the use of more consistent and comprehensive approaches to defining and measuring COPD exacerbations.
Pulmonary vascular changes in bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a clinicopathologic correlation in short- and long-term survivors.

Pulmonary vascular findings in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are inconsistent. We compared five infants who fulfilled histologic criteria of BPD (group I; survival up to 1 month) with five controls who died of severe neonatal infection without having been ventilated. Nine infants who survived up to 7 months also fulfilled clinical criteria of BPD (group II). These were compared with three term infants who died of nonpulmonary causes. Lung slices were examined qualitatively and by quantitative histomorphometry. The influence of oxygen concentration and positive pressure ventilation on arterial density was studied. Arterial concentration in group I [2.43 (0.63) vessels/mm2, mean +/- SD] increased significantly compared with the controls [1.64 (0.49) vessels/mm2, mean +/- SD]. Most infants in group II who had cor pulmonale at autopsy had decreased arterial density when compared with normal term infants. Postmortem pulmonary angiography was also consistent with this finding. Total oxygen dose was the factor with the greatest influence on reduced arterial density. Relative wall thickness of vessels less than 75 microns in diameter was not significantly reduced in group I (p greater than .05). Infants from group II with cor pulmonale had an increased wall thickness compared with their controls. The proportion of fully muscularized arteries less than 100 microns in diameter was reduced in group I but increased in group II. We conclude that the reduction of cross-sectional perfusion area and abnormal muscularization of more peripheral vessels are important in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension in infants with BPD.
Retinoic acid-induced developmental defects are mediated by RARβ/RXR heterodimers in the pharyngeal endoderm

Fusion and hypoplasia of the first two branchial arches, a defect typically observed in retinoic acid (RA) embryopathy, is generated in cultured mouse embryos upon treatment with BMS453, a synthetic compound that exhibits retinoic acid receptor β (RARβ) agonistic properties in transfected cells. By contrast, no branchial arch defects are observed following treatment with synthetic retinoids that exhibit RARα or RARγ agonistic properties. The BMS453-induced branchial arch defects are mediated through RAR activation, as they are similar to those generated by a selective pan-RAR agonist, are prevented by a selective pan-RAR antagonist and cannot be mimicked by exposure to a pan-RXR agonist alone. They are enhanced in the presence of a pan-RXR agonist, and cannot be generated in Rarb-null embryos. Furthermore, they are accompanied, in the morphologically altered region, by ectopic expression of Rarb and of several other direct RA target genes. Therefore, craniofacial abnormalities characteristic of the RA embryopathy are mediated through ectopic activation of RARβ/RXR heterodimers, in which the ligand-dependent activity of RXR is subordinated to that of RARβ. Endodermal cells lining the first two branchial arches respond to treatment with the RARβ agonist, in contrast to neural crest cells and ectoderm, which suggests that a faulty endodermal regionalization is directly responsible for RA-induced branchial arch dysmorphologies. Additionally, we provide the first in vivo evidence that the synthetic RARβ agonist BMS453 exhibits an antagonistic activity on the two other RAR isotypes.
Localization of rat endothelin-converting enzyme to vascular endothelial cells and some secretory cells.

Endothelin is a potent vasoconstrictive peptide that is produced by vascular endothelial cells; it is formed from its precursor, big endothelin, by endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE). In this work, ECE was studied using specific monoclonal antibodies. In immunoblotting, ECE was estimated to be a 300 kDa protein on SDS/PAGE under non-reducing conditions, and 130 kDa under reducing conditions. Cross-linking experiments revealed that ECE is composed of two disulphide-linked subunits. Localization of ECE was studied at the cellular and subcellular levels in various rat tissues and cells. High-level expression of ECE was observed in membrane fractions of simian virus 40-transformed rat endothelial cells by immunoblotting, but the immunoreactive band was absent form aortic smooth muscle cells and cytosolic fractions of endothelial cells. In immunohistochemical analysis, ECE was found to be localized in the endothelial cells of the aorta, lung, kidney, liver and heart. Confocal immunofluorescent microscopy showed that most of the ECE in endothelial cells and cells transfected with ECE cDNA was clustered along the plasma membrane. Intact COS or CHO cells transfected with ECE cDNA rapidly and efficiently cleaved big endothelin-1 added to the culture medium. Thus endothelial cells express ECE on the plasma membrane and the active site of the enzyme faces outside the cells, i.e. it is an ectoenzyme. Other than endothelial cells, ECE was also present in some secretory cells. The enzyme was abundant in the adrenal gland, and localized in chromaffin cells. ECE was also highly condensed in pancreatic islet beta cells. It is concluded that ECE and endothelin may be involved in the regulated secretion of hormones.
How useful is the ‘cocktail approach’ for evaluating human hepatic drug metabolizing capacity using cytochrome P450 phenotyping probes in vivo?

Relatively selective in vivo substrate probes have been developed for several major CYP isoforms involved in oxidative drug metabolism. There are basically two in vivo methods for identifying the phenotype. One method, the selective (CYP‐specific) phenotyping method, involves administering one single probe drug, whereas the other is a mixed phenotyping or ‘cocktail’ method involving the simultaneous administration of multiple probe drugs, specific for the individual P450. At present, caffeine and chlorzoxazone are used most often as probe drugs for CYP1A2 and CYP2E1, respectively, but these are not necessarily the best probe drugs. Of the potential probe drugs for CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4, none is really useful. Despite current limitations, the cocktail method for obtaining information about multiple CYP activities in a single experimental session is likely to be more widely used as a screening or phenotyping method for humans in the future.
Function of Rx, but not Pax6, is essential for the formation of retinal progenitor cells in mice

Summary: Rx plays a critical role in eye formation. Targeted elimination of Rx results in embryos that do not develop eyes. In this study, we have investigated the expression of Otx2, Six3, and Pax6 in Rx deficient embryos. We find that these genes show normal activation in the anterior neural plate in Rx−/− embryos, but they are not upregulated in the area of the neural plate that would form the primordium of the optic vesicle. In contrast, in homozygous Small eye embryos that lack Pax6 function, Rx shows normal activation in the anterior neural plate and normal upregulation in the optic vesicle/retinal progenitor cells. This suggests that neither Rx expression nor the formation of retinal progenitor cells is dependent on a functional copy of the Pax6 gene, but that Pax6 expression and the formation of the progenitor cells of the optic cup is dependent on a functional copy of the Rx gene. genesis 28:135–142, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Building a competency-based workplace curriculum around entrustable professional activities: The case of physician assistant training

Background and aim: Competency-based medical education (CBME) is increasingly dominating clinical training, but also poses questions as to its practical implementation. There is a need for practical guidelines to translate CBME to the clinical work floor. This article aims to provide a practical model, based on the concept of entrustable professional activities (EPAs) to make this translation, derived from curriculum building for physician assistants (PAs). Method: For the training of PAs at the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, a three-step model was developed to guide competency-based curriculum development, teaching and assessment. It includes specific guidelines for the identification, systematic description and planning of EPAs. Results: The EPA concept appeared to be a useful tool to build competency-based clinical workplace curricula. Implementation of the curriculum requires use of trainee portfolios and progress interviews, statements of rewarded responsibility and training of supervisors. The individualised approach and flexibility that true CBME implies is brought into practice with this model. Discussion: The model may also be transferred to other domains of clinical training, among which postgraduate training for medical specialties.
A data-driven prognostic approach based on wavelet transform and extreme learning machine

The monitoring of a cutting tool is needed for the prediction of impending faults and estimating its Remaining Useful Life (RUL). Implementing a robust Prognostic and Health Management (PHM) system for a high speed milling CNC cutter remains a challenge for various industries to reach improved quality, reduced downtime, increased system safety and lower production costs. The purpose of the present paper is health assessment and RUL estimation of the cutting tool machines. To do so, an approach based the use of Wavelet Packet Transform (WPT) and Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) for tool wear condition monitoring is proposed. Among the main steps is feature extraction where the relevant features of raw data are computed in the form of nodes energy using WPT. The extracted features are then fed to the learning algorithm ELM; the main idea is that ELM involves nonlinear regression in a high dimensional feature space for mapping the input data via a nonlinear function to build a prognostics model. The method was applied to real world data gathered during several cuts of a milling CNC tool. Results showed the significance performances achieved by the WPT and ELM for tool wear condition monitoring.
Statistical Process Control for Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 electrodeposition-based manufacturing process of 60×120cm2 modules up to 14,0% efficiency

The company NEXCIS has developed a 2-step process based on the electrodeposition (ED) of a metallic precursor subsequently annealed to produce Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 absorbers (CIGS). The metallic precursor is electrodeposited on a highly conductive Mo-based back-contact on glass. It is subsequently reacted in an atmospheric pressure thermal treatment unit under chalcogens atmosphere to produce CIGS cells up to 17.3% externally certified and 60×120cm2 modules up to 14.0% aperture area efficiency. These figures demonstrate that a low-cost electrodeposition-based process can successfully produce modules with efficiencies close to the ones obtained from vacuum-based processes such as coevaporation or 2-step Sputtering followed by annealing in hydride gases. Still, to be proven acceptable for production, the developed process must also demonstrate that it is robust and capable of repeatedly generating the same output. In this work, statistical process control techniques are used on more than one hundred 60×120cm2 plates to calculate the process capability and show that the ED-based process is well suited for a CIGS production line.
Premature morbidity from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE To determine rates of morbidity due to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases among women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS I used the California Hospital Discharge Database, which contains information on all discharges from acute care hospitals in California, to identify women with SLE who had been hospitalized for treatment of either acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (CHF), or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) from 1991 to 1994. I compared the proportions of hospitalizations for each cause among women with SLE with those in a group of women without SLE, for 3 age strata (18-44 years, 45-64 years, and > or =65 years). RESULTS Compared with young women without SLE, young women with SLE were 2.27 times more likely to be hospitalized because of AMI (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.08-3.46), 3.80 times more likely to be hospitalized because of CHF (95% CI 2.41-5.19), and 2.05 times more likely to be hospitalized because of CVA (95% CI 1.17-2.93). Among middle-aged women with SLE, the frequencies of hospitalization for AMI and CVA did not differ from those of the comparison group, but the risk of hospitalization for CHF was higher (odds ratio [OR] 1.39, 95% CI 1.05-1.73). Among elderly women with SLE, the risk of hospitalization for AMI was significantly lower (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.51-0.89), the risk of hospitalization for CHF was higher (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.01-1.49), and the risk of hospitalization for CVA was not significantly different from those in the comparison group. CONCLUSION Young women with SLE are at substantially increased risk of AMI, CHF, and CVA. The relative odds of these conditions decrease with age among women with SLE.
Evaluation of the polyphenol content and antioxidant properties of methanol extracts of the leaves, stem, and root barks of Moringa oleifera Lam.

Medicinal plants have been shown to have both chemopreventive and/or therapeutic effects on cancer and other diseases related to oxidative damage. Moringa oleifera Lam. , known in the Hausa and Igala languages of Nigeria as "Zogale" and "Gergedi," respectively, and drumstick in English, is a plant that is used both as food and in folkloric medicine in Nigeria and elsewhere. Different parts of the plant were analyzed for polyphenol content as well as in vitro antioxidant potential. The methanol extract of the leaves of M. oleifera contained chlorogenic acid, rutin, quercetin glucoside, and kaempferol rhamnoglucoside, whereas in the root and stem barks, several procyanidin peaks were detected. With the xanthine oxidase model system, all the extracts exhibited strong in vitro antioxidant activity, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) values of 16, 30, and 38 microL for the roots, leaves, and stem bark, respectively. Similarly, potent radical scavenging capacity was observed when extracts were evaluated with the 2-deoxyguanosine assay model system, with IC(50) values of 40, 58, and 72 microL for methanol extracts of the leaves, stem, and root barks, respectively. The high antioxidant/radical scavenging effects observed for different parts of M. oleifera appear to provide justification for their widespread therapeutic use in traditional medicine in different continents. The possibility that this high antioxidant/radical scavenging capacity may impact on the cancer chemopreventive potential of the plant must be considered.